Prevalence and characteristics of psychotic-like experiences in Kenyan youth

Ndetei, David M.; Muriungi, Susan K.; Owoso, Akinkunle; Mutiso, Victoria; Mbwayo, Anne; Khasakhala, Lincoln; Deanna, M; Mamah, Daniel

doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2011.12.053

Cited by 42 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 58 publications

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“…This distribution of symptoms was similar to that found in latent class analyses evaluating general adult populations in New Zealand and the United States [28, 29]. In the current study, we investigate PLEs in Kenyan children and adolescents (students), and explore whether the prevalence and patterns of symptoms are comparable to adult students studied in the same demographic area [27]. In examining this younger cohort, we hypothesized that reports of PLEs would be lower than in the older individuals previously studied, with a gender bias toward males having more psychotic phenomena.…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 63%

“…In our recent study of college-aged students in Kenya [27], we found that 19.2 % of students had experienced at least one psychotic phenomenon while not dreaming or under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Latent class analysis (LCA) of symptoms indicated a three-class model, which included a hallucinatory class (termed “Type 1” PLE), a class comprising of multiple perceptual and delusionary experiences (“Type 2” PLE), and a normative class.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Classes of Psychotic Experiences in Kenyan Children and Adolescents

Mamah

Owoso

Mbwayo

et al. 2012

Child Psychiatry Hum Dev

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Psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) have been observed worldwide in both adults and children outside the context of a clinical disorder. In the current study, we investigate the prevalence and patterns of PLEs among children and adolescents in Kenya. Among 1,971 students from primary and secondary schools around Nairobi (aged 8–19), 22.1 % reported a lifetime history of a psychotic experience, and 16.3 % reported this unrelated to sleep or drugs. Psychotic experiences were more common in males compared to females. LCA resulted in a three-class model comprised of a normative class (83.3 %), a predominately hallucinatory class (Type 1 psychosis: 9.6 %), and a pan-psychotic class (Type 2 psychosis: 7.2 %). These results indicate that PLEs are prevalent in children and adolescents, and the distributions of symptom clusters are similar to that found in adulthood. The relationship of specific PLEs to the future development of psychotic disorder, functional impairment or distress will require further study.

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Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 63%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Classes of Psychotic Experiences in Kenyan Children and Adolescents

Mamah

Owoso

Mbwayo

et al. 2012

Child Psychiatry Hum Dev

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“…43 An increased rate of visual hallucinations (17.4%) was also observed in a Kenyan adolescent and preadolescent community sample compared with other psychotic-like experiences, such as paranoia and referential thinking. 44 …”

Section: Factors Associated With Hallucinations In Children and Adolementioning

confidence: 99%

From Phenomenology to Neurophysiological Understanding of Hallucinations in Children and Adolescents

Jardri

Bartels-Velthuis

Debbané

et al. 2014

Schizophrenia Bulletin

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Typically reported as vivid, multisensory experiences which may spontaneously resolve, hallucinations are present at high rates during childhood. The risk of associated psychopathology is a major cause of concern. On the one hand, the risk of developing further delusional ideation has been shown to be reduced by better theory of mind skills. On the other hand, ideas of reference, passivity phenomena, and misidentification syndrome have been shown to increase the risk of self-injury or heteroaggressive behaviors. Cognitive psychology and brain-imaging studies have advanced our knowledge of the mechanisms underlying these early-onset hallucinations. Notably, specific functional impairments have been associated with certain phenomenological characteristics of hallucinations in youths, including intrusiveness and the sense of reality. In this review, we provide an update of associated epidemiological and phenomenological factors (including sociocultural context, social adversity, and genetics, considered in relation to the psychosis continuum hypothesis), cognitive models, and neurophysiological findings concerning hallucinations in children and adolescents. Key issues that have interfered with progress are considered and recommendations for future studies are provided.

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“…Assessing clinical risk early has significantly advanced the possibility of indicated prevention of full-blown psychotic disorders (Yung et al 1996(Yung et al , 2004Miller et al 1999). Our group has conducted multiple studies in Kenya, investigating the prevalence of PLEs and risk for developing illness using self-report questionnaires (Mamah et al , 2013Ndetei et al 2012;Owoso et al 2014). The Washington Early Recognition Center Affectivity and Psychosis (WERCAP) Screen ) was developed to overcome some of the challenges in assessing risk of developing psychotic disorders, guided by the existing literature on risk assessment and our previous efforts in Africa and the USA.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A comparative study of psychotic and affective symptoms in Rwandan and Kenyan students

Owoso

Jansen

Ndetei

et al. 2017

Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci

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Aims. War and conflict are known to adversely affect mental health, although their effects on risk symptoms for psychosis development in youth in various parts of the world are unclear. The Rwandan genocide of 1994 and Civil War had widespread effects on the population. Despite this, there has been no significant research on psychosis risk in Rwanda. Our goal in the present study was to investigate the potential effects of genocide and war in two ways: by comparing Rwandan youth born before and after the genocide; and by comparing Rwandan and Kenyan adolescents of similar age.Methods. A total of 2255 Rwandan students and 2800 Kenyan students were administered the Washington Early Recognition Center Affectivity and Psychosis (WERCAP) Screen. Prevalence, frequency and functional impairment related to affective and psychosis-risk symptoms were compared across groups using univariate and multivariate statistics.Results. Rwandan students born before the end of the genocide and war in 1994 experienced higher psychotic and affective symptom load ( p's < 0.001) with more functional impairment compared with younger Rwandans. 5.35% of older Rwandan students met threshold for clinical high-risk of psychosis by the WERCAP Screen compared with 3.19% of younger Rwandans (χ 2 = 5.36; p = 0.02). Symptom severity comparisons showed significant ( p < 0.001) group effects between Rwandan and Kenyan secondary school students on affective and psychotic symptom domains with Rwandans having higher symptom burden compared with Kenyans. Rwandan female students also had higher rates of psychotic symptoms compared with their male counterparts -a unique finding not observed in the Kenyan sample.Conclusions. These results suggest extreme conflict and disruption to country from genocide and war can influence the presence and severity of psychopathology in youth decades after initial traumatic events.

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Prevalence and characteristics of psychotic-like experiences in Kenyan youth

Cited by 42 publications

References 58 publications

Classes of Psychotic Experiences in Kenyan Children and Adolescents

Classes of Psychotic Experiences in Kenyan Children and Adolescents

From Phenomenology to Neurophysiological Understanding of Hallucinations in Children and Adolescents

A comparative study of psychotic and affective symptoms in Rwandan and Kenyan students

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