The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on hallucinations and delusions in youth at clinical high-risk for psychosis and outpatients with schizophrenia

Abstract

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has had detrimental effects on mental health in the general population, the impact on those with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders has received relatively little attention. Assessing pandemic-related changes in positive symptoms is particularly critical to inform treatment protocols and determine whether fluctuations in hallucinations and delusions are related to telehealth utilization and treatment adherence. In the current longitudinal study, we evaluated changes in the frequency of hallucinations and delusions and distress resulting from them across three-time points. Participants included: (1) outpatients with chronic schizophrenia (SZ: n = 32) and healthy controls (CN: n = 31); (2) individuals at clinically high risk for psychosis (CHR: n = 25) and CN ( n = 30). A series of questionnaires were administered to assess hallucination and delusion severity, medication adherence, telehealth utilization, and protective factors during the pandemic. While there were no significant increases in the frequency of hallucinations and delusions in SZ and CHR, distress increased from pre-pandemic to early pandemic in both groups and then decreased at the third time point. Additionally, changes in positive symptom severity in SZ were related to psychiatric medication adherence. Findings suggest that positive symptoms are a critical treatment target during the pandemic and that ongoing medication services will be beneficial. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00406-023-01551-8.

Change, Adversity, and Adaptation: Young People’s Experience of the COVID-19 Pandemic Expressed through Artwork and Semi-structured Interviews

“…Increased anxiety and depression have been widely reported, in addition to stress, social problems, sleep disturbance, and loneliness [1][2][3]. Psychotic symptoms in young people also increased during the COVID-19 pandemic [4,5]. Research has highlighted the detrimental roles of home-school related stress and social isolation, and the importance of technology for keeping young people connected [1,[6][7][8][9].…”

Change, Adversity, and Adaptation: Young People’s Experience of the COVID-19 Pandemic Expressed through Artwork and Semi-Structured Interviews

“…Although mental health difficulties and demands on services were already increasing in the UK pre-pandemic [2], increased anxiety and depression in adolescents and young people during and post-pandemic have been widely reported [3][4][5]. Stress, social problems, sleep disturbances, loneliness, and psychotic symptoms also reportedly increased [6,7]. Research has highlighted the detrimental role of home-schooling and social isolation, with technology playing a critical role in daily life [3,[8][9][10][11].…”