The relevance of schizotypal traits for understanding interpersonal functioning in adolescents with psychiatric problems.

Abstract

Social relationships are considered highly important throughout adolescence (Kenny et al., 2013), both for the further development and consolidation of identity, social roles, and skills. The schizotypal personality disorder (STPD) has a strong negative impact on these relationships with both parents and peers (Cramer et al., 2006; Hengartner et al., 2014), and can thus be considered as a risk factor for early maladaptive social functioning. The current study focuses on the relevance of different dimensional STPD traits for understanding social functioning, by examining their unique associations with global and more specific parental and peer relationship characteristics in a group of referred late-adolescents (N = 205, mean age = 20.27). Negative schizotypal traits, assessed by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM–5; American Psychiatric Association, 2013) STPD traits Restricted Affectivity, Withdrawal, and Suspiciousness (Krueger et al., 2012) appeared to be a unique predictor for less maternal and peer social support. Positive schizotypal traits were measured with the age-specific Oddity trait scale (Verbeke & De Clercq, 2014) and proved to be a unique predictor beyond negative schizotypal traits for negative interactions with adolescents’ mother and a best friend. These results highlight the heterogeneous nature of the STPD construct and suggest that a dimensional description may contribute to a more detailed understanding of how the STPD relates to poor interpersonal relationship quality in vulnerable adolescents.

The DSM-5 Trait Measure in a Psychiatric Sample of Late Adolescents and Emerging Adults: Structure, Reliability, and Validity

“…Referred Group. Patients (N = 223) were recruited from two mental health clinics in the Netherlands (also see Verbeke, De Clercq, Van der Heijden, Hutsebaut, & van Aken, 2017). After agreement, they received an information letter including a login code to access the online assessment tool.…”

Metacognitively oriented psychotherapy for schizotypal personality disorder: A two‐case series

“…The prevalence of SPD has been estimated to range from 0.6% in a Norwegian sample to 3.9% and 4.6% in two different American samples . SPD is of significant clinical concern given it is linked to poor long‐term outcomes, including significant impairments in social relationships, work and leisure activities, and a typical declining trajectory in overall functioning …”

“…Higher degrees of both positive and negative schizotypy have also been correlated with difficulties forming complex and integrated ideas of the self and other and the ability to use that knowledge to respond to psychosocial stressors in a community sample . Schizotypy has been suggested as representing a latent organized set of personality traits, which may be present in a variety of schizophrenia‐related phenotypes, as well as a set of maladaptive traits found among persons in general, which may collapse into a full‐blown PD at the pathological end along the continuum of schizotypy …”

“…1,5 SPD is of significant clinical concern given it is linked to poor long-term outcomes, including significant impairments in social relationships, work and leisure activities, 6 and a typical declining trajectory in overall functioning. 7 When it comes to the issue on how to treat persons with SPD, it does not matter if one places SPD under the umbrella of psychosis or PD: treatment options are scarce. A recent systematic review has reported very few eligible studies (randomized control trials, cohort studies, retrospective non-analytical studies and case studies) on treatment evaluation: 22 studies of the effects of pharmacological treatment and only three on psychotherapy.…”

“…34 Schizotypy 4 has been suggested as representing a latent organized set of personality traits, which may be present in a variety of schizophrenia-related phenotypes, as well as a set of maladaptive traits found among persons in general, which may collapse into a full-blown PD at the pathological end along the continuum of schizotypy. [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] In tandem with these studies, research has also suggested that metacognitive-oriented psychotherapies can be useful for persons with schizophrenia as well as several forms of PD including borderline, narcissistic, avoidant and obsessive-compulsive PD. 35,36 These psychotherapies prominently include at least two related variants: metacognitive interpersonal therapy 35,37 (MIT) and metacognitive reflection and insight therapy 18,38 (MERIT).…”