The relationship between visual hallucinations, functioning, and suicidality over the course of illness: a 10-year follow-up study in first-episode psychosis.
Schizophrenia (Heidelb)
; 10(1): 30, 2024 Mar 02.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38431677
ABSTRACT
Visual hallucinations in psychosis are under-researched despite associations with increased illness severity, functional impairments, and suicidality in the few existing studies. Further, there are no long-term longitudinal studies, making it impossible to conclude if these associations are state or trait phenomena. In the current prospective longitudinal study, 184 individuals with first-episode psychosis were assessed with semi-structured clinical interviews and self-report questionnaires at baseline and 10-year follow-up. Participants were grouped based on lifetime experience of visual hallucinations before or at baseline (VH+/+), first during follow-up (VH-/+), or never (VH-/-). Associations with functioning, suicide attempts, childhood trauma and other markers of illness severity were tested using multinomial logistic regression analysis. At baseline, the VH+/+ group (37.5%), but not VH-/+ (12.5%), had poorer functioning, higher symptom severity, a lower age at onset, and included more individuals with a history of multiple suicide attempts than the VH-/- group (50%). At follow-up, the VH-/+ group, but not VH+/+, had poorer functioning and higher symptom severity than the VH-/- group. However, the number of participants who committed multiple suicide attempts during the follow-up period was again significantly higher in the VH+/+ group. There was no association with childhood trauma. Hence, visual hallucinations are associated with impaired functioning and higher symptom severity, but only in the short-term. However, visual hallucinations that arise early in the course of illness are a risk indicator for repeated suicide attempts throughout the illness course. These findings highlight the relevance of assessing visual hallucinations and monitoring their development over time.
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Schizophrenia (Heidelb)
Año:
2024
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Noruega