Neighborhood material versus social deprivation in Canada: different patterns of associations with child and adolescent mental health problems.

PURPOSE: In a nationwide study, we aimed to study the association of neighborhood deprivation with child and adolescent mental health problems. METHODS: We used data from the Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth (N = 47,871; age range: 1-17 years) and linked these to Neighborhood Material and Social Deprivation data calculated using Canada's Census of Population. Using a series of logistic regressions, we studied the association between living in deprived areas and mental health problems among children and youth. We used bootstrap replicate weights for all analyses and adjusted them for individual sociodemographic characteristics. RESULTS: In the adjusted model, the parent-reported developmental disorder was associated with more socially deprived neighborhoods (OR 1.29; 95% CI 1.07, 1.57 for most vs. least deprived quintiles). However, mental health service need or use was associated with living in less materially deprived areas (OR 0.78; 95% CI 0.63, 0.96 for most vs. least deprived quintiles). Among mental health problems reported by the youth (12-17 years old), poor/fair general mental health, alcohol drinking, and cannabis use were associated with neighborhood social deprivation in the adjusted models. In contrast, poor/fair general mental health, suicide ideas, alcohol drinking, and cannabis use were all negatively associated with higher materially deprived quintiles. CONCLUSION: Our study provides further support for the existing evidence on the association between neighborhood deprivation, particularly social deprivation, and the mental health of children and adolescents. The findings can help public health policymakers and service providers better understand and address children's mental health needs in their neighborhoods.

Prevalence and determinants of opioid use disorder among long-term opiate users in Golestan Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Number of opiate users worldwide has doubled over the past decade, but not all of them are diagnosed with opioid use disorder. We aimed to identify the prevalence and risk factors for OUD after ten years of follow-up. METHODS: Among 8,500 chronic opiate users at Golestan Cohort Study baseline (2004-2008), we recalled a random sample of 451 subjects in 2017. We used three questionnaires: a questionnaire about current opiate use including type and route of use, the drug use disorder section of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview lifetime version, and the validated Kessler10 questionnaire. We defined opioid use disorder and its severity based on the DSM-5 criteria and used a cutoff of 12 on Kessler10 questionnaire to define psychological distress. RESULTS: Mean age was 61.2 ± 6.6 years (84.7% males) and 58% were diagnosed with opioid use disorder. Starting opiate use at an early age and living in underprivileged conditions were risk factors of opioid use disorder. Individuals with opioid use disorder were twice likely to have psychological distress (OR = 2.25; 95%CI: 1.44-3.52) than the users without it. In multivariate regression, former and current opiate dose and oral use of opiates were independently associated with opioid use disorder. Each ten gram per week increase in opiate dose during the study period almost tripled the odds of opioid use disorder (OR = 3.18; 95%CI: 1.79-5.63). CONCLUSIONS: Chronic opiate use led to clinical opioid use disorder in more than half of the users, and this disorder was associated with psychological distress, increasing its physical and mental burden in high-risk groups.

A social network intervention to improve connectivity and burnout among psychiatry residents in an academic institution: a quasi-experimental study.

BACKGROUND: Burnout is common among residents, which could be associated with their professional network characteristics. This study aimed to assess the social networks of psychiatry residents and develop an intervention to improve their network characteristics, burnout, and perception of the educational environment. METHODS: We recruited a cohort of 17 PGY-2 residents and assessed their social networks, burnout, and perception of the educational environment. After the baseline survey, we held a focus group with PGY-2 residents to discuss the results, their network characteristics, and interventions that can improve their relationships. The PGY-2 residents indicated that offering extracurricular opportunities to facilitate friendly interactions among the residents and faculty members would be the most feasible and acceptable intervention. Therefore, four "interest groups" for extracurricular activities were established. Residents and faculty members were invited to participate in interest groups to improve the network characteristics. Some PGY-2 residents and faculty members agreed to moderate interest group sessions (active members). RESULTS: After the intervention, active residents improved significantly in the perceived personal accomplishment subscale of the burnout inventory and their perception of the educational environment. Active faculty members also had a significant increase in their relationships with PGY-2 residents in one domain of social networks. CONCLUSIONS: Enhancing relationships between residents and faculty members through participatory intervention and extracurricular activities can improve faculty-resident connectivity and residents' perception of personal accomplishment and educational environment quality.

Distinct Aspects of Decision Making in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Application of Unconscious Thought Theory.

Individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) rely on "explicit learning" strategies in decision making. It is suggested that periods of brief distraction (in healthy individuals) result in better decisions in complex situations. It can be hypothesized that periods of unconscious thought would not lead to better decisions due to impairment of implicit learning in OCD. A total of 121 OCD patients and 120 healthy participants were presented with a task in which they had to choose between four apartments with multiple attributes. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: making a decision immediately after being presented with options (immediate), after thinking carefully for 2 minutes (conscious thought [CT]), or after being distracted for 2 minutes (unconscious thought [UT]). Individuals with OCD performed worse than healthy controls in UT condition, although they did better in CT condition. Our study supports the idea of dysfunction in implicit processing and overreliance on explicit processes in OCD.

Major anxiety disorders in Iran: prevalence, sociodemographic correlates and service utilization.

BACKGROUND: It has been shown in the past two decades that anxiety disorders are the most common mental disorders in general population across the world. This study sought to assess the prevalence of major anxiety disorders, their sociodemographic correlates and mental health service utilization as part of the Iranian Mental Health Survey (IranMHS). METHODS: A national household face-to-face survey was carried out on a representative sample of Iranian adults from January to June 2011 using Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI 2.1). A total of 7886 subjects between 15 and 64 years who can understand Persian language were included. The 12-month prevalence of anxiety disorders according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV), their socio-demographic correlates, health service use and days out of role were measured in this study. RESULTS: The 12-month prevalence of anxiety disorders (not including specific phobias) was 15.6%. The prevalence was 12.0% in males and 19.4% in females. The three most prevalent anxiety disorders were generalized anxiety disorder (5.2%), obsessive-compulsive disorder (5.1%) and social phobia (3.2%), respectively. Factors found to be significantly associated with anxiety disorders were: female gender (OR = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.09-1.23), middle (OR = 1.23, 95%CI: 1.01-1.50) or low (OR = 1.66, 95%CI: 1.31-2.10) socioeconomic status, unemployment (OR = 1.98, 95%CI: 1.49-2.62), and urban residence (OR = 1.31, 95%CI: 1.10-1.57). Comorbidity with non-anxiety disorders significantly increased service utilization. In all subgroups, service utilization was higher among females while the number of days out of role was higher among males. CONCLUSIONS: Anxiety disorders are common conditions with a higher prevalence among the female gender, unemployed individuals, and people with low socioeconomic conditions living in urban areas. Comorbidity of anxiety disorders with other psychological disorders aggravates the disability and significantly increases the number of days out of role.

Cost-effectiveness Analysis of an Aftercare Service vs Treatment-As-Usual for Patients with Severe Mental Disorders.

BACKGROUND: There have been claims that community mental health principles leads to the maintenance of better health and functioning in patients and can be more economical for patients with severe and chronic mental disorders. Economic evaluation studies have been used to assess the cost-effectiveness of national health programs, or to propose efficient strategies for health care delivery. AIMS OF THE STUDY: The current study is intended to test the cost-effectiveness of an Aftercare Service when compared with Treatment-As-Usual for patients with severe mental disorders in Iran. METHODS: This study was a parallel group randomized controlled trial. A total of 160 post-discharge eligible patients were randomized into two equal patient groups, Aftercare Service (that includes either Home Visiting Care, or Telephone Follow-up for outpatient treatment) vs Treatment-As-Usual, using stratified balanced block randomization method. All patients were followed for 12 months after discharge. The perspective of the present study was the societal perspective. The outcome measures were the rate of readmission at the hospitals after discharge, psychotic symptoms, manic symptoms, depressive symptoms, illness severity, global functioning, quality of life, and patients' satisfaction with the services. The costs included the intervention costs and the patient and family costs in the evaluation period. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in effectiveness measures between the two groups. The Aftercare Service arm was about 66,000 US$ cheaper than Treatment-As-Usual arm. The average total cost per patient in the Treatment-As-Usual group was about 4651 USD, while it was reduced to 3823 US$ in the Aftercare Service group; equivalent to a cost reduction of about 800 USD per patient per year. DISCUSSION AND LIMITATIONS: Given that there was no significant difference in effectiveness measures between the two groups (slightly in favor of the intervention), the Aftercare Service was cost-effective. The most important limitation of the study was the relatively small sample size due to limited budget for the implementation of the study. A larger sample size and longer follow-ups are warranted. IMPLICATIONS FOR HEALTH CARE PROVISION, USE AND POLICIES: Considering the limited resources and equity concerns for health systems, the importance of making decisions about healthcare interventions based on cost-effectiveness evidence is increasing. Our results suggest that the aftercare service can be recommended as an efficient service delivery mode, especially when psychiatric bed requirements are insufficient for a population. IMPLICATIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH: Further research should continue the work done with a larger sample size and longer follow-ups to further establish the cost-effectiveness analysis of an aftercare service program compared with routine conventional care.

Out-of-pocket cost of drug abuse consequences: results from Iranian National Mental Health Survey.

Drug abuse has significant cost to the individual, the family and the society. This study aimed to assess out of-pocket costs of consequences of drug use disorder. Data were drawn from the Iranian Mental Health Survey (IranMHS) through face-to-face interviews with 7841 respondents aged 15-64 years. We used a bottom-up cost-ofillness method for economic analysis. Out-of-pocket costs for treatment of mental and drug problems, treatment of medical illnesses, as well as costs of crimes were assessed. The average of total annual expense was US$ 2120.6 for those with drug use disorder, which was 23.5% of annual income of an average Iranian family in the year 2011. The average of total out-of-pocket cost was US$ 674.6 for those with other mental disorder and US$ 421.9 for those with no mental disorder. Catastrophic payment was reported in 47.6% of the patients with drug use disorder and 14.4% of those with other mental disorder. Thus, considerable amount of family resources are spent on the consequences of drug use.

Explaining socioeconomic inequalities in illicit drug use disorders in Iran.

Background: Drug use disorders are one of the major health problems in societies, which cause physical, psychological, and social damages to individuals. Socioeconomic status is often inversely associated with drug use disorders. The present study aimed at determining the effect of socioeconomic inequality on the prevalence of drug use disorders and identifying its determinants in Iran. Methods: Data of 7886 individuals aged 15 to 64 years were collected from Iran Mental Health Survey (IranMHS). Initially, the socioeconomic status of the participants was determined by principal component analysis. Later, socioeconomic inequality was measured using the concentration index, and the factors influencing the gap between the high and low socioeconomic groups were identified using the Oaxaca-Blinder Decomposition. Results: The concentration index for drug use disorders in Iran was -0.29 (standard error= 0.06). The results of decomposition technique revealed that 1.14% and 2.7% of the participants with high and low socioeconomic status were affected by drug use disorders, respectively. In addition, the gap between these 2 groups was found to be 1.65%. Among the studied variables, occupation, marital status, and gender accounted for the highest contribution to inequality, respectively. Conclusion: There is inequality in the prevalence of drug use disorders in Iran; these disorders are more common in lower socioeconomic group. Based on the findings, it is suggested that improvement in the socioeconomic status of the households, especially for males, the divorced or widowed individuals, and the unemployed may lead to a reduction in inequality in drug use disorders.

Evaluation of the performance of general practitioners in a collaborative care program by employing simulated patients.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the performance of the general practitioners (GPs) in a collaborative care (CC) program in Iran with a control group of GPs in the usual care by employing simulated patients. METHODS: Six trained simulated patients (SPs) made unannounced visits to 26 GP offices participating in the CC program and to 26 age and sex matched controls. The SPs role played five clinical scenarios of mental disorders and filled out checklists to evaluate the GPs' performance regarding interviewing, taking history, establishing rapport, showing empathy, and giving advice to patients. Additionally, the GPs' plan of care and prescriptions were evaluated later by a psychiatrist based on the documents provided by the SPs. RESULTS: There was a significant difference between collaborative care and control group physicians in their global performance; CC physicians built up better patient-physician relationship. They performed better in evaluating a psychotic patient, although not better in their management. CC physicians were marginally better in approach to patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and mild major depressive disorder. CONCLUSION: The overall performance of physicians in CC was better than the GPs in the control group in making an effective patient-physician relationship, and evaluating a psychotic patient. The main weakness of the GPs was in proper treatment of the minor and more common psychiatric disorders and in evaluation of patients with suicidal ideations who were in need for emergent referral. Evaluating performance of the practitioners is feasible employing SPs and the findings can be translated into improvements in the available services.

Psychotic experiences and risk of death in the general population: 24-27 year follow-up of the Epidemiologic Catchment Area study.

BACKGROUND: Psychotic experiences are common in the general population and are associated with adverse psychiatric and social outcomes, even in the absence of a psychotic disorder. AIMS: To examine the association between psychotic experiences and mortality over a 24-27 year period. METHOD: We used data on 15 049 adult participants from four sites of the Epidemiologic Catchment Area baseline survey in the USA in the early 1980s, linked to the National Death Index and other sources of vital status up until 2007. Psychotic experiences were assessed by the Diagnostic Interview Schedule. RESULTS: Lifetime psychotic experiences at baseline (n = 855; weighted prevalence, 5.5%) were significantly associated with all-cause mortality at follow-up after adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics and psychiatric diagnoses, including schizophrenia spectrum disorders (P<0.05). Baseline psychotic experiences were associated with over 5 years' shorter median survival time. Among the underlying causes of death, suicide had a particularly high hazard ratio (9.16, 95% CI 3.19-26.29). CONCLUSIONS: Future research needs to explore the association of psychotic experiences with physical health and lifestyle factors that may mediate the relationship of psychotic experiences with mortality.

Latent class analysis of DSM-5 criteria for opioid use disorders: results from the Iranian National Survey on Mental Health.

BACKGROUND: Assessments of DSM-IV and DSM-5 criteria with sample populations of opioid users are limited. This study aimed to determine the number of latent classes in opioid users and assessment of the proposed revisions to the DSM-5 opioid use disorder (OUD) criteria. METHODS: Data came from the 2011 Iranian National Mental Health Survey (IranMHS) on 7,886 participants aged 15-64 years living in Iran. We used the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) version 2.1 in all respondents who indicated using opioids at least 5 times in the previous 12 months (n = 236). RESULTS: A three-class model provided the best fit of all the models tested. Classes showed a spectrum of severity that was compatible with the DSM-5 classification. 'Legal problems' and 'desire to cut down' showed poor discrimination between classes. The weighted prevalence of OUD using DSM-5 was 20.7% higher than with DSM-IV. CONCLUSIONS: RESULTS support the grouping based on severity of symptoms, combining abuse and dependence into a single diagnosis, omitting legal problems, and addition of craving as a new criterion.

Population-based incidence and cost of non-fatal injuries in Iran: a consistent under-recognized public health concern.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the incidence and determinants of non-fatal injuries, and the cost imposed on victims in an Iranian population aged 15-64 years. DESIGN: Cross-sectional household survey. METHODS: Three-stage probability sampling was conducted for selection of a representative sample of Iranians. Data on the demographics, history and cost of injury were obtained from face-to-face interviews and telephone calls. RESULTS: In total, 7886 subjects were included in this study. The annual incidence rate of all injuries was 905 (95% confidence interval 853-957) per 1000 population (approximately nine injuries per ten Iranians). The mean (±standard error) incidence rates of first aid injuries (FAIs; medical care not required) and medical-attended injuries (MAIs; medical treatment sought) were 737 ± 24 and 168 ± 12 per 1000 population, respectively. Young, urban females were at highest risk for FAIs, and single males were at highest risk for MAIs. The most common injury description was as follows: non-paid work (activity), home (place), inanimate mechanical force (mechanism), upper limb (site of injury) and open wound (type of injury). For MAIs, the most common place of treatment was hospital. Traffic-related injuries had the highest total cost and the lowest out-of-pocket cost. Total and out-of-pocket costs of non-fatal injuries in Iran in 2011 have been estimated to be US$6,111,138,000 and US$1,480,411,000, respectively. CONCLUSION: Non-fatal injuries are an under-recognized public health problem. Cost-control policies are essential to reduce the out-of-pocket cost of injuries.

A nationwide population-based study on incidence and cost of non-fatal injuries in Iran.

BACKGROUND: Elucidating the epidemiological status of injuries is a critical component of preventive strategies in countries with high incidence of injuries, like Iran. Population-based surveys are able to estimate all types of non-fatal injuries. OBJECTIVES: This study protocol is the core unit in describing Iran's national cost and epidemiology of non-fatal injuries, and also as a guide for other studies. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, 1525 primary sampling units are randomly selected with probability proportional to size regarding the number of households in each enumeration area based on Iran's 2006 national census. Six of the households are randomly selected. One member of each household is chosen using Kish Grid tables. In all, 9150 subjects are selected. Data on demographics are collected. For each injury during the past three months, activity, place, mechanism, site, type and the place of treatment are coded to match the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision 2012 (ICD10-2012) classifications. Subjects are contacted via telephone to obtain data on cost of injury. Finally, sampling weights are calculated so that data for each respondent can be inflated to represent other individuals in Iran. Quality control and quality assurance issues are discussed. DISCUSSION: Our objectives will describe the present impact and the future priorities of injury prevention in Iran.

Trends in vaping and smoking behavior before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada: Beneficial and potentially detrimental changes.

INTRODUCTION: E-cigarette and cigarette use may have changed during the COVID-19 pandemic, however, there is no consensus in existing literature, and current Canadian studies have not used representative samples. Thus, there is a need for robust national estimates. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: The primary objective was to describe the 30-day period prevalence of smoking and vaping before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. This study analyzed three years of the cross-sectional Canadian Tobacco and Nicotine Survey: 2019 (pre-pandemic), 2020 (9 months into the pandemic) and 2021 (21 months into pandemic). RESULTS: Thirty-day period prevalence of vaping over the 2019, 2020, and 2021 study periods were 4.8 (95%CI: 4.2-5.3), 4.6% (95%CI: 4.1-5.2), and 5.2% (95%CI: 4.7-5.7), respectively. The 30-day period prevalence of smoking over the 2019, 2020, and 2021 study periods were 11.9% (95%CI: 10.9-12.7), 10.3% (95%CI: 9.4-11.2), and 10.3% (95%CI: 9.4-11.1), respectively. Notably, estimates of smoking for females decreased considerably from 2019 (11.0%; 95%CI: 9.9--12.2%) to 2020 (8.6%; 95%CI: 7.5-9.7). Estimates of vaping in those aged 20-24 increased substantially from 2020 (13.0%; 95%CI: 10.9-15.1) to 2021 (17.2%; 95%CI: 15.4-18.9). CONCLUSIONS: Changes to smoking and vaping were restricted to subsets within the population. In those aged 20-24, there was a modest increase in vaping from 2020 to 2021. In females, there was a decrease in smoking from 2019 to 2020, which persisted in 2021.

Associations between negative COVID-19 experiences and symptoms of anxiety and depression: a study based on a representative Canadian national sample. / Associations entre les expériences négatives liées à la COVID-19 et les symptômes d'anxiété et de dépression : étude fondée sur un échantillon national canadien représentatif.

INTRODUCTION: Amid the widespread impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, a notable increase in symptoms of anxiety and depression has become a pressing concern. This study examined the prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms in Canada from September to December 2020, assessing demographic and socioeconomic influences, as well as the potential role of COVID-19 diagnoses and related negative experiences. METHODS: Data were drawn from the Survey on COVID-19 and Mental Health by Statistics Canada, which used a two-stage sample design to gather responses from 14 689 adults across ten provinces and three territorial capitals, excluding less than 2% of the population. Data were collected through self-administered electronic questionnaires or phone interviews. Analytical techniques, such as frequencies, cross-tabulation and logistic regression, were used to assess the prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms, the demographic characteristics of Canadians with increased anxiety and depression symptoms and the association of these symptoms with COVID-19 diagnoses and negative experiences during the pandemic. RESULTS: The study found that 14.62% (95% CI: 13.72%-15.51%) of respondents exhibited symptoms of depression, while 12.89% (95% CI: 12.04%-13.74%) reported anxiety symptoms. No clear differences in symptom prevalence were observed between those infected by COVID-19, or those close to someone infected, compared to those without these experiences. However, there were strong associations between traditional risk factors for depressive and anxiety symptoms and negative experiences during the pandemic, such as physical health problems, loneliness and personal relationship challenges in the household. CONCLUSION: This study provides insight into the relationship between COVID-19 and Canadians' mental health, demonstrating an increased prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms associated with COVID-19-related adversities and common prepandemic determinants of these symptoms. The findings suggest that mental health during the pandemic was primarily shaped by traditional determinants of depression and anxiety symptoms and also by negative experiences during the pandemic.

A multicenter randomized controlled trial of aftercare services for severe mental illness: study protocol.

BACKGROUND: Severe mental illness is responsible for a significant proportion of burden of diseases in Iranian population. People with severe mental illnesses are more likely to have high rates of non-attendance at follow-up visits, and lack of an active follow-up system, particularly in the country's urban areas that has resulted in the revolving door phenomenon of rehospitalizations. Therefore, there is an increasing need for implementation of effective and cost-effective aftercare services. METHOD/DESIGN: This is a randomized control trial with the primary hypothesis that aftercare services delivered to patients with severe mental illnesses in outpatient department and patient's home by a community care team would be more effective when compared to treatment as usual (TAU) in reducing length of hospital stay and any psychiatric hospitalization. Patients were recruited from three psychiatric hospitals in Iran. After obtaining informed written consent, they were randomly allocated into aftercare intervention and control (TAU) groups. Aftercare services included treatment follow-up (through either home care or telephone follow-up prompts for outpatient attendance), family psychoeducation, and patient social skills training that were provided by community mental health teams. Patients were followed for 12 months after discharge. The primary outcome measures were length of hospital stay and any hospitalization in the 12 month follow-up. Secondary outcome measures included patients' clinical global impression, global functioning, quality of life, and patient's satisfaction. The trial also allowed an assessment of direct cost-effectiveness of the aftercare services. DISCUSSION: This paper presents a protocol for an RCT of aftercare services delivered to patients with severe mental illnesses within patients' home or outpatient department. The findings of this study can influence policy and program planning for people with severe mental illnesses in Iran. TRIAL REGISTRATION: IRCT201009052557N2.

Association of Psychotic Experiences and Incident Depression in a Longitudinal Population-Based Community Survey.

Objective: The present study aims to determine if psychotic experiences in a general population sample are a risk factor for depressive disorders at a 15-year follow-up visit. Method: A longitudinal population cohort of adults over age 18 from East Baltimore were followed from 1981 to 1996 with 1409 participants included in analyses. Delusions and hallucinations and depressive disorders were assessed using DSM-III criteria. Odds ratios were obtained using logistic regression with psychotic experiences modeled both dichotomously and as count variables as predictors of major and minor depressive disorders at wave three. Age, race, and sex were included as covariates in the model. Results: Both delusions and hallucinations were associated with an increased odds of incident depressive disorders. Delusions, but not hallucinations, were associated with increased odds of major depressive disorder (adjusted odds ratio, 3.04 [95% CI = 1.29-7.13]) and both delusions and hallucinations were associated with increased odds of minor depressive disorder (adjusted odds ratios, 4.6 [95% CI = 2.11-10.04] and 3.93 [95% CI = 2.11-7.32]). There was a dose-response relationship in number of psychotic experiences reported and odds of depressive disorders. Conclusions: Lifetime psychotic experiences, particularly delusions, in the absence of mental disorders, are associated with later depressive disorders. Results persist in a dose-response manner. Future research should determine whether transitory versus persistent psychotic experiences have a differential effect on later depression.

Investigation of Neurocognitive Deficits, Quality of Life, and Functional Performance in Ultra-High-Risk Individuals Compared to Familial High-Risk Individuals for Schizophrenia.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate neurocognitive functioning, quality of life, and global functional performance in Ultra-High Risk (UHR) individuals compared to Familial High-Risk (FHR) individuals for developing schizophrenia. Method : An observational cross-sectional study was conducted using a convenient sampling method at Roozbeh Hospital in Tehran, Iran, from June 2017 to January 2020. The study included 40 UHR individuals based on the Structured Interview for Psychosis Syndrome (SIPS) interview, as well as 34 FHR individuals due to genetic risk. Neurocognitive functioning, quality of life, and global functional performance were assessed by using the Cambridge Automated Neuropsychological Test Battery (CANTAB) and Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT), Quality of Life Scale (QLS), and Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF). Results: UHR individuals for schizophrenia demonstrated significant lower scores in phonemic and semantic verbal fluency (t = 6.218, P < 0.001; t = 4.184, P < 0.001, respectively), more total errors for spatial working memory (t = -5.874, P < 0.001), and fewer problems solved in minimum moves in Stocking of Cambridge (SOC) (t = -2.706, P < 0.01) compared to FHR individuals. Intra-Extra Dimension (IED) did not differ significantly between the two groups. Moreover, the study indicated significant GAF decline (F = 79.257, P < 0.001) and lower total score on the QLS (t = -10.655, P < 0.001) in UHR compared to FHR individuals. Conclusion: It is possible to differentiate UHR individuals from FHR individuals through neurocognitive, quality of life, and global functioning assessment.