BACKGROUND: Interpersonal sensitivity is a personality trait described as excessive awareness of both the behaviour and feelings of others. Although interpersonal sensitivity has been found to be one of the vulnerability factors to depression, there has been little interest in its relationship with the prodromal phase of psychosis. The aims of this study were to examine the level of interpersonal sensitivity in a sample of individuals with an at-risk mental state (ARMS) for psychosis and its relationship with other psychopathological features. METHOD: Sixty-two individuals with an ARMS for psychosis and 39 control participants completed a series of self-report questionnaires, including the Interpersonal Sensitivity Measure (IPSM), the Prodromal Questionnaire (PQ), the Ways of Coping Questionnaire (WCQ) and the Depression and Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS). RESULTS: Individuals with an ARMS reported higher interpersonal sensitivity compared to controls. Associations between interpersonal sensitivity, positive psychotic symptoms (i.e. paranoid ideation), avoidant coping and symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress were also found. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that being 'hypersensitive' to interpersonal interactions is a psychological feature of the putatively prodromal phase of psychosis. The relationship between interpersonal sensitivity, attenuated positive psychotic symptoms, avoidant coping and negative emotional states may contribute to long-term deficits in social functioning. We illustrate the importance, when assessing a young client with a possible ARMS, of examining more subtle and subjective symptoms in addition to attenuated positive symptoms.
BACKGROUND: Interpersonal sensitivity is a personality trait described as excessive awareness of both the behaviour and feelings of others. Although interpersonal sensitivity has been found to be one of the vulnerability factors to depression, there has been little interest in its relationship with the prodromal phase of psychosis. The aims of this study were to examine the level of interpersonal sensitivity in a sample of individuals with an at-risk mental state (ARMS) for psychosis and its relationship with other psychopathological features. METHOD: Sixty-two individuals with an ARMS for psychosis and 39 control participants completed a series of self-report questionnaires, including the Interpersonal Sensitivity Measure (IPSM), the Prodromal Questionnaire (PQ), the Ways of Coping Questionnaire (WCQ) and the Depression and Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS). RESULTS: Individuals with an ARMS reported higher interpersonal sensitivity compared to controls. Associations between interpersonal sensitivity, positive psychotic symptoms (i.e. paranoid ideation), avoidant coping and symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress were also found. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that being 'hypersensitive' to interpersonal interactions is a psychological feature of the putatively prodromal phase of psychosis. The relationship between interpersonal sensitivity, attenuated positive psychotic symptoms, avoidant coping and negative emotional states may contribute to long-term deficits in social functioning. We illustrate the importance, when assessing a young client with a possible ARMS, of examining more subtle and subjective symptoms in addition to attenuated positive symptoms.
Authors: A Masillo; L R Valmaggia; R Saba; M Brandizzi; J F Lindau; A Solfanelli; M Curto; F Narilli; L Telesforo; G D Kotzalidis; D Di Pietro; M D'Alema; P Girardi; P Fiori Nastro Journal: Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry Date: 2015-02-25 Impact factor: 4.785
Authors: Alice Masillo; M Brandizzi; L R Valmaggia; R Saba; N Lo Cascio; J F Lindau; L Telesforo; P Venturini; D Montanaro; D Di Pietro; M D'Alema; P Girardi; P Fiori Nastro Journal: Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry Date: 2017-09-16 Impact factor: 4.785
Authors: Helen J Stain; Kolbjørn Brønnick; Wenche T V Hegelstad; Inge Joa; Jan O Johannessen; Johannes Langeveld; Lauren Mawn; Tor K Larsen Journal: Schizophr Bull Date: 2013-11-26 Impact factor: 9.306
Authors: Dongdong Jiang; Yitan Hou; Xiangfan Chen; Rui Wang; Chang Fu; Baojing Li; Lei Jin; Thomas Lee; Xiaojun Liu Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2019-06-08 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Raimo K R Salokangas; Frauke Schultze-Lutter; Jarmo Hietala; Markus Heinimaa; Tiina From; Tuula Ilonen; Eliisa Löyttyniemi; Heinrich Graf von Reventlow; Georg Juckel; Don Linszen; Peter Dingemans; Max Birchwood; Paul Patterson; Joachim Klosterkötter; Stephan Ruhrmann Journal: Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol Date: 2015-12-07 Impact factor: 4.328