A network analysis of anxiety, depressive, and psychotic symptoms and functioning in children and adolescents at clinical high risk for psychosis.

Youths at clinical high risk for psychosis (CHR-P) are characterized by a high prevalence of anxiety and depressive disorders. The present study aimed at developing and analyzing a network structure of CHR-P symptom domains (i.e., positive, negative, disorganization, and general subclinical psychotic symptoms), depressive and anxiety symptoms, and general functioning. Network analysis was applied to data on 111 CHR-P children and adolescents ( In the network, negative and disorganization symptoms showed the strongest association ( The lack of association between subclinical positive symptoms and other network variables confirmed the independent nature of subclinical positive symptoms from comorbid symptoms, which were found to play a central role in the analyzed network. Complex interventions should be developed to target positive and comorbid symptoms, prioritizing those with the most significant impact on functioning and the most relevance for the young individual, through a shared decision-making process. Importantly, the results suggest that negative and disorganization symptoms, as well as depressive and anxiety symptoms, may be targeted simultaneously.

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Copyright © 2022 Lo Buglio, Pontillo, Cerasti, Polari, Schiano Lomoriello, Vicari, Lingiardi, Boldrini and Solmi.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

Author MS received honoraria and has been a consultant for Angelini, Lundbeck, Otsuka, outside the submitted work. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.