Influence of migration on the thought process of individuals at ultra-high risk for psychosis

• Published in: Revista brasileira de psiquiatria Vol. 43; no. 3; pp. 285 - 288
• Main Authors: Nogueira, Arthur S., Andrade, Julio C., Serpa, Mauricio H., Alves, Tania M., Freitas, Elder L., Hortêncio, Lucas, van de Bilt, Martinus T., Rössler, Wulf, Gattaz, Wagner F., Loch, Alexandre A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Associação Brasileira de Psiquiatria 01.05.2021; Associação Brasileira de Psiquiatria (ABP)
• Subjects: at risk mental state; Brief Communication; prodromal psychosis; PSYCHIATRY; Schizophrenia; subclinical psychosis; prodromal psychosis; Schizophrenia; subclinical psychosis; at risk mental state
• ISSN: 1516-4446; 1809-452X; 1809-452X
• DOI: 10.1590/1516-4446-2019-0685

OBJECTIVETo assess the influence of migration on the psychopathological presentation of individuals at ultra-high risk for psychosis (UHR) in São Paulo, Brazil. METHODSThis study is part of the Subclinical Symptoms and Prodromal Psychosis (SSAPP) project, a cohort study in São Paulo, Brazil, designed to follow individuals at UHR. After screening with the Prodromal Questionnaire (PQ) and a clinical interview, the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) was administered, a neuropsychological assessment was performed, sociodemographic and migration data were obtained. We then analyzed UHR individuals who had migration data to see if migration had any effect on their cognition and psychopathology. Chi-square tests were used for categorical variables, and Student's t test or analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used for nonparametric and parametric distributions, respectively. RESULTSThe sample was composed of 42 at-risk subjects, of whom 5 had a migration history in the past two generations. Those with migration history showed significantly more formal thought disturbances (p = 0.012) and sleeping problems (p = 0.033) compared to those without. CONCLUSIONSOur data reinforce migration as a risk factor for psychosis in developing countries as well, and highlights the importance of studying the specific effect of this factor in UHR psychopathology.