The Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Effects of Cumulative Multi-Contextual Risk on Psychotic-Like Experiences among Chinese Rural Adolescents.

Psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) are common among adolescents and are associated with an increased risk of psychotic disorders and other mental health issues in adulthood. However, research on PLEs in rural adolescents is limited. Therefore, this study sought to investigate the cross-sectional and longitudinal effects of multiple contextual risk factors on PLEs among 1210 Chinese rural adolescents (45.6% boys; Mage = 13.70 years, SD = 0.81) across a one-year period, utilizing a cumulative risk model. Results revealed that bullying victimization, borderline personality feature (BPF), psychache, depression, and sleep problems were significant risk factors for PLEs. Furthermore, these risk factors demonstrated a cumulative effect on the development of PLEs across time. Additionally, no significant sex differences were observed in the cumulative risk model of PLEs. These findings provide valuable insights into the identification of at-risk adolescents and contribute to the effective implementation of comprehensive preventive measures and interventions targeting PLEs among rural adolescents.