Schizotypal Traits, Psychopathology, and Reflective Functioning Impairments During Adolescence: A Bayesian Network Approach.

BACKGROUND

New theoretical and measurement models related to Bayesian networks can usefully be implemented to enrich our understanding of psychosis risk. The present study aims to explore, using a directed acyclic graph (DAG), the putative causal relationship within schizotypal facets, as well as between schizotypal dimensions, psychopathology, and reflective functioning (RF) impairments, in a representative sample of non-clinical adolescents.

STUDY

DESIGN

A sample of 1476 adolescents from the general population participated in a cross-sectional survey. The Oviedo Schizotypy Assessment Questionnaire-Revised, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, and the Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (RFQ) were used.

STUDY

RESULTS

Schizotypal traits were positively associated with psychopathology and hypomentalizing. Putative causal relationships are presented between Reality distortion, Social disorganization, and Anhedonia. In addition, estimated DAG suggests that schizotypal dimensions influence psychopathology and RF impairments.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest different pathways connecting schizotypal traits, mental health problems, and RF impairments during adolescence. The use of probabilistic DAG may allow us to make more robust conclusions about the direction of causation and to unravel potentially complex causal chains in the study of psychosis risk.