Associations between psychotic-like symptoms and inattention/hyperactivity symptoms

Abstract

Objective: Our aim was to study the association between psychotic-like symptoms and inattention/hyperactivity symptoms in a general adolescent population.

Subjects and methods: The sample is based on a population-based prospective mother-child birth cohort, the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986. In the 15-16-year follow-up survey, the adolescents completed the Youth Self-Report questionnaire as well as the PROD-Screen questionnaire that addressed prodromal symptoms of psychosis. Meanwhile, their parents assessed inattention and hyperactive symptoms of their offspring by completing the Strengths and Weaknesses of ADHD Symptoms and Normal Behaviors questionnaire (N = 5,318). The cross-sectional associations between psychotic-like symptoms and inattention/hyperactivity symptoms were studied with logistic regression models.

Results: The association between negative psychotic-like symptoms and inattention symptoms, especially the dreamy type of inattention symptoms (e.g., difficulties in organizing tasks, losing things, being forgetful), was statistically significant for both genders. Psychotic-like symptoms, however, were not associated with hyperactivity symptoms.

Conclusions: The present findings demonstrate that an association between psychotic-like symptoms and attentional dysfunction, which has been found in clinical samples, is also present in a general adolescent population.