Themes of delusions and hallucinations in first-episode psychosis

Abstract

Aim: The study aims to examine the themes of delusions and hallucinations in a cohort of adolescent and young adult patients (aged 15-26 years) presenting with a first episode of psychosis.

Methods: Information was collected retrospectively from 143 randomly selected medical files, using a questionnaire.

Results: Over 70% of patients were found to have either delusions or hallucinations at initial presentation. Delusions of persecution, reference and second person auditory hallucinations were the most commonly reported psychotic symptoms at initial presentation.

Conclusions: Anxiety in the context of developmental life events may influence the presentation of patients in this age group. This patient group may also have a less well-developed system of delusional beliefs compared with older patients with established illness. A better understanding of delusions and hallucinations in a first episode of psychosis may help early identification and engagement of these patients.