Schizotypy from a developmental perspective

Abstract

The schizotypy construct focuses attention on the liability to develop schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, yet traditionally, the schizotypy models have put more emphasis on stress-vulnerability interactions rather than developmental dynamics of emerging risk for psychopathology. Indeed, developmental accounts of this emerging personality trait have rarely been explicitly formulated. In this position article, we wish to convey some of the basic developmental tenets of schizotypy, and how they can inform high-risk research. Firstly, we tackle the state vs trait issue to outline the possible relationship between high-risk states and trait schizotypy. Second, we review the evidence suggesting that the consolidation of schizotypy, encompassing its 3 main dimensions, could be considered as a developmental mediator between very early risk factors and transition into high-risk states. Importantly, developmental dynamics between endophenotypes, as well as transactional and epigenetics mechanisms should enter modern conceptualizations of schizotypy. Finally, we present a developmental psychopathology perspective of schizotypy sensitive to both the multifinality and equifinality of schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. We conclude that schizotypy represents a crucial construct in a fully-developmental study of schizophrenia-spectrum disorders.

Keywords: developmental; high-risk; personality; psychopathology; psychosis; schizophrenia.

Fig. 1.

Meehl’s traditional schizotypy model (based on Lenzenweger), and modifications to account for developmental interactions propelling schizotypal manifestation into potential clinical risk states. The red, blue and green arrows specify potential developmental dynamics to consider when examining schizotypy from a developmental perspective. Red arrows: putative developmental interactions. Blue arrows: putative transactional interactions. Green arrows: putative epigenetic interactions. PGP, polygenic potentiators; Endoph., endophenotype.

Fig. 2.

An illustration of the developmental psychopathology principles of multifinality and equifinality.