Early detection of psychosis and eating disorders. Exploratory research
of combined risk profiles
Abstract
Intro: psychotic disorders (PD) and eating disorders (ED) both are
highly invalidating, costly and associated with premature death.
Researchers call for early detection and intervention. Little is known
about co-occurrence and associations between the at risk mental state
for psychosis (ARMS) and ED. Objectives: to explore the prevalence of
and associations between ARMS and ED-risk. To gain a first explorative
insight into the similarities and differences of ARMS profiles in
individuals with and without an ED risk score (EDr versus EDnr). Method:
a cross sectional observational prevalence study (N=736) in secondary
mental health care with a qualitative examination of ARMS profiles
(N=47), using an ED screener (SCOFF), psychosis prodromal screener
(PQ16) and CAARMS interview (detection of ARMS). We analyzed
prevalences, associations (using Fisher’s exact test), and conditional
probabilities of frequencies for CAARMS and SCOFF outcomes. We explored
differences in ARMS profiles between EDr and EDnr by inspection of
CAARMS reports. Results: ARMS and EDr are common across all psychiatric
conditions. ED appear to remain largely undetected. Findings
demonstrated no significant or conditional association of frequencies
between CAARMS and EDr/nr outcome. ARMS items ‘guilt/punishment’ and
‘ideas of reference’ stood out in the EDr group. Conclusions: Be aware
of ARMS and psychosis in ED. Pay more attention to possible ED. ARMS and
psychosis are equally prevalent in EDr and EDnr, and vice versa.
Researchers are encouraged to conduct studies on severity associations
and profiles of psychosis spectrum symptoms in the various
manifestations of ED.