Positive psychotic symptoms in childhood and adolescence

Based on the assumption of a universal neurodevelopmental model of psychosis, especially of the schizophrenia spectrum, the diagnosis (and treatment) of psychosis in minors commonly follows those in adults. Yet, as our review demonstrates, recent years have seen an emergence of studies of minors indicating that developmental aspects may play a crucial role in the prevalence and appraisal of diagnostically relevant positive psychotic symptoms in their full-blown and subthreshold forms, including neurobiogenetic and other risk factors, such as migration. Thus, caution is advised to not overpathologize potentially transient and clinically irrelevant occurrence of (subthreshold) positive psychotic symptoms in the diagnosis and treatment of psychotic disorders and their clinical high-risk states in minors. More studies on developmental aspects are urgently needed.

Automated summary

Based on the assumption of a universal neurodevelopmental model of psychosis, the diagnosis and treatment of psychosis in minors usually follow those in adults. However, recent studies have shown that developmental aspects may play a crucial role in the prevalence and appraisal of relevant symptoms in minors, including genetic and other risk factors. Therefore, caution is advised in overpathologizing potentially transient and clinically irrelevant symptoms in the diagnosis and treatment of psychotic disorders in minors. More studies on developmental aspects are urgently needed.