Self-reported Gesture Interpretation and Performance Deficits in Individuals at Clinical High Risk for Psychosis

Overview

Journal Schizophr Bull

Publisher Oxford University Press

Specialty Psychiatry

Date 2023 Mar 20

PMID 36939086

Authors

Erica L Karp

Trevor F Williams

Lauren M Ellman

Gregory P Strauss

Elaine F Walker

Philip R Corlett

Scott W Woods

Albert R Powers

James M Gold

Jason E Schiffman

James A Waltz

Steven M Silverstein

Vijay A Mittal

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background And Hypothesis: Deficits in performing and interpreting communicative nonverbal behaviors, such as gesture, have been linked to varied psychopathology and dysfunction. Some evidence suggests that individuals at risk for psychosis have deficits in gesture interpretation and performance; however, individuals with internalizing disorders (eg, depression) may have similar deficits. No previous studies have examined whether gesture deficits in performance and interpretation are specific to those at risk for psychosis. Additionally, the underlying mechanisms (eg, cognition) and consequences (eg, functioning) of these deficits are poorly understood.

Study Design: This study examined self-reported gesture interpretation (SRGI) and performance (SRGP) in those at clinical high risk for psychosis (CHR; N = 88), those with internalizing disorders (INT; N = 51), and healthy controls (HC; N = 53). Participants completed questionnaires, clinical interviews, and neurocognitive tasks.

Study Results: Results indicated that the CHR group was characterized by significantly lower SRGI scores than the HC or INT groups (d = 0.41); there were no differences among groups in SRGP. Within CHR participants, greater deficits in SRGP were associated with lower verbal learning and memory (r = -.33), but not general intelligence or processing speed. Furthermore, gesture deficits were associated with higher cross-sectional risk for conversion to a full psychotic disorder in the CHR group.

Conclusions: Overall, these findings suggest that specific subdomains of gesture may reflect unique vulnerability for psychosis, self-report may be a viable assessment tool in understanding these phenomena, and gesture dysfunction may signal risk for transition to psychosis.

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