Clinical significance of psychotic-like experiences in children and adolescents

Psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) are subtle, subclinical hallucinations and delusions which are quite common in general population. In children and youth prevalence rate is probably age-dependent with higher rate in younger population. PLEs are suggested to be a form of extended psychosis phenotype. Similar demographic, genetic and environmental risk factors observed for PLEs and schizophrenia support this hypothesis. Other mental health problems associated with PLEs include depression, suicidality, low functioning and psychiatric comorbidity. PLEs may be a risk factor for psychosis, but probably only for a minor subgroup of population. It is possible however, that PLEs are a risk factor for different psychiatric disorders. In the majority of children and adolescents PLEs disappear over time. PLEs are supposed to be a heterogenic phenomenon with different subtypes: associated with psychosis risk, associated with other psychiatric disorders and being within the normal range of experiences. Due to lack of widely acknowledged PLEs definition and because of substantial diversity of research methodology interpretation of the previous research should be made with caution.