New ways to assess early prediction of psychosis
In situations where early psychosis is left as an untreated illness for an extended period of time, a long-term individual, social and economic burden often presents itself. Therefore an intensive effort for early recognition accompanied by intervention is the best measure to take in breaking this cycle. Being the first five-country collaborative multi-centre study concerned with the aim of intervention and recognition in psychotic disorders, the EPOS project has done just that. More specifically, it was designed to predict the transition to psychosis and the course of psychopathology and disability in persons with an increased risk of schizophrenia. The study was comprised of a multi-level assessment which involved psychopathology, neurocognition and brain imaging. The outcome was recorded at the stages of 9 and 18 months in order to determine risk level. Furthermore EPOS examined pathways as well as obstructions in order to account for delays in proper treatment. The Bonn Scale for the Assessment of Basic Symptoms - Prediction (BSABS-P) List developed at the University of Cologne was employed. It is capable of assessing the self-experienced cognitive, perceptual and motor disturbances that are predictive in terms of transition to psychosis. Possible end users include psychiatric, psychological or public health investigators involved with early psychosis. The most beneficial aspect of the BSABS-P is that it offers a means for early recognition of a prodromal phase of psychoses.