Publication date: Oct 14, 2024
We explored the prevalence of autism and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in first-episode psychosis. Through service evaluation involving 509 individuals, detailed analyses were conducted on neurodevelopmental traits and patterns of service utilisation. Prevalence of neurodivergence in first-episode psychosis was 37. 7%. Neurodivergent individuals used urgent mental health services more frequently (Mann-Whitney U = 25925, Z = -2. 832, P = 0. 005) and had longer hospital stays (Mann-Whitney U = 22816, Z = -4. 886, P ≤ 0. 001) than non-neurodivergent people. Neurodivergent people spend more than twice as long in mental health hospitals at a time than the non-neurodivergent people (Mann-Whitney U = 22 909. 5, Z = -4. 826, P ≤ 0. 001). Mediation analysis underscored indirect impact of neurodivergence on hospital stay durations through age at onset of psychosis and use of emergency services. Prevalence of neurodevelopmental conditions in first-episode psychosis is underestimated. Neurodivergent individuals show increased utilisation of mental health services and experience psychosis earlier. Early assessment is crucial for optimising psychosis management and improving mental health outcomes.
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| Concepts | Keywords |
|---|---|
| Autism | attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders |
| Hospitals | Autism spectrum disorders |
| Improving | first-episode psychosis |
| neurodevelopmental disorders |
Semantics
| Type | Source | Name |
|---|---|---|
| disease | MESH | clinical relevance |
| disease | MESH | psychosis |
| disease | MESH | autism |
| disease | MESH | emergency |
| disease | MESH | Autism spectrum disorders |
| disease | MESH | neurodevelopmental disorders |