The Assessment of Attenuated Psychotic Symptoms in Adolescents: Concepts, Practical Approaches and Prediction of Risk

Early detection of those at risk for developing psychotic disorders is a growing field that creates an opportunity for intervention early in the course of illness, with potential for improved prognosis. In the last two decades, a number of instruments aimed at assessing clinical risk for psychosis were developed, using various approaches. These instruments are reviewed in this paper, as well as diagnostic and clinical challenges that mental health professionals often face during the assessment of attenuated psychotic symptoms, a core syndrome indicating psychosis risk. A case example illustrates assessment and feedback techniques.