Evaluation of a brief online multi-index assessment for predicting increased psychotic-like experiences in the community: A perceptual, cognitive and affective approach.

Abstract

Research has shown that impairments in perception, reasoning, and social cognition are evident across the psychosis continuum and are implicated in the transition from subclinical symptoms to clinical psychosis. In this pilot feasibility study, a brief computerised assessment of visual perception, reasoning, social cognition and emotion dysregulation was administered to 157 adults in the community alongside self-report measures of psychotic-like experiences. The feasibility, reliability, and the predictive validity of the assessment tool were examined. The assessment procedure was feasible, evidenced through high completion rates. However, reliability estimates were suboptimal for online assessment measures. Self-reported visual perception and state emotion dysregulation predicted psychotic-like experiences explaining 53% of the variance when controlling for age. This study provides preliminary evidence that state difficulties with emotion regulation and self-reported visual perception abnormalities can predict increased psychotic-like experiences in the community. Future adaptations could address technological issues encountered with assessment tasks and ensure measures are psychometrically robust when administered online. Brief online assessments hold potential for research of both cognition and affect along the psychosis continuum although caution must be exercised with the chosen methodology.