Schizophrenia Research
Volume 120, Issue 1 , Pages 7-15, July 2010

Should a “Risk Syndrome for Psychosis” be included in the DSMV?

  • Alison R. Yung

      Affiliations

    • Orygen Youth Health Research Centre and Centre for Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, 35 Poplar Rd, Parkville, Vic 3052, Australia
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +61 3 93422800; fax: +61 3 93422921.
    • ,
  • Barnaby Nelson

      Affiliations

    • Orygen Youth Health Research Centre and Centre for Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, 35 Poplar Rd, Parkville, Vic 3052, Australia
    • Tel.: +61 3 93422800.
    • ,
  • Andrew D. Thompson

      Affiliations

    • Orygen Youth Health Research Centre and Centre for Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, 35 Poplar Rd, Parkville, Vic 3052, Australia
    • Tel.: +61 3 93422800.
    • ,
  • Stephen J. Wood

      Affiliations

    • Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, University of Melbourne, Grattan St, Parkville, Vic 3052, Australia
    • Tel.: +61 3 83441877.

Received 11 January 2010; accepted 12 March 2010. published online 12 April 2010.

Abstract 

The proposed Risk Syndrome for Psychosis (RS) criteria are derived from the Ultra High Risk criteria (UHR) and prodromal or Clinical High Risk criteria (CHR), and consist of subthreshold or attenuated positive psychotic symptoms with operationalized recency and frequency criteria. The rationale behind the proposed inclusion of the RS in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSMV) is that several studies have found that the UHR/prodromal/CHR criteria predict onset of psychotic disorder, mainly schizophrenia, within a brief time period of a few years. Identifying individuals meeting these criteria thus affords the possibility of early intervention to prevent or delay onset of full blown psychotic disorder. However, the RS is yet to be properly validated. Additionally, there are potential dangerous unintended consequences of the reification of this syndrome as a formal diagnosis. Thus we feel it is premature to justify inclusion of the RS in the DSM.

Keywords: Ultra high risk, Clinical high risk, Prodrome, Schizophrenia, Risk syndrome, DSM

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PII: S0920-9964(10)01187-4

doi:10.1016/j.schres.2010.03.017

Schizophrenia Research
Volume 120, Issue 1 , Pages 7-15, July 2010

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