Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera links teen psychosis risk to ADHD
- Adolescent mental health researchers at the Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera in Castellón have identified clear links between attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms, depression, suicidal behavior, and the risk of...
- The study followed participants over a two-year period to observe how mental health markers evolved and to isolate indicators associated with Estados Mentales de Alto Riesgo, known as...
- The data revealed distinct patterns between male and female adolescents in how psychological distress manifested.
Adolescent mental health researchers at the Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera in Castellón have identified clear links between attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms, depression, suicidal behavior, and the risk of developing psychosis during adolescence. Published across two papers in Frontiers in Psychiatry and European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, the findings stem from a two-year longitudinal tracking study of 697 adolescents aged 11 to 15 conducted by the university’s TXP research group.
Tracking Risk Factors in 697 Adolescents
The study followed participants over a two-year period to observe how mental health markers evolved and to isolate indicators associated with Estados Mentales de Alto Riesgo, known as EMAR. According to Dr. Antonio Jovaní, a psychiatrist involved in the research whose doctoral thesis builds on these findings, EMAR represents a phase of heightened psychological vulnerability marked by unusual or intermittent experiences like social withdrawal, suspiciousness, paranoid thinking, and atypical expression. Among participants who met EMAR criteria during the study, 68.4% exhibited combined-type ADHD, compared to just 6.6% of healthy control peers. Researchers also noted that emotional and behavioral difficulties, anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation scaled upward alongside rising risk levels.
Gender Differences in Symptom Weight and Expression
The data revealed distinct patterns between male and female adolescents in how psychological distress manifested. For female participants, hyperactivity, impulsivity, and emotional difficulties carried a heavier weight in relation to risk states. For male participants, depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts showed a more intense connection with subsequent psychosis development. Francisca Castellano, a psychologist and co-director of the research thesis within the TXP group, emphasizes that adolescent psychological well-being requires a holistic framework. Emotional struggles, attentional lapses, and suicidal behavior often stem from a shared core of distress that demands active listening rather than categorization.
Two-Year Outcomes and Long-Term Vulnerability
By the conclusion of the two-year observation window, approximately 3% of the total adolescent cohort met the criteria for a risk state. However, dynamic shifts occurred within the groups: only 0.9% of participants who initially registered no risk transitioned into an EMAR category. Out of 19 adolescents situated in the highest-risk bracket at the outset, only three remained in that classification two years later.
The tracking data indicate that depression, hyperactive-impulsive traits, and suicidal planning serve as the most reliable markers for identifying adolescents who subsequently experience elevated psychosis vulnerability. Dr. Jovaní stresses that recognizing these signs should prompt supportive intervention rather than diagnostic labeling. As he notes: The main message that the results give us is that we must pay attention to signs of psychological distress during adolescence, not to put labels on them, but to listen, understand, and offer support when necessary.
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