Document Type
Article
Version Deposited
Published Version
Publication Date
12-16-2021
Publication Title
Behavioral Sciences
DOI
10.3390/bs11120179
Abstract
Problematic lifestyle behaviors and high rates of physical illness are well documented in people with schizophrenia, contributing to premature mortality. Yet, there is a notable absence of research examining general lifestyle and health issues in participants at risk for psychosis. This form of research may help identify concerns that exist during prodromal periods related to future outcomes. Accordingly, the current study examined lifestyle and health in a nonclinical sample of 530 young adults with varying levels of schizotypy. Increasing symptom severity was associated with greater somatic symptoms and poorer sleep quality across positive, negative, and disorganized domains. Elevated negative and disorganized symptoms were associated with significantly reduced health-related quality of life, while evidence for reduced engagement in health behaviors was largely limited to those with elevated negative schizotypy. No relationships emerged between symptom presentation/severity and body mass index or substance use, although zero-order correlations suggested an association between disorganized schizotypy and nicotine use. The pattern of relationships in the current study was consistent with findings from the ultra-high risk and clinical literature suggesting that lifestyle and health concerns may exist on a continuum with psychosis. Future research should seek to clarify if these patterns are associated with long-term physical or mental health outcomes.
Recommended Citation
Dinzeo, T.J.; Thayasivam, U. Schizotypy, Lifestyle Behaviors, and Health Indicators in a Young Adult Sample. Behav. Sci. 2021, 11, 179. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs11120179
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Comments
© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license.