Behavioral patterns of adolescents at risk for schizophrenia spectrum disorders

The main aim of this study is to assess whether there are differences in sc hizotypal traits and behavioural patterns in normal adolescents at risk for schizophrenia spectrum disorders in comparison to normal controls. Attenti onal deficit (measured by means of the CPT-IP test) has been our criterion to identify at-risk subjects. Subjects composing the sample of the study (n =202) come from an original sample of 1.498 normal junior students (mean ag e 13.2). Results show that there are differences in the behavioral variable s studied between at-risk subjects and controls. At-risk subjects displayed more anxious and depressive traits, social problems and attentional proble ms. Within attentional deficit subjects, sex differences have been also fou nd. There were no differences in schizotypal traits between both groups.