Testing the stress-vulnerability hypothesis in ICD-10-diagnosed acute and transient psychotic disorders

Objective: To examine if family-history-positive (FHP) vis-ri-vis family-hi story-negative (FHN) probands with ICD-10-diagnosed acute and transient psy chotic disorders (ATPD) differ significantly with respect to number of life events and cumulative stress score prior to the onset of ATPD. Method: Forty probands with ICD-10-based clinical diagnosis of acute and tr ansient psychotic disorders were studied with respect to: (a) history of ps ychiatric disorders in first-degree relatives, and (b) antecedent life even ts and cumulative stress. The FHP and FHN probands were compared on the lat ter variables using Mann-Whitney U-test. Results: FHP probands reported significantly less number of total life even ts compared to FHN probands (P=0.006). Similarly, FHP probands had signific antly less stress score than FHN probands (P=0.002). There were no signific ant demographic or clinical differences between the two groups. Conclusion: The findings support the stress-vulnerability hypothesis in the aetiology of ATPD.