Structure and temporal stability of adolescent psychotic experiences: findings from a German longitudinal cohort study.

backgroundPsychotic-like experiences (PLEs) are common in adolescence and often associated with later mental health difficulties. Although many psychosocial factors are related to PLEs, little is known about how these factors interact over time. Longitudinal network analysis allows examination of the stability of symptom associations and identification of potential intervention targets. This study investigated the structure and temporal stability of PLE networks in a large community-based adolescent cohort.

methodsAdolescents aged 13-19 years (N = 605 with complete data across all time points) completed assessments at baseline, 12 months, and 24 months. Measures included positive and negative PLEs, cognitive biases, depression, anxiety, trauma, and interpersonal sensitivity. Networks were estimated at each time point, and permutation-based tests were used to compare network structure and overall connectivity across time. Centrality stability was assessed using bootstrapping procedures.

resultsNetwork structures were stable across the 2-year period, with no significant differences in overall organization or connectivity between time points. Depression consistently showed the highest centrality, followed by anxiety and attributional bias. Positive PLEs were most strongly associated with anxiety, while negative PLEs showed their strongest associations with depression. Attributional bias remained centrally positioned and was strongly linked to trauma. All networks showed robust accuracy and high stability.

conclusionsDespite considerable developmental change during adolescence, the psychosocial architecture of PLEs remained notably stable. Depression, anxiety, and attributional biases emerged as consistent key nodes, highlighting them as promising targets for prevention and early intervention in adolescents at risk for persistent PLEs.