Researchers have proposed that both genetic and environmental factors can contribute to the development of psychosis during adolescence and young adulthood. Individuals identified as being at high genetic risk for schizophrenia may not develop the disorder if they possess skills for coping with initial symptoms and reducing associated stressors. Understanding how to facilitate resilience and support protective factors among adolescents at risk for schizophrenia has implications for many individuals and communities because schizophrenia occurs across societies. Developing preventive-intervention models for schizophrenia is particularly important for regions of the world where the genetic risk for schizophrenia is particularly high and the medical resources for managing the illness are scarce. For example, the Republic of Palau is an isolated island nation with a population at heightened risk for schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders (Myles- Worsley et al., 1999). This population provides an excellent opportunity for testing preventive-intervention models because (a) the genetic risk status of individuals has been previously identified and (b) the government of Palau is eager to develop nonstigmatizing strategies to address the problem. The goals of the proposed project are to build capacity among Palauan health care providers to conduct intervention research and to pilot an existing preventive-intervention program for the first time among Palauan adolescents at-risk for psychotic disorders. The first year of the project would involve research training workshops, a clinical training workshop, and a workshop in culturally sensitive protocol development. The second year would involve pilot testing a Palauan-adapted preventive-intervention program on a small sample of high-risk youth (n=30). The training component of the grant is designed for Palauan health care providers and will utilize datasets previously collected from Palauan adolescents at-risk for psychotic disorders (Myles-Worsley et al., 1999). This project represents an international collaboration between psychologists and physicians with a wide range of expertise (e.g. preventive-intervention, adolescent treatment, public health, research education, schizophrenia and psychosis). The long-term goal of the project is to build research capacity in a developing nation and to test strategies for conducting a large scale preventive-intervention study targeting adolescents at heightened risk for psychosis, living in isolated regions of the world. ? ? ?
| Ierago, Laura; Malsol, Cynthia; Singeo, Techong et al. (2010) Adoption, family relations and psychotic symptoms among Palauan adolescents who are genetically at risk for developing schizophrenia. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 45:1105-14 |
| Madraisau, Sheri; Tomoichi, Ulai; Ord, Lisa M et al. (2010) Early signs and symptoms of psychosis among Palauan adolescents. Early Interv Psychiatry 4:153-61 |
