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Background: Previous population-based studies have found that delusional-like experiences (DLE) are prevalent in the community, and are associated with a wide range of mental health disorders including substance use. The aim of the study was to explore the association between DLE and three commonly used substances--tobacco, alcohol and cannabis., Methods: Subjects were drawn from the Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing 2007. The Composite International Diagnostic Interview was used to identify DLE, common psychiatric disorders, and substance use. We examined the relationship between the variables of interest using logistic regression, adjusting for potential confounding factors., Results: Of 8,773 participants, 8.4% (n=776) subjects endorsed one or more DLE. With respect to tobacco use, compared to nonusers, DLE were more common in those who (a) had daily use, (b) commenced usage aged 15 years or less, and (c) those who smoked heavily (23 or more cigarettes per day). Participants with cannabis use disorders were more likely to endorse DLE; this association was most prominent in those with an onset of 16 years or younger. In contrast, the pattern of association between DLE versus alcohol use or dependence was less consistent, however those with early onset alcohol use disorders were more likely to endorse DLE probe items., Conclusions: While cannabis use disorders have been previously linked with DLE, our findings linking alcohol and tobacco use and DLE suggest that the influence of these substances on psychosis-related outcomes warrants closer scrutiny in longitudinal prospective studies.

Background: Delusional-like experiences (DLEs) are common in the general population. Whilst it is well known that psychotic disorders increase the risk of suicide, it is unclear if DLEs are also associated with suicidal thoughts and behaviour. This study aims to explore these variables in a large population-based sample., Method: Participants were drawn from a national survey of mental health (n=8841) in Australia. The Composite International Diagnostic Interview was used to identify DLEs, psychiatric disorders, and information related to suicidal ideation, suicide plan and suicide attempts. We examined the relationship between DLEs and suicidal ideation, plans and attempts using logistic regression, adjusted for a range of potentially confounding variables., Results: 8.4% of subjects endorsed one or more DLEs. 12.9% subjects reported suicidal ideation, 3.8% suicidal plans, and 3.0% a suicide attempt at some point in their lives. Those with any DLE were about two to four times as likely to report suicidal ideation, plans or attempts. There was a dose response relationship between DLEs and endorsement of suicide-related items., Conclusions: DLEs are common in the general population and appear to be independently associated with suicidal thoughts and behaviour. DLE may provide a marker of vulnerability to suicide, and thus could be of value in future suicide prevention research., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Individuals exposed to childhood trauma are more likely to report delusional-like experiences (DLE). This study examined the association between trauma exposure and DLE in a large community sample, investigating different trauma types and age-at-first-exposure to trauma. Subjects were from the Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing 2007. Associations between DLE and (i) exposure to different trauma types and (ii) age-at-first-exposure were assessed using logistic regression with adjustments for potential confounding factors. 8.4% of 8773 subjects reported DLE and almost 75% reported at least one traumatic event. Exposure to a traumatic event was significantly associated with more than twice the odds of delusional-like experiences and exposure to more types of trauma increased the likelihood of DLE in a dose dependent fashion. The majority of the individual trauma items were independently associated with any endorsement of DLE. First exposure of trauma in childhood, adolescence and adulthood was all associated with DLE. Further understanding of biological and cognitive pathways is required to unravel the association between trauma exposure and delusional-like experiences., (Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Recent studies have indicated that isolated delusional-like experiences (DLE) are common in the general population. Furthermore, there is preliminary evidence to suggest that these experiences are more common in those with a family history of mental disorders. We had the opportunity to explore the association between family history of a wide range of mental disorders and DLE in an Australian general population survey. The Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing 2007 examined 8,841 adult community residents. The Composite International Diagnostic Interview was used to generate various DSM-IV lifetime diagnoses and to assess DLE. The participants were asked to report mental disorders in their first-degree relatives. The influence of family history of mental disorders on DLE endorsement was assessed with logistic regression, with adjustments for age, sex, and the presence of comorbid psychiatric diagnoses in the respondents. A family history of anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or alcohol or illicit drug abuse/dependence was each significantly associated with endorsement of DLE, and these associations remained significant when we adjusted for the presence of mental illness in the respondents. When we examined a more restrictive definition of DLE, only a family history of depression and schizophrenia remained significantly associated with DLE. DLE are associated with a family history of a wide range of mental disorders. These findings suggest that familial factors associated with DLE may be shared with a wide range of common mental disorders., (Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

Objective: Delusional-like experiences (DLE) are prevalent in the community. Recent community based studies have found that DLE are more common in those with depression and anxiety disorders, and in those with subclinical symptoms of depression and anxiety. Chronic physical disorders are associated with comorbid depression and anxiety; however, there is a lack of evidence about the association of DLE with common physical conditions. The aim of this study was to explore associations between the common physical disorders and DLE using a large population sample., Methods: Subjects were drawn from the Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing 2007, a national household survey of 8841 residents aged between 16 and 85 years. The presence of DLE, selected common physical disorders and symptoms were assessed using a modified World Mental Health Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) schedule. We examined the relationship between DLE, and physical health-related variables using logistic regression, with adjustments for potential confounding factors., Results: Of the 8771, 776 (8.4%) subjects positively endorsed one or more DLE. Of the six physical disorders examined, only diabetes and arthritis were significantly associated with the endorsement of DLE. Of the seven broad physical symptoms explored, only hearing problems were consistently associated with DLE., Conclusion: Delusional-like experiences are common in the Australian community, and are associated with selected chronic physical disorders and with impaired hearing. The direction of causality between these variables warrants closer research scrutiny.

Background: Delusional-like experiences (DLE) are prevalent in the community, and are associated with the both clinical and subclinical depression and anxiety. The aim of this study was to explore the association between general psychological distress and DLE adjusting for the presence of psychiatric disorders in a large population-based sample., Methods: Subjects were drawn from the Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing 2007 (n=8841). DLE were assessed using a modified World Mental Health Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) schedule, and psychological distress was measured using the Kessler-10 (K10) short questionnaire. We examined the relationship between DLE and quartiles of K10 scores using logistic regression, adjusting for depression and anxiety disorders, and other potential confounding factors. The analyses were also repeated in the subgroup of the sample who were free of lifetime clinical diagnoses., Results: Of the participants, 776 (8.4%) endorsed one or more DLE. Individuals with moderate and severe psychological distress were two to three times more likely to endorse DLE. The association remained significant after adjusting for potential confounding factors, and in the subgroup of the population who remained after excluding those who met criteria for lifetime diagnosis for any mental disorder., Conclusion: While DLE have traditionally been associated with psychotic disorders, our results suggest that they are associated with non-specific psychological distress in otherwise-well individuals., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Population-based surveys have confirmed that psychotic-like experiences are prevalent in the community. However, it is unclear if these experiences are associated with common mental disorders. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of psychotic-like experiences in those with affective and anxiety disorders., Methods: Subjects were drawn from the Mater-University of Queensland Study of Pregnancy. Delusion-like experiences were assessed with the Peters Delusional Inventory (PDI). The Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) was used to identify individuals with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fourth Edition) lifetime diagnoses of major depression, anxiety disorder, substance use/dependence, and psychotic disorders. The influence of affective and anxiety disorders on PDI and CIDI psychosis-related items' scores were assessed with logistic regression, with adjustments for age, sex, and the presence of the other comorbid psychiatric diagnoses., Results: Having either a lifetime diagnosis of major depressive disorder or an anxiety disorder was associated with significantly higher PDI total scores (highest vs lowest quartile adjusted odds ratios [ORs] and 95% confidence intervals [CIs] = 4.43, 3.09-6.36; 3.08, 2.26-4.20, respectively). The odds of endorsing any CIDI hallucination or delusion item was increased in those with a major depressive or anxiety disorder. The presence of current anxiety disorder symptoms was significantly associated with PDI score (OR = 5.81, 95% CI = 3.68-9.16)., Conclusion: While psychotic-like experiences are usually associated with psychotic disorders, individuals with depression and anxiety are also more likely to report these symptoms compared with well individuals. Psychotic-like experiences are associated with a range of common mental disorders.

Objective: Several large population-based studies have reported that otherwise-well individuals endorse items related to delusion-like experiences. The aim of the present study was to examine selected correlates of delusion-like experiences in a sample of non-psychotic individuals., Method: Subjects (n=310) were screened with the Diagnostic Interview for Psychosis in order to exclude psychotic disorders. Delusion-like experiences were assessed with the Peters Delusional Inventory (PDI). Non-parametric statistics were used to assess the relationship between total PDI score and a range of demographic (age, sex, migrant status, paternal age), physical (minor physical anomalies) symptom-related variables (hallucinations, awareness of thought disorder) and family history of mental illness., Results: The median (range) PDI score was 4 (0-26), while one-third of the subjects endorsed seven or more items. The presence of a family history of any psychiatric condition was significantly correlated with a higher PDI score. PDI score was significantly positively correlated with endorsement of hallucinations and awareness of thought disorder. PDI was not significantly associated with sex, family history of schizophrenia, paternal age, migrant status nor scores related to minor physical anomalies. There was a trend level association between younger age and higher PDI score., Conclusion: Delusion-like experiences are relatively common in non-psychotic individuals. The association with a family history of mental disorders provides clues to the mechanisms underlying the profile of delusion-like experience.