Improving detection of first‐episode psychosis by mental health‐care services using a self‐report questionnaire

OBJECTIVE: To examine the utility of the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE)-42, a self-report questionnaire, to improve detection of first-episode psychosis in new referrals to mental health services. METHOD: At first contact with mental health-care services patients were asked to complete the CAPE-42 and were then routinely diagnosed by a clinician. Standard diagnoses were obtained by means of the mini-Schedule for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry. RESULTS: Of the 246 included patients, 26 (10.6%) were diagnosed with psychosis according to the mini-Schedule for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry. Only 10 of them were recognized by clinical routine, and 16 psychotic patients were not properly identified. Using an optimal cut-off of 50 on the frequency or distress dimension of the positive subscale of the CAPE-42 detected 14 of these misdiagnosed patients. The sensitivity of the CAPE-42 at this cut-off point was 77.5 and the specificity 70.5. CONCLUSION: Systematic screening of patients using a self-report questionnaire for psychotic symptoms improves routine detection of psychotic patients when they first come into contact with mental health services.