Ditte Ellersgaard1,2,3, Maja Gregersen1,2,3, Jens R M Jepsen1,2,5, Anne Ranning1,2, Nicoline Hemager1,2,3, Camilla Christiani1,2,3, Ole Mors2,4, Kerstin J Plessen2,5,6, Anne A E Thorup2,3,5, Merete Nordentoft1,2,3; 1Mental Health Services - Capital Region of Denmark, Mental Health Centre Copenhagen, 2The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), 3Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, 4Psychosis Research Unit, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark, 5Mental Health Services – Capital Region of Denmark, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Centre, 6Division of Adolescent and Child Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
Background: Children with familial high risk of schizophrenia (FHR-SZ) and bipolar disorder (FHR-BP) are affected in many areas. They display more psychopathology and experience more social disadvantage compared with controls. Furthermore, children with FHR-SZ display impaired motor function and cognitive skills. However, little is known of how the genetic and environmental risk affects the quality of life and self-esteem of these children with familial high risk. We aimed to compare quality of life and self-esteem among children with FHR-SZ, FHR-BP and controls. Method: A representative cohort of 7-year-old children with FHR-SZ (N=202), FHR-BP (N=120) and controls (N=200) was retrieved using Danish nationwide registers. Children with FHR-SZ were matched to controls on age, sex and municipality. The child examiners were blind to parental diagnoses. Various domains of quality of life was assessed with the Health-related Quality of Life Screening Instrument, KIDSCREEN-27, in addition to the scale ‘Social Acceptance (Bullying)’ from the KIDSCREEN-52. Self-esteem was assessed with the self-report scale ‘I think I am’ by Pirjo Ouvinen-Birgerstam. Besides a total scale, ‘I think I am’ consists of the scales ‘Physical appearance’, ‘Skills and talents’, ‘Psychological well-being’, ‘Relationships with family’ and ‘Relationships with others’. Results: We found marked differences on some domains of quality of life and self-esteem among the three groups. Results will be presented at the meeting. Conclusion: The finding that quality of life and self-esteem are affected in children with familial high risk already at age seven calls for studies on early intervention towards this vulnerable group of children
