Aim: Previous research observed deficits in pleasure experience in chronic
schizophrenia, but little is known about
anhedonia in early
psychosis. Aim of this study is: (1) to examine
anhedonia in distinct help-seeking subgroups of young people identified through the First Episode
Psychosis (
FEP) criteria, (2) to investigate its correlations with psychopathology in the
FEP sample, and (3) to monitor longitudinally its stability in the
FEP group along 1-year follow-up period.Materials and methods: All participants (137
FEP and 95 nonpsychotic psychiatric controls [i.e. non-
FEP]), aged 13-35 years, completed the Comprehensive Assessment of At-Risk Mental States (CAARMS), the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire - Brief version (SPQ-B), the Brief O-LIFE questionnaire (
BOL), and the World Health Organization Quality of Life - Brief version (WHOQOL-BREF). We used two different indexes of
anhedonia: CAARMS '
Anhedonia' item 4.3 and
BOL 'Introvertive
Anhedonia' subscale scores.Results: In comparison with non-
FEP,
FEP patients showed higher baseline
anhedonia scores. After 1-year follow-up period,
FEP individuals had a significant decrease in severity of
anhedonia scores. In the
FEP group,
anhedonia showed significant, enduring (over time) correlations with impaired role functioning, negative symptoms, comorbid depression, poorer self-perceived quality of life and specific schizotypal personality traits (i.e. interpersonal deficits).Conclusions:
Anhedonia is relevant in the early phase of
psychosis and its severity is associated with functioning deterioration and a bad quality of life.