Screening for Psychosis in Adolescents: Consideration of the Knowns and Unknowns
Image For Activity Cover
Availability
On-Demand
Expires on May 28, 2026
Credit Offered
1 CME Credit
1 Psych CE Credit
1 COP Credit

We know that the early signs of emerging psychotic disorders present prior to adulthood for a majority of affected individuals. We also know that intervening early in the course of psychotic illnesses can have meaningful implications for the clinical trajectories of young people. We know how to reliably identify adolescents and young adults at imminent risk for the onset of a psychotic disorder and reduce their short-term risk of transition. We have screening tools to identify psychotic and psychotic-like symptoms. So why not screen all adolescents for psychosis? This webinar will review the available data on psychotic-spectrum experiences in adolescents and the challenges to identifying candidates for specialized intervention. This will include a review of basic screening concepts, methods, and tools as well as a discussion of their limitations, particularly in adolescent samples. We will end with considerations for clinicians who want to screen adolescents for psychosis.

This activity was developed in partnership with the Psychosis-Risk and Early Psychosis Program Network (PEPPNET).

Learning Objectives

  • Explain the difference between the screening concepts of sensitivity and specificity and the relevance of sampling.
  • Describe the basic frequency and specificity of psychotic-spectrum symptoms across adolescence.
  • Identify three key considerations in screening adolescents for psychotic symptoms.

Target Audience

  • Counselor, Nurse/Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatrist, Physician (non-psychiatrist), Physician Assistant, Psychologist

Instructional Level

  • Introductory, Intermediate

Estimated Time to Complete

Estimated Duration: 1.0 hour 
Program Start Date: May 28, 2020
Program End Date: May 28, 2026

Ongoing Interdisciplinary Discussion Board

If there are any topics covered in this webinar that you would like to discuss with colleagues in the mental health field, post a question or comment on SMI Adviser’s Webinar Roundtable Topics discussion board (https://smiadviser.org/discussion).This is an easy way to network and share ideas with other clinicians who participate in this webinar.

How to Earn Credit

Participants who wish to earn AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™, CE credit for psychologists, or a certificate of participation may do so by completing all sections of the course, including the evaluation. A multiple choice quiz is provided based on the content. A passing score of 75% must be achieved. Retakes are available for the test. After evaluating the program, course participants will be provided with an opportunity to claim hours of participation and print an official CME certificate (physicians), CE certificate (psychologists), or certificate of participation (other disciplines) showing the completion date and hours earned.

Continuing Education Credit

Physicians

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The APA designates this live event for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Psychologists

The American Psychiatric Association is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The American Psychiatric Association maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

Continuing education requirements vary from state to state. Many state boards grant reciprocity with national accrediting organizations and other state boards. It is the responsibility of each professional to understand the requirements for license renewal or check with the state or national licensing board and/or professional organization to become more familiar with their policies for acceptable continuing education credit. Social workers and Psychologists should contact their regulatory board to determine course approval.

Faculty and Planner Disclosures

Instructor

  • Kristen Woodberry, MSW, PhD. Dr. Woodberry is a clinical social worker, licensed clinical psychologist and early psychosis researcher at the Maine Medical Center Research Institute and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Reports no financial relationships with commercial interests. 

Planners

  • Teri Brister, PhD, LPC, National Alliance on Mental Illness. Reports no financial relationships with commercial interests. 
  • Amy N. Cohen, PhD, American Psychiatric Association. Reports no financial relationships with commercial interests. 
  • Tristan Gorrindo, MD, American Psychiatric Association. Reports no financial relationships with commercial interests.
  • Judith Dauberman, PhD, PEPPNET. Reports no financial relationships with commercial interests. 
Reviewers
  • John Torous, MD, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Dr. Torous has no relevant financial relationships to disclose. (Reviewed on 6/4/2023)
  • Teri Brister, PhD, LPC, National Alliance on Mental Illness. Reports no financial relationships with commercial interests. (Reviewed on 6/6/2023)
  • Amy N. Cohen, PhD, American Psychiatric Association. Reports no financial relationships with commercial interests. (Reviewed on 6/5/2023) 

Accessibility for Participants with Disabilities

The American Psychiatric Association is committed to ensuring accessibility of its website to people with disabilities. If you have trouble accessing any of APA’s online resources, please contact us at 202-559-3900 for assistance.

Technical Requirements

This internet-based CME activity is best experienced using any of the following:

  • The latest and 2nd latest public versions of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari
  • Internet Explorer 11+

This Web site requires that JavaScript and session cookies be enabled. Certain activities may require additional software to view multimedia, presentation, or printable versions of the content. These activities will be marked as such and will provide links to the required software. That software may be: Adobe Flash, Adobe Acrobat Reader, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Windows Media Player.

Optimal System Configuration:

  • Browser: Google Chrome (latest and 2nd latest version), Safari (latest and 2nd latest version), Internet Explorer 11.0+, Firefox (latest and 2nd latest version), or Microsoft Edge (latest and 2nd latest version)
  • Operating System: Windows versions 8.1+, Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) +, Android (latest and 2nd latest version), or iOS/iPad OS (latest and 2nd latest version)
  • Internet Connection: 1 Mbps or higher

Minimum Requirements:

  • Windows PC: Windows 8.1 or higher; 1 GB (for 32-bit)/2 GB (for 64-bit) or higher RAM; Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM driver; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content
  • Macintosh: Mac OS X 10.5 or higher with latest updates installed; Intel, PowerPC G5, or PowerPC G4 (867MHz or faster) processor; 512 MB or higher RAM; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content

For assistance: Contact educme@psych.org for questions about this activity | Contact SMIAdviserHelp@psych.org for technical assistance

Funding for SMI Adviser was made possible by Grant No. SM080818 from SAMHSA of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, SAMHSA/HHS or the U.S. Government.
Powered By