Coronavirus-related conspiracy theories (CT) have been found to be associated with fewer pandemic containment-focused behaviors. It is therefore important to evaluate associated cognitive factors. We aimed to obtain first endorsement rate estimates of coronavirus-related conspiracy beliefs in a German-speaking general population sample and investigate whether delusion-related reasoning biases and paranoid ideation are associated with such beliefs.

We conducted a cross-sectional non-probability online study, quota-sampled for age and gender, with 1684 adults from Germany and German-speaking Switzerland. We assessed general and specific coronavirus conspiracy beliefs, reasoning biases [jumping-to-conclusions bias (JTC), liberal acceptance bias (LA), bias against disconfirmatory evidence (BADE), possibility of being mistaken (PM)], and paranoid ideation, using established experimental paradigms and self-report questionnaires.

Around 10% of our sample endorsed coronavirus-related CT beliefs at least strongly, and another 20% to some degree. Overall endorsement was similar to levels observed in a UK-based study (Freeman et al., 2020b). Higher levels of conspiracy belief endorsement were associated with greater JTC, greater LA, greater BADE, higher PM, and greater paranoid ideation. Associations were mostly small to moderate and best described by non-linear relationships.

A noticeable proportion of our sample recruited in Germany and German-speaking Switzerland endorsed coronavirus conspiracy beliefs strongly or to some degree. These beliefs are associated with reasoning biases studied in delusion research. The non-probability sampling approach limits the generalizability of findings. Future longitudinal and experimental studies investigating conspiracy beliefs along the lines of reasoning are encouraged to validate reasoning aberrations as risk factors.

Few community-based studies have examined the impact of life events, life conditions and life changes on the course of depression. This paper examines associations of life events on depressive symptom onset, improvement, and stability.

Direct interview data from the Early Developmental Stages of Psychopathology Study (EDSP), a 4–5 year prospective-longitudinal design based on a representative community sample of adolescents and young adults, aged 14–24 years at baseline, are used. Life events were measured using the Munich Event-Questionnaire (MEL) consisting of 83 explicit items from various social role areas and subscales for the assessment of life event clusters categorized according to dimensions such as positive and negative and controllable and uncontrollable. Depressive disorders were assessed with the DSM-IV version of the Munich Composite Diagnostic Interview (M-CIDI). Multiple logistic regression analyses examined the effects of 22 predictors on the course of depression (onset, improvement, stability).

Younger age, low social class, negative and stressful life events linked to the family were associated with increased risk of new onset of depression. Anxiety was a significant independent predictor of new onset of depression. Absence of stressful school and family events was related to improvement in depression. The weighted total number of life events predicted stable depression.

The association between life events and the course of depression appears to vary according to the outcome being examined, with different clusters of life events differentially predicting onset, improvement, and stability.

Although somatoform disorders are assumed to be chronic clinical conditions, epidemiological knowledge on their natural course based on representative samples is not available.

Data come from a prospective epidemiologic study of adolescents and young adults in Munich, Germany. Respondents’ diagnoses (N = 2548) at baseline and follow-up on average 42 months later are considered. The follow-up incidence, stability as well as selected baseline risk factors (sociodemographics, psychopathology, trauma exposure) for the incidence and stability of somatoform disorders and syndromes are prospectively examined. Diagnostic information was assessed by using the standardized Munich-Composite International Diagnostic Interview (M-CIDI).

Over the follow-up period, incidence rate for any of the covered somatoform diagnoses was 25.7%. Stability for the overall group of any somatoform disorder/syndrome was 48%. Female gender, lower social class, the experience of any substance use, anxiety and affective disorder as well as the experience of traumatic sexual and physical threat events predicted new onsets of somatoform conditions, while stability was predicted by being female, prior existing substance use, affective and eating disorders as well as the experience of a serious accident.

At least for a substantial proportion of individuals, the overall picture of somatization seems to be relatively stable, but with fluctuation in the symptom picture over time. Being female, the experience of substance use as well as anxiety disorder seem to constitute risk factors for the onset of new somatoform conditions as well as for a stable course over time.

The diagnosis of somatisation disorder in DSM-IV was based on ‘medically unexplained’ symptoms, which is unsatisfactory.

To determine the value of a total somatic symptom score as a predictor of health status and healthcare use after adjustment for anxiety, depression and general medical illness.

Data from nine population-based studies (total n = 28377) were analysed.

In all cross-sectional analyses total somatic symptom score was associated with health status and healthcare use after adjustment for confounders. In two prospective studies total somatic symptom score predicted subsequent health status. This association appeared stronger than that for medically unexplained symptoms.

Total somatic symptom score provides a predictor of health status and healthcare use over and above the effects of anxiety, depression and general medical illnesses.

Although (hypo)manic symptoms are common in adolescence, transition to adult bipolar disorder is infrequent.

To examine whether the risk of transition to bipolar disorder is conditional on the extent of persistence of subthreshold affective phenotypes.

In a 10-year prospective community cohort study of 3021 adolescents and young adults, the association between persistence of affective symptoms over 3 years and the 10-year clinical outcomes of incident DSM–IV (hypo)manic episodes and incident use of mental healthcare was assessed.

Transition to clinical outcome was associated with persistence of symptoms in a dose-dependent manner. Around 30–40% of clinical outcomes could be traced to prior persistence of affective symptoms.

In a substantial proportion of individuals, onset of clinical bipolar disorder may be seen as the poor outcome of a developmentally common and usually transitory non-clinical bipolar phenotype.

Although positive effects of physical activity on mental health indicators have been reported, the relationship between physical activity and the development of specific mental disorders is unclear.

A cross-sectional (12-month) and prospective-longitudinal epidemiological study over 4 years in a community cohort of 2548 individuals, aged 14–24 years at outset of the study. Physical activity and mental disorders were assessed by the DSM-IV Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) with an embedded physical activity module. Multiple logistic regression analyses controlling for age, gender and educational status were used to determine the cross-sectional and prospective associations of mental disorders and physical activity.

Cross-sectionally, regular physical activity was associated with a decreased prevalence of any and co-morbid mental disorder, due to lower rates of substance use disorders, anxiety disorders and dysthymia. Prospectively, subjects with regular physical activity had a substantially lower overall incidence of any and co-morbid mental disorder, and also a lower incidence of anxiety, somatoform and dysthymic disorder. By contrast, the incidence of bipolar disorder was increased among those with regular physical activity at baseline. In terms of the population attributable fraction (PAF), the potential for preventive effects of physical activity was considerably higher for men than for women.

Regular physical activity is associated with a substantially reduced risk for some, but not all, mental disorders and also seems to reduce the degree of co-morbidity. Further examination of the evidently complex mechanisms and pathways underlying these associations might reveal promising new research targets and procedures for targeted prevention.

The reported link between psychological trauma and onset of psychosis remains controversial.

To examine associations between self-reported psychological trauma and psychotic symptoms as a function of prior evidence of vulnerability to psychosis (psychosis proneness).

At baseline, 2524 adolescents aged 14–24 years provided self-reports on psychological trauma and psychosis proneness, and at follow-up (on average 42 months later) participants were interviewed for presence of psychotic symptoms.

Self-reported trauma was associated with psychotic symptoms, in particular at more severe levels (adjusted OR 1.89, 95% CI 1.16–3.08) and following trauma associated with intense fear, helplessness or horror. The risk difference between those with and without self-reported trauma at baseline was 7% in the group with baseline psychosis proneness, but only 1.8% in those without (adjusted test for difference between these two effect sizes: χ2=4.6, P=0.032).

Exposure to psychological trauma may increase the risk of psychotic symptoms in people vulnerable to psychosis.

Aunque se supone que los trastornos somatomorfos son cuadros clínicos crónicos, no se dispone de conocimiento epidemiológico sobre su curso natural basado en muestras representativas.

Los datos proceden de un estudio epidemiológico prospectivo de adolescentes y adultos jóvenes en Munich, Alemania. Se considera los diagnósticos de los respondientes (n = 2.548) en la línea base y en el seguimiento realizado 42 meses después como media. Se examina prospectivamente la incidencia en el seguimiento, la estabilidad y además factores de riesgo (sociodemográficos, manifestaciones psicopatológicas, exposición a traumas) seleccionados de la línea de base para la incidencia y la estabilidad de los trastornos y síndromes somatomorfos. La información diagnóstica se evaluó utilizando la Entrevista Diagnóstica Internacional Compuesta - Munich (M-CIDI) estandarizada.

Durante el periodo de seguimiento, la tasa de incidencia para cualquiera de los diagnósticos somatomorfos cubiertos fue 25,7%. La estabilidad para el grupo total de cualquier trastorno/síndrome somatomorfo fue 48%. El género femenino, la clase social baja, la experiencia de uso de cualquier sustancia, el trastorno de ansiedad y el afectivo, así como la experiencia de acontecimientos traumáticos de amenaza sexual y física predecían nuevos comienzos de afecciones somatomorfas, mientras que ser mujer, la existencia de uso anterior de sustancias, los trastornos afectivos y de la conducta alimentaria así como la experiencia de un accidente grave predecían la estabilidad.

Al menos para una proporción sustancial de individuos, el cuadro global de la somatización parece ser relativamente estable, pero con fluctuación en el cuadro de síntomas con el tiempo. Ser mujer, la experiencia de uso de sustancias así como el trastorno de ansiedad parecen constituir factores de riesgo para el comienzo de nuevas afecciones somatomorfas lo mismo que para un curso estable en el tiempo.

Pocos estudios comunitarios han examinado las repercusiones de los acontecimientos vitales, las condiciones de vida y los cambios vitales en el curso de la depresión. Este artículo examina las asociaciones de los acontecimientos vitales en el comienzo, la mejoría y la estabilidad de los síntomas depresivos.

Se utilizan datos directos de la entrevista con el Estudio de los Estadios Evolutivos Tempranos de las Manifestaciones Psicopatológicas (EDSP), un diseño prospectivo longitudinal de 4-5 años basado en una muestra comunitaria representativa de adolescentes y adultos jóvenes con 14-24 años en la línea de base. Los acontecimientos vitales se midieron utilizando el Cuestionario de Acontecimientos de Munich (MEL), que consta de 83 elementos explícitos de diversas áreas de rol social y subescalas para la evaluación de grupos de acontecimientos vitales clasificados según dimensiones como positivo y negativo y controlable e incontrolable. Los trastornos depresivos se evaluaron con la versión del DSM-IV de la Entrevista Diagnóstica Compuesta de Munich (M-CIDI). Análisis de regresión logística múltiple examinaron los efectos de 22 predictores en el curso (el comienzo, la mejoría y la estabilidad) de la depresión.

Una menor edad, la clase social baja y los acontecimientos vitales negativos y cargados de estrés relacionados con la familia se asociaban con un aumento del riesgo de depresión de nuevo comienzo. La ansiedad era un predictor independiente significativo de la depresión de nuevo comienzo. La ausencia de acontecimientos escolares y familiares cargados de estrés se relacionaba con la mejoría en la depresión. El número total ponderado de acontecimientos vitales predecía depresión estable.

La asociación entre los acontecimientos vitales y el curso de la depresión parece variar según la respuesta clínica que se examina, prediciendo diferencialmente distintos grupos de acontecimientos vitales el comienzo, la mejoría y la estabilidad.