Psychotic experiences are associated with greater impairment among students in higher education with depression and anxiety in the United States

Background: Psychotic experiences are associated with depression and anxiety, but emerging research suggests that psychotic experiences are also associated with impairment within psychopathology.

Methods: We analyzed a subsample from the Healthy Minds Study (2020–2021; N = 91,435) and used multivariable logistic regression to examine the associations between psychotic experiences and impairment resulting from depression and anxiety, adjusting for age, gender, and race/ethnicity.

Results: Around one-in-five students with depression or anxiety impairment reported 12-month psychotic experiences. Psychotic experiences were associated with greater odds of depression impairment and anxiety impairment, adjusting for age, gender, race/ethnicity. Odds ratios varied depending on the type of psychotic experience and the outcomes.

Conclusion: Psychotic experiences are associated with greater odds of impairment resulting from depression and anxiety. In clinical practice, psychotic experiences may serve as a useful marker of assessing impairment resulting from psychopathology.