# 5/5 CAPER: Computerized Assessment of Psychosis Risk

> **NIH NIH R01** · YALE UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $579,032

## Abstract

Summary
Research suggests that if we can identify individuals at-risk for these disorders early, we may be able to
improve the course of illness and hopefully prevent illness onset all together. A first generation of studies
suggest that the approach of identifying those at clinical high-risk (CHR), through the use of specialized
interviews with help-seeking individuals (with attenuated psychosis symptoms) is a promising strategy for
exploring mechanisms associated with illness progression, understanding etiology, and identifying new
treatment targets. This work has two major limitations: 1) interview methods have limited specificity as only
15-20% of CHR individuals convert to psychosis, and 2) the expertise needed to make CHR diagnosis is
only accessible in a handful of metropolitan centers, and requires extensively trained staff. Here, we aim to
lay the foundation for a new approach to CHR assessment that will increase accessibility, and positive
predictive value. We propose to develop a new psychosis symptom domain sensitive (PSDS) battery,
prioritizing tasks that show correlations with the symptoms that define psychosis (actively tapping into
psychotic disorder-specific processes, rather than to trait vulnerability signs) and relatedly, that are tied to
the neurobiological systems and computational mechanisms implicated in these symptoms. To promote
accessibility, we utilize inexpensive behavioral tasks that could be administered over the internet; this will set
the stage for later research testing widespread screening in help-seeking as well as non-help seeking
populations, that would identify those most in need of in-depth assessment. Before this can be
accomplished however, it is necessary to determine which tasks are effective for predicting illness course
and how this strategy compares to the first-generation prediction methods. We propose to recruit 500 CHR
participants, 500 help-seeking individuals, and 500 healthy controls across 5 sites and in Aim 1, develop a
PSDS battery risk calculator based on measures that prove to be most sensitive to imminent conversion.
Further, the inclusion of a help-seeking comparison group is critical for translating the PSDS calculator into
clinical practice, where the goal is to differentiate those at greatest risk for developing a psychotic disorder
from others forms of psychopathology. In Aim 2, we will compare the sensitivity and specificity of the PSDS
risk-calculator to the North American Prodromal Study
(NAPLS) risk-calculator (a gold-standard first-generation tool) in the prediction of psychosis conversion over
a 2 year- period. Last, in Aim 3, the study will determine if the PSDS predicts functional outcomes over the
course of 2 years. Predicting diagnosis is important but being able to provide early intervention to limit the
disability characteristic of psychosis is a priority. This project will answer the preliminary questions
necessary for a next-generation CHR battery, tied to illness mecha...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10122993
- **Project number:** 5R01MH120089-02
- **Recipient organization:** YALE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** PHILIP Robert CORLETT
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $579,032
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-04-01 → 2025-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10122993

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10122993, 5/5 CAPER: Computerized Assessment of Psychosis Risk (5R01MH120089-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10122993. Licensed CC0.

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