The case of post hoc ergo propter hoc with the psychological assessment of schizotypy and psychotic-like experiences in Southeast Asia

Schizotypy is a heterogeneous personality organisation representing latent vulnerability for schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. Schizotypal traits include anomalies in cognition, socio-emotional function, and behaviour that do not meet the clinical threshold for psychotic disorders. Psychotic-like experiences are modifications in how an individual perceives reality, linked with bizarreness of thought and non-conventional logic. Psychotic-like experiences, as well as schizotypy, are recognised as psychotic-spectrum disorders and are found to have a median prevalence of 5–9% in the general population. The measurement of these spectrum disorders is typically through self-reported questionnaires and, as such, has issues with test adaptation in Southeast Asia. This chapter presents a critical, non-systematic review on current literature examining schizotypy and psychotic-like experiences in Southeast Asia. Particular focus centres on the measurement of these spectrum disorders in Southeast Asia and also highlights from the literature in this region.