A Global Prospective Harmonization Framework for Suicidality, Anhedonia, and Obsessive‐Compulsive Symptoms in Psychiatric Genetic Studies: A Cross‐Continental Study Within the Ancestral Population Network

Abstract

This study aims to prospectively collect harmonized, quantitative, and dimensional psychiatric phenotypes (suicidality, anhedonia, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms) and information on discrimination, stigma, and unfair treatment in up to 27,500 individuals across diverse ancestries and clinical populations for genetic analysis within the NIMH Ancestral Population Network (APN). Five APN projects are participating in the current study (PUMAS-Paisa, PUMAS-NeuroGAP, KOMOGEN-D, LATINO, and SAX-II), spanning recruitment over 15 countries across the Americas, Africa, and Asia. Participants are being enrolled via the recruitment protocols specific to each participating project. The harmonized clinical battery includes the Columbia-Suicide Severity Scale, Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale, and Florida Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-II to assess suicidality, anhedonia, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms, respectively. Additionally, we use the Discrimination and Stigma Scale-Ultra Short to evaluate discrimination and stigma across cultures. This project is a pioneering effort to prospectively assess transdiagnostic phenotypes in large-scale, diverse ancestral and clinical populations (across different diagnoses) using a harmonized clinical battery, advancing genetic research in mental health in underrepresented populations.