Associations among maltreatment and traumatic experiences in childhood and adolescence, later substance use, and subsequent mental health outcomes for individuals with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders have been initially explored in previous studies; however, research on these factors in socially disadvantaged patients with first-episode psychosis is unavailable. This exploratory, correlational analysis examined associations between maltreatment and trauma-related variables (e.g., traumatic experiences, parental harsh discipline, violence exposure) and: social variables (years of education attained and extent of Axis IV psychosocial problems at initial hospitalization), substance abuse (age at initiation of alcohol and cannabis use, as well as estimates of lifetime intake of both), and positive and negative symptom severity. Rates of childhood abuse and traumatic events were remarkably high in the sample. Years of educational attainment and number of Axis IV psychosocial problems were substantially correlated with several domains of childhood abuse/traumatic events. Age at initiation of alcohol and cannabis use, and lifetime alcohol and cannabis intake, were correlated with a number of trauma domains. Whereas positive symptom severity was correlated with four of the trauma variables, negative symptom severity was correlated only with prior emotional neglect. These results provide insights into the relations among childhood traumatic events, substance use, and clinical features of first-episode psychosis, creating hypotheses for future research.

Aim Individuals with first-episode psychosis, like those with chronic psychotic disorders, are at elevated risk for suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. However, relatively little is known about suicidality among first-episode patients prior to their initial presentation for treatment. This analysis was designed as a U.S.A.-based examination of recent findings on prior suicide attempts from Dublin, Ireland, here focusing on prevalence and correlates of suicidal ideation two weeks prior to initial treatment-seeking. Methods Participants included 109 first-episode inpatients with primary psychotic disorders in public-sector settings that serve an urban, low-income, socially disadvantaged, predominantly African American population. Eligible patients had received <3 months of prior antipsychotic treatment and had not been hospitalized >3 months prior to the index admission, though most were completely treatment naïve. Assessments included the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia, Birchwood Insight Scale, and a rigorous method for determining age at onset of first psychotic symptoms and duration of untreated psychosis. Results Disconcertingly, nearly one-quarter of patients (23%) endorsed a history of suicidal ideation in the two weeks prior to first admission. In the model designed to replicate the prior study in Ireland, Calgary Depression score (calculated omitting hopelessness and suicidal ideation as these were separate variables in the analysis) was a predictor of suicidal ideation (P < 0.01). In separate bivariate analyses analogous to the original study, two domains of insight were associated with suicidal ideation. Conclusions Findings suggest that depression, insight, and suicidality should be carefully monitored among first-episode patients initiating treatment and during the early course of illness. As insight improves, coping strategies should be enhanced with a goal of minimizing depression and preventing suicidality.