Current evidence of childhood traumatic experiences in psychosis – focus on gender differences

Comacchio, Carla; Lasalvia, Antonio; Ruggeri, Mirella

doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2019.112507

Cited by 22 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 85 publications

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“…In ANOVA, the Scheffé test is used for post hoc analysis. Subsequently, in the two groups of first-episode psychotic patients and chronic psychotic patients, the point-biserial correlation coefficient and Pearson correlation coefficient were employed to assess the relationship between gender [8,24], child maltreatment, dissociation, and the severity of psychotic symptoms. Further, to examine the mediating role of dissociation in the relationship between childhood maltreatment and psychotic symptoms in the two groups of patients, the mediation analysis procedures with bootstrap sampling were performed.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As the third main finding of the present study, there was no association between gender, child maltreatment, dissociation, and the severity of psychotic symptoms among patients with schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders. However, a recent review article revealed that women might be at a greater risk of sexual abuse than men [24]. This may be explained by cultural norms (such as shame, taboos and modesty, virginity, status of females, etc.)…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In this respect, we replicated the study by Holowka et al [23] on childhood maltreatment and dissociation among chronic psychotic patients, while extending the design by including first-episode psychotic patients, and community controls. Additionally, we hypothesized that, in patients with schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders, the particular forms of dissociation may mediate the association between five major types of childhood abuse and psychotic symptoms, by controlling for gender [8,24].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Dissociation as a causal pathway from sexual abuse to positive symptoms in the spectrum of psychotic disorders

2021

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Background Although numerous studies have supported the role of childhood maltreatment in the etiology of psychosis, underlying mechanisms have not been well understood yet. The present study aimed to investigate the mediating role of particular forms of dissociation in the relationship between five major types of childhood abuse and psychotic symptoms among patients with schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders. Methods In this cross-sectional correlation study, 70 first-episode psychotic patients and 70 chronic psychotic patients were selected by systematic random sampling (with the sampling interval of 3) from among inpatients and outpatients referring to Baharan Psychiatric hospital, Zahedan, Iran, and were matched based on age, gender, and education level. Moreover, 70 age-, gender-, and education level-matched community controls were recruited from hospital staff and their relatives and friends. All of the participants completed a research interview and questionnaires. Data on experiences of childhood maltreatment, psychosis, dissociation, and demographics were collected and analyzed by SPSS V25 software. Results The obtained results revealed that the mean scores of sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and physical abuse were higher in psychotic patients than community controls (without any significant difference between first-episode psychotic patients and chronic psychotic patients). Furthermore, the highest mean scores of dissociative experiences belonged to chronic psychotic patients. Multiple-mediation also indicated that absorption and dissociative amnesia played a mediating role in the relationship between sexual abuse and positive symptoms. Moreover, this study demonstrated the role of physical abuse in predicting psychotic symptoms even in the absence of sexual abuse. Conclusions This study illustrated specific associations among childhood maltreatment, dissociative experiences, and psychotic symptoms in the clinical population. Thus, to provide appropriate interventions, patients with schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders were asked about a wide range of possible adverse childhood experiences and dissociative experiences. Nevertheless, further studies using prospective or longitudinal designs need to be carried out to realize the differential contribution of various forms of childhood maltreatment and their potential interactions, more precisely.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Dissociation as a causal pathway from sexual abuse to positive symptoms in the spectrum of psychotic disorders

2021

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“…However, not every person exposed to stressful life events goes on to develop psychosis (Morgan & Gayer‐Anderson, 2016; Riecher‐Rössler et al., 2018; Zubin & Spring, 1977), and it has been claimed that gender has an impact on the strength of this association (Comacchio et al., 2019; Riecher‐Rössler et al., 2018). A limited number of studies, however, have looked at the effect of gender when considering the impact of stressful life events on psychosis, and conflicting findings have been reported (Comacchio et al., 2019; Misiak et al., 2017; Riecher‐Rössler et al., 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Epidemiological studies have reported that the prevalence of childhood sexual abuse is higher in women with psychosis than in men, whereas there seems to be no, or little, gender difference in relation to childhood physical abuse (Comacchio et al., 2019). It has been suggested that females may be more sensitive to childhood sexual abuse than males (Comacchio et al., 2019). However, it should be taken into account that the risk for sexual abuse is generally greater for girls than boys (Finkelhor et al., 1990; Maikovich‐Fong & Jaffee, 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stressful life events and psychosis: Gender differences

Mansueto

Faravelli

2021

Stress and Health

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There is evidence that stressful events are associated with psychosis. This study aimed to explore sex differences in the association between stressful life events occurring during childhood and adulthood and psychosis. A total of 78 psychotic patients and 156 controls were enrolled. Childhood adversities were evaluated using a validated semi‐structured interview and the Childhood Experience of Care and Abuse Questionnaire. Recent life events were recorded using a semi‐structured interview with a normative and contextual approach. The diagnosis of psychosis was made according to Jablensky's criteria. χ2 and t‐test statistical analyses were run. Odds ratios were calculated in logistic regression. People with psychosis reported more exposure to both childhood adversities and recent events than the general population. An excess of childhood physical abuse was found among male psychotic patients, whereas both childhood sexual abuse and recent life events were overrepresented among female patients in comparison with the general population. There was a cumulative effect of stressful life events on psychosis, although it was stronger among females than in males. It is likely that there are gender differences in the association between stressful life events and psychosis.

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Risk of psychosis in autism spectrum disorder individuals exposed to psychosocial stressors: A 9‐year chart review study

Bortoletto,

Bassani,

Garzitto

et al. 2023

Autism Research

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Psychosocial stressors have been suggested to precipitate psychotic episodes in patients with pre‐existing psychosis and otherwise healthy subjects. However, such a risk has never been formally investigated in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Sixty‐nine autistic adolescents hospitalized for psychotic/manic symptoms (PSY) and other mental health issues (NPSY) over a 9‐year period were compared with reference to their previous exposure to psychosocial stressors. ASD diagnoses satisfied the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)‐10 criteria. Psychotic/manic symptom assessment followed the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (K‐SADS). Psychosocial stressor exposure was collected separately at each admission. Preliminarily, univariate between‐group comparisons were conducted. Then, a binomial model was adopted to investigate associations with previous exposure to psychosocial stressors. Results were reported with a change in AIC (ΔAIC). PSY patients presented with higher previous exposure to adverse life events (30.43% vs. 6.52%, OR = 6.079 [1.209, 40.926], p = 0.013) and school/work difficulties (30.43% vs. 8.70%, OR = 4.478 [0.984, 23.846], p = 0.034) than NPSY ones. Admissions for psychotic/manic symptoms occurred more likely in the context of family disturbances (OR = 2.275 [1.045, 5.045], p = 0.030) and adverse life events (OR = 3.489 [1.194, 11.161], p = 0.014). The fitted binomial model was found to be significant compared to the random effects model (ΔAIC = −1.962; χ210 = 21.96, p = 0.015), with the risk of presenting psychotic/manic symptoms being increased by family disturbances (z = +4.118) and school/work difficulties (z = +2.455). The results suggest a potential psychosis‐inducing effect of psychosocial stressors in ASD, which has clinical and policy implications.

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Current evidence of childhood traumatic experiences in psychosis – focus on gender differences

Cited by 22 publications

References 85 publications

Dissociation as a causal pathway from sexual abuse to positive symptoms in the spectrum of psychotic disorders

Dissociation as a causal pathway from sexual abuse to positive symptoms in the spectrum of psychotic disorders

Stressful life events and psychosis: Gender differences

Risk of psychosis in autism spectrum disorder individuals exposed to psychosocial stressors: A 9‐year chart review study

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