title: Parental separation, loss and psychosis in different ethnic groups: a case-control study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Numerous studies have reported high rates of psychosis in the Black Caribbean and Black African populations in the UK. However, few studies have investigated the role of specific risk factors in different ethnic groups. We sought to investigate the relationship between long-term separation from, and death of, a parent before the age of 16 and risk of adult psychosis in different ethnic groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients with a first episode of psychosis who made contact with psychiatric services in defined catchment areas in London and Nottingham, UK and a series of community controls were included in the AESOP (Aetiology and Ethnicity in Schizophrenia and Other Psychoses) study. Data relating to clinical and social variables, including parental separation and loss, were collected from patients and controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Separation from, and death of, a parent before the age of 16 were both strongly associated with a two- to threefold increased risk of psychosis. The strength of these associations were similar for White British and Black Caribbean (but not Black African) subjects. Separation from (but not death of) a parent was more common among Black Caribbean controls than White British controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early separation may have a greater impact in the Black Caribbean population, because it is more common, and may contribute to the excess of psychosis in this population.
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK. spjucrm@iop.kcl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kirkbride
authors.forename: Julian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Leff
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Craig
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hutchinson
authors.forename: Kwame
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: McKenzie
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dazzan
authors.forename: Gillian A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Doody
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fearon
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001601:Bereavement; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004243:Divorce / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*