Correlates of adverse childhood events among adults with schizophrenia spectrum disorders.
OBJECTIVE
Multiple studies have found that childhood adversity is related to a range of poor mental health, substance abuse, poor physical health, and poor social functioning outcomes in the general population of adults. However, despite the high rates of childhood adversity in schizophrenia, the clinical correlates of these events have not been systematically evaluated. This study evaluated the relationship between adverse experiences in childhood and functional, clinical, and health outcomes among adults with schizophrenia.


METHODS
The authors surveyed 569 adults with schizophrenia regarding adverse childhood events (including physical abuse, sexual abuse, parental mental illnesses, loss of a parent, parental separation or divorce, witnessing domestic violence, and foster or kinship care). The relationships between cumulative exposure to these events and psychiatric, physical, and functional outcomes were evaluated.


RESULTS
Increased exposure to adverse childhood events was strongly related to psychiatric problems (suicidal thinking, hospitalizations, distress, and posttraumatic stress disorder), substance abuse, physical health problems (HIV infection), medical service utilization (physician visits), and poor social functioning (homelessness or criminal justice involvement).


CONCLUSIONS
The findings extend the results of research in the general population by suggesting that childhood adversity contributes to worse mental health, substance abuse, worse physical health, and poor functional outcomes in schizophrenia.
Rosenberg
Stanley D
SD
Department of Psychiatry, Dartmouth Medical School, 2 Whipple Pl., Lebanon, NH 03766, USA. stan ley.rosenberg@dartmouth.edu
Lu
Weili
W
Mueser
Kim T
KT
Jankowski
Mary Kay
MK
Cournos
Francine
F
D000328:Adult; D001601:Bereavement; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015897:Comorbidity; D003415:Crime / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004243:Divorce / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005581:Foster Home Care / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D014481:United States