title: Psychotic experiences and PTSD: exploring associations in a population survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Extensive evidence has shown that experiencing a traumatic event and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are associated with experiences of psychosis. However, less is known about specific PTSD symptoms and their relationship with psychotic experiences. This study aimed to examine the relationship between symptoms of PTSD with paranoia and auditory hallucinations in a large-scale sample.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (APMS) was utilized to examine the prevalence of lifetime trauma, symptoms of PTSD, and experiences of paranoia and auditory hallucinations (n = 7403).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were significant bivariate associations between symptoms of PTSD and psychotic experiences. Multiple logistic regression analyses indicated that reliving and arousal symptoms were significant predictors for paranoia while reliving, but not arousal symptoms, also significantly predicted auditory hallucinations. A dose-response relationship was found, the greater the number of PTSD symptoms, the greater the odds were of experiencing both paranoia and hallucinations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings illustrate that symptoms of PTSD are associated with increased odds of experiencing auditory hallucinations and paranoia. Overlaps appear to be present between the symptoms of PTSD and psychotic experiences. Increasing awareness of this association may advance work in clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: University of Manchester,School of Psychological Sciences,Manchester,UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alsawy
authors.affiliation: University of Manchester,School of Psychological Sciences,Manchester,UK.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.affiliation: University of Liverpool,Institute of Psychology,Health & Society,Liverpool,UK.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.affiliation: University of Manchester,School of Psychological Sciences,Manchester,UK.
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Morrison
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006212:Hallucinations / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010259:Paranoid Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D012307:Risk Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Auditory hallucinations; PTSD; paranoia; population survey; psychosis