Trauma and psychosis symptoms in a sample of help-seeking youth.
Although childhood trauma is generally considered to be a risk factor for later development of psychosis, the influence of trauma on the specific presentation of psychosis symptoms in high-risk and first-episode samples remains unclear. The current study aims to investigate the association of trauma with psychosis and psychosis-risk symptoms among patients with early indications of psychosis as well as in a comparison group receiving mental health services for non-psychosis concerns. Participants (N=125) were assessed for history of exposure to trauma using the KSADS-PL and psychosis-risk symptoms using the Structured Interview for Psychosis-Risk Syndromes (SIPS). Individuals were categorized as "clinical high risk/early psychosis" or "low-risk for psychosis" on the basis of SIPS criteria. The association of traumatic events with specific symptoms was explored within each group. Exposure to one or more traumatic events was more common within the early psychosis group (85%) relative to the low-risk group (65%). Within both groups, trauma significantly correlated with the severity of clinician-rated positive - but not negative, disorganized, or general - symptoms. Within the low-risk group, there was a significant association between violent traumas and heightened suspiciousness. Within the early psychosis group, both violent and non-violent traumas predicted elevated grandiosity. The prevalence of traumatic events within this adolescent and young adult clinical sample was high. Trauma history significantly predicted greater positive symptoms. The apparent influence of trauma exposure on specific symptoms was unique in each group.
Harvard Medical School, Department of Psychiatry at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 75 Fenwood Road, 5th Floor, Boston, MA 02115, United States. Electronic address: ekline@bidmc.harvard.edu.
Emily
E
Kline
University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Department of Psychology, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250, United States.
Zachary B
ZB
Millman
University of California Los Angeles, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, 760 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90024, United States.
Danielle
D
Denenny
University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Department of Psychology, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250, United States.
Camille
C
Wilson
University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Department of Psychology, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250, United States.
Elizabeth
E
Thompson
University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Department of Psychology, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250, United States.
Caroline
C
Demro
University of Maryland School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, 701 West Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States.
Kay
K
Connors
University of Maryland School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, 701 West Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States.
Kristin
K
Bussell
University of Maryland School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, 701 West Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States.
Gloria
G
Reeves
University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Department of Psychology, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250, United States.
Jason
J
Schiffman
D000293:Adolescent; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008605:Mental Health Services; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology; D015995:Prevalence; D062706:Prodromal Symptoms; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins
D008565:Membrane Proteins; C449281:TMEM158 protein, human; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins
Adolescence; Clinical high-risk; Prodrome; Psychosis; Trauma