The interplay of psychosis and victimisation across the life course: a prospective study in the general population

Steven Honings, Marjan Drukker, Margreet ten Have, Ron de Graaf, Saskia van Dorsselaer, Jim van Os*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Psychosis has been associated with adult victimisation. However, it remains unclear whether psychosis predicts incident adult victimisation, or whether adult victimisation predicts incident psychosis. Furthermore, a moderating effect of childhood victimisation on the association between psychosis and adult victimisation has not been investigated.

The longitudinal association between baseline psychotic experiences and six-year incidence of adult victimisation was assessed in a prospective general population cohort of 6646 adults using logistic regression analysis. The association between baseline adult victimisation and six-year incidence of psychotic experiences was examined as well. Furthermore, the moderating effect of childhood victimisation on these bidirectional associations was analysed.

Psychotic experiences and childhood victimisation were both associated with an increased risk of incident adult victimisation. However, this was through competing pathways, as suggested by a negative interaction between psychotic experiences and childhood victimisation. Baseline adult victimisation and childhood victimisation both independently increased the risk of incident psychotic experiences, but there was no interaction between adult victimisation and childhood victimisation.

Psychosis and victimisation are interconnected throughout the life course. Childhood victimisation is connected to psychosis through two pathways: one direct and one indirect through adult victimisation. In individuals without childhood victimisation, psychosis and adult victimisation bidirectionally impact on each other.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1363-1374
Number of pages12
JournalSocial Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
Volume52
Issue number11
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2017

Keywords

  • Psychosis
  • Psychotic experience
  • Violence
  • Childhood trauma
  • Victimisation
  • SEVERE MENTAL-ILLNESS
  • BIPOLAR SPECTRUM FEATURES
  • CHILDHOOD SEXUAL-ABUSE
  • VIOLENT VICTIMIZATION
  • ADULT RECOLLECTIONS
  • EXTENDED PSYCHOSIS
  • NATIONAL-SURVEY
  • PHYSICAL ABUSE
  • HEALTH SURVEYS
  • RISK

Cite this