Relation between psychotic symptoms, parental care and childhood trauma in severe mental disorders

Ana Catalan*, Virxina Angosto, Aida Diaz, Cristina Valverde, Maider Gonzalez de Artaza, Eva Sesma, Claudio Maruottolo, Inaki Galletero, Sonia Bustamante, Amaia Bilbao, Jim van Os, Miguel Angel Gonzalez-Torres

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

A relation between different types of parental care, trauma in childhood and psychotic symptoms in adulthood has been proposed. The nature of this association is not clear and if it is more related to psychotic disorders per se or to a cluster of symptoms such as positive psychotic symptoms remains undefined. We have analysed the presence of childhood trauma using the CTQ scale and types of parental care using the PBI scale in three groups of subjects: borderline personality disorder patients (n=36), first psychotic episode patients (n=61) and healthy controls (n=173). Positive psychotic symptomatology was assessed with the CAPE scale. General linear models were used to study the relation between positive psychotic symptomatology and variables of interest. BPD patients had the highest rate of any kind of trauma, followed by FEP patients. We found a positive relationship between psychotic symptomatology and the existence of trauma in childhood in all groups. Moreover, an affectionless control rearing style was directly associated with the existence of trauma. Furthermore, subjects with trauma presented less probability of having an optimal parenting style in childhood. The relation between psychotic symptoms and trauma remained statistically significant after adjusting for other variables including parental rearing style. There seems to be a link between trauma in childhood and psychotic symptomatology across different populations independently of psychiatric diagnosis. Taking into account that there is an association between trauma and psychosis and that trauma is a modifiable factor, clinicians should pay special attention to these facts.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)78-84
Number of pages7
JournalPsychiatry Research
Volume251
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - May 2017

Keywords

  • Childhood trauma
  • Psychosis
  • Parenting rearing style
  • Severe mental disorder
  • BORDERLINE PERSONALITY-DISORDER
  • SEXUAL-ABUSE
  • COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT
  • BONDING INSTRUMENT
  • DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM
  • POSITIVE SYMPTOMS
  • COGNITIVE MODEL
  • SUBSTANCE USE
  • LIFE EVENTS
  • SCHIZOPHRENIA

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