Top

Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology

Published in:

01-04-2016 | Original Paper

Early traumatic experiences, perceived discrimination and conversion to psychosis in those at clinical high risk for psychosis

Authors: Jacqueline Stowkowy, Lu Liu, Kristin S. Cadenhead, Tyrone D. Cannon, Barbara A. Cornblatt, Thomas H. McGlashan, Diana O. Perkins, Larry J. Seidman, Ming T. Tsuang, Elaine F. Walker, Scott W. Woods, Carrie E. Bearden, Daniel H. Mathalon, Jean Addington

Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology | Issue 4/2016

Abstract

Purpose

There is evidence to suggest that both early traumatic experiences and perceived discrimination are associated with later onset of psychosis. Less is known about the impact these two factors may have on conversion to psychosis in those who are at clinical high risk (CHR) of developing psychosis. The purpose of this study was to determine if trauma and perceived discrimination were predictors of conversion to psychosis.

Methods

The sample consisted of 764 individuals who were at CHR of developing psychosis and 280 healthy controls. All participants were assessed on past trauma, bullying and perceived discrimination.

Results

Individuals at CHR reported significantly more trauma, bullying and perceived discrimination than healthy controls. Only perceived discrimination was a predictor of later conversion to psychosis.

Conclusions

Given that CHR individuals are reporting increased rates of trauma and perceived discrimination, these should be routinely assessed, with the possibility of offering interventions aimed at ameliorating the impact of past traumas as well as improving self-esteem and coping strategies in an attempt to reduce perceived discrimination.

van Os J, Rutten BP, Poulton R (2008) Gene-environment interactions in schizophrenia: review of epidemiological findings and future directions. Schizophr Bull 34(6):1066–1082CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Houston JE et al (2008) Childhood sexual abuse, early cannabis use, and psychosis: testing an interaction model based on the National Comorbidity Survey. Schizophr Bull 34(3):580–585CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Konings M et al (2012) Replication in two independent population-based samples that childhood maltreatment and cannabis use synergistically impact on psychosis risk. Psychol Med 42(1):149–159CrossRefPubMed

Read J et al (2005) Childhood trauma, psychosis and schizophrenia: a literature review with theoretical and clinical implications. Acta Psychiatr Scand 112(5):330–350CrossRefPubMed

Bendall S et al (2008) Childhood trauma and psychotic disorders: a systematic, critical review of the evidence. Schizophr Bull 34(3):568–579CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Kraan T et al (2015) Trauma and recent life events in individuals at ultra high risk for psychosis: review and meta-analysis. Schizophr Res 161(2–3):143–149CrossRefPubMed

Trotta A, Murray RM, Fisher HL (2015) The impact of childhood adversity on the persistence of psychotic symptoms: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychol Med 45(12):2481–2498CrossRefPubMed

Veling W et al (2007) Discrimination and the incidence of psychotic disorders among ethnic minorities in The Netherlands. Int J Epidemiol 36(4):761–768CrossRefPubMed

Karlsen S et al (2005) Racism, psychosis and common mental disorder among ethnic minority groups in England. Psychol Med 35(12):1795–1803CrossRefPubMed

10.

Janssen I et al (2003) Discrimination and delusional ideation. Br J Psychiatry 182:71–76CrossRefPubMed

11.

Russo DA et al (2014) Trauma history characteristics associated with mental states at clinical high risk for psychosis. Psychiatry Res 220(1–2):237–244CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

12.

Sahin S et al (2013) The history of childhood trauma among individuals with ultra high risk for psychosis is as common as among patients with first-episode schizophrenia. Early Interv Psychiatry 7(4):414–420CrossRefPubMed

13.

Velthorst E et al (2013) History of trauma and the association with baseline symptoms in an Ultra-High Risk for psychosis cohort. Psychiatry Res 210(1):75–81CrossRefPubMed

14.

Tikka M et al (2013) Childhood trauma and premorbid adjustment among individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis and normal control subjects. Early Interv Psychiatry 7(1):51–57CrossRefPubMed

15.

Yung AR et al (2015) Childhood maltreatment and transition to psychotic disorder independently predict long-term functioning in young people at ultra-high risk for psychosis. Psychol Med:1–13

16.

Bernstein DP et al (2003) Development and validation of a brief screening version of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Child Abuse Negl 27(2):169–190CrossRefPubMed

17.

Bechdolf A et al (2010) Experience of trauma and conversion to psychosis in an ultra-high-risk (prodromal) group. Acta Psychiatr Scand 121(5):377–384CrossRefPubMed

18.

Thompson AD et al (2014) Sexual trauma increases the risk of developing psychosis in an ultra high-risk “prodromal” population. Schizophr Bull 40(3):697–706CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

19.

Addington J et al (2013) Early traumatic experiences in those at clinical high risk for psychosis. Early Interv Psychiatry 7(3):300–305CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

20.

Oh H et al (2014) Perceived discrimination and psychotic experiences across multiple ethnic groups in the US. Schizophr Res 157(1–3):259–265CrossRefPubMed

21.

Saleem MM et al (2014) Perceived discrimination in those at clinical high risk for psychosis. Early Interv Psychiatry 8(1):77–81CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

22.

Miller TJ et al (2003) Prodromal assessment with the structured interview for prodromal syndromes and the scale of prodromal symptoms: predictive validity, interrater reliability, and training to reliability. Schizophr Bull 29(4):703–715CrossRefPubMed

23.

Addington J et al (2012) North American Prodrome Longitudinal Study (NAPLS 2): overview and recruitment. Schizophr Res 142(1–3):77–82CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

24.

McGlashan TH, Walsh BC, Woods SW (2010) The psychosis risk syndrome: handbook for diagnosis and follow-up. Oxford University Press, New York

25.

Addington J, Liu L, Buchy L, Cadenhead KS, Cannon TD, Cornblatt BA, Perkins DO, Seidman LJ, Tsuang MT, Walker EF, Woods SD, Bearden CE, Mathalon DH, McGlashan TH (2015) North American Prodrome Longitudinal Study (NAPLS2): the prodromal symptoms. J Nerv Ment Dis 203(5):328–335CrossRefPubMed

26.

Janssen I et al (2004) Childhood abuse as a risk factor for psychotic experiences. Acta Psychiatr Scand 109(1):38–45CrossRefPubMed

27.

Bresnahan M, Begg MD, Brown A, Schaefer C, Sohler N, Insel B, Vella L, Susser E (2007) Race and risk of schizophrenia in a US birth cohort: another example of health disparity? Int J Epidemiol 36:751–758CrossRefPubMed

28.

Gevonden MJ, Selten JP, Myin-Germeys I, de Graaf R, ten Have M, van Dorsselaer S, van Os J, Veling W (2014) Sexual minority status and psychotic symptoms: findings from the Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Studies (NEMESIS). Psychol Med 44:421–433CrossRefPubMed

29.

Selten JP, Cantor-Graae E (2007) Hypothesis: social defeat is a risk factor for schizophrenia? Br J Psychiatry Suppl 51:s9–s12CrossRefPubMed

30.

Gevonden M, Booij J, van den Brink W, Heijtel D, van Os J, Selten J-P (2014) Increased release of dopamine in the striata of young adults with hearing impairment and its relevance for the social defeat hypothesis of schizophrenia. JAMA Psychiatry 71(12):1364–1372CrossRefPubMed

31.

Kelleher I et al (2013) Childhood trauma and psychosis in a prospective cohort study: cause, effect, and directionality. Am J Psychiatry 170(7):734–741CrossRefPubMed

Title: Early traumatic experiences, perceived discrimination and conversion to psychosis in those at clinical high risk for psychosis
Authors: Jacqueline Stowkowy
Lu Liu
Kristin S. Cadenhead
Tyrone D. Cannon
Barbara A. Cornblatt
Thomas H. McGlashan
Diana O. Perkins
Larry J. Seidman
Ming T. Tsuang
Elaine F. Walker
Scott W. Woods
Carrie E. Bearden
Daniel H. Mathalon
Jean Addington
Publication date: 01-04-2016
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology / Issue 4/2016
Print ISSN: 0933-7954
Electronic ISSN: 1433-9285
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-016-1182-y

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Early traumatic experiences, perceived discrimination and conversion to psychosis in those at clinical high risk for psychosis

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 4/2016

Key successes and challenges in providing mental health care in an urban male remand prison: a qualitative study

Neighborhood settings, types of social capital and depression among immigrants in Toronto

Impact of length of stay for first psychiatric admissions on the ratio of readmissions in subsequent years in a large Brazilian catchment area

Toward earlier identification and preventative intervention in schizophrenia: evidence from the London Child Health and Development Study

Longitudinal predictors of informal and formal caregiving time in community-dwelling dementia patients

Religion involvement and quality of life in patients with schizophrenia in Latin America