Childhood Trauma and Psychosis: A Chicken-and-Egg Question

Although childhood trauma and psychotic experiences commonly co-occur, it is unclear to what extent trauma predicts subsequent psychotic experiences, cessation of traumas leads to fewer psychotic experiences, and presence of psychosis increases the odds of later trauma. In this first-ever, prospective study examining physical assault and bullying in childhood and the onset of psychotic experiences, 1112 Irish schoolchildren ages 13 to 16 were studied at enrollment and at 3 and 12 months later.

At baseline, 7% of the adolescents reported psychotic experiences (hallucinations or delusions) in the previous year, 10% reported a physical attack, and 39% reported bullying. Even after adjustment for baseline psychotic experiences, baseline physical…