Psychotic- like experiences (PLEs) and trauma in adolescents: the role of PLEs' persistence and distress in overall psychological burden

ABSTRACT

Background

Psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) have been recognized as having clinical relevance for predicting psychopathological outcomes. Adverse childhood experiences may contribute to the development of these experiences. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between trauma and PLEs and the role of PLEs’ persistence and accompanying distress in adolescents’ overall psychological burden.

Methods

71 adolescents (12–18 years) who were under institutional protection and a community sample of 48 adolescents completed the community assessment of psychic experience (CAPE), the strengths and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ), and the traumatic events questionnaire.

Results

Previous experience of more traumatic events was significantly associated with greater frequency (r= 0.29, p<0.01) and distress (r= 0.19, p<0.05) in positive dimension and greater frequency in depressive (r= 0.37, p<0.001) and CAPE’s total score (r= 0.31, p<0.01). There were significant positive correlations between CAPE’s total frequency and distress and total SDQ (r= 0.73, p<0.001; r= 0.31, p<0.01 respectively).

Discussion

Traumatic events are related with more frequent and distressful PLEs. Accompanying distress and PLEs’ persistence were found to have an impact in adolescents’ psychological burden. Mental health professionals should carefully record any history of traumatic events in adolescents’ life, especially to those with frequent and distressing PLEs and vice-versa.

KEYWORDS:

• Psychotic- like experiences
• trauma
• adolescents
• emotional problems
• behavioral problems

Acknowledgments

S.M. conceived the idea and designed the study along with K.T. The traumatic events questionnaire was developed by G.K., S.M., K.T. and K.P., whereas N.S. and C.T. undertook the data analysis. All authors participated in the interpretation of findings, contributed core ideas, read and approved the final manuscript. S.M. had full access to all the data in the study and takes responsibility for the integrity of the data in the study and the accuracy of the data analysis. The authors would like to thank all those who completed this survey as well as the staff of institutions for their cooperation.

Disclosure statement

The authors have declared that they have no competing or potential conflicts of interest and no external funding.