Do affective or dissociative symptoms mediate the association between childhood sexual trauma and transition to psychosis in an ultra-high risk cohort?

At the point of transition, the mechanistic pathway from sexual trauma to psychosis does not appear to operate through affective symptoms

Authors:
Thompson A, Marwaha S, Nelson B, Wood SJ, McGorry PD, Yung AR, Lin A.

Authors notes:
Psychiatry Research. 2016;236:182-5.

Keywords:
Affective symptoms, Cohort, Mediation, Psychotic disorders, Ultra high risk

Abstract:
We have previously reported an association between childhood sexual trauma and transition to psychosis in an Ultra High Risk (UHR) population.

We aimed to investigate if this association was mediated by affective or dissociative symptoms. Data were from a large UHR for psychosis cohort study.

None of the potential mediators (depression, anxiety, dissociation, mood swings and mania, assessed by the HAM-D, HAM-A and the CAARMS symptom scales) significantly mediated the total association between sexual abuse scores and transition.

At the point of transition, the mechanistic pathway from sexual trauma to psychosis does not appear to operate through affective symptoms.