The relationship between childhood trauma and theory of mind in schizophrenia

Abstract

Introduction

A history of childhood trauma is reportedly more prevalent in people suffering from psychosis than in the general population. Previous studies linked childhood trauma (CT) to neurocognitive impairments in schizophrenia (SCZ), but rarely to theory of mind (TOM) deficits.

Objectives

To investigate the relationship between TOM deficits and CT in SCZ.

Methods

Fifty-eight outpatients with stable SCZ completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire retrospectively assessing five types of childhood trauma (emotional, physical and sexual abuse, and emotional and physical neglect). They also completed an intention-inferencing task, in which the ability to infer a character's intentions from information in a short story is assessed.

Results

Our results suggest a relationship between specific kinds of CT and TOM deficits. A history of childhood physical neglect was significantly correlated to a worse performance in the intention-inferencing task (P = 0,001). Patients with higher scores of CT denial also had less correct answers (P = 0,035) and more false answers (P = 0,013).

Conclusions

Our results need replication but underline the necessity of investigating psychosocial mechanisms underlying the development of social cognition deficits, including deficits in TOM.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.