The association between psychotic experiences and traumatic life events: the role of the intention to harm

Tais Silveira Moriyama; Marjan Drukker; Ary Gadelha; Pedro Mario Pan; Giovanni Abrahão Salum; Gisele Gus Manfro; Jair de Jesus Mari; Eurípedes Constantino Miguel; Luis Augusto Rohde; Guilherme Vanoni Polanczyk; Jim van Os; Rodrigo Affonseca Bressan

doi:10.1017/S0033291717003762

The association between psychotic experiences and traumatic life events: the role of the intention to harm

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 14 January 2018

Tais Silveira Moriyama ,

Marjan Drukker ,

Ary Gadelha ,

Pedro Mario Pan ,

Giovanni Abrahão Salum ,

Gisele Gus Manfro ,

Jair de Jesus Mari ,

Eurípedes Constantino Miguel ,

Luis Augusto Rohde and

Guilherme Vanoni Polanczyk

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Tais Silveira Moriyama: Affiliation:
Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), Brasília, Brazil Department of Psychiatry, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil National Institute of Developmental Psychiatry for Children and Adolescents (INCT-CNPq), São Paulo, Brazil Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, School of Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNS), Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC), Maastricht, The Netherlands
Marjan Drukker: Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, School of Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNS), Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC), Maastricht, The Netherlands
Ary Gadelha: Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil National Institute of Developmental Psychiatry for Children and Adolescents (INCT-CNPq), São Paulo, Brazil
Pedro Mario Pan: Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil National Institute of Developmental Psychiatry for Children and Adolescents (INCT-CNPq), São Paulo, Brazil
Giovanni Abrahão Salum: Affiliation:
National Institute of Developmental Psychiatry for Children and Adolescents (INCT-CNPq), São Paulo, Brazil Department of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
Gisele Gus Manfro: Affiliation:
National Institute of Developmental Psychiatry for Children and Adolescents (INCT-CNPq), São Paulo, Brazil Department of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
Jair de Jesus Mari: Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil National Institute of Developmental Psychiatry for Children and Adolescents (INCT-CNPq), São Paulo, Brazil
Eurípedes Constantino Miguel: Affiliation:
National Institute of Developmental Psychiatry for Children and Adolescents (INCT-CNPq), São Paulo, Brazil Department & Institute of Psychiatry, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil
Luis Augusto Rohde: Affiliation:
National Institute of Developmental Psychiatry for Children and Adolescents (INCT-CNPq), São Paulo, Brazil Department of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
Guilherme Vanoni Polanczyk: Affiliation:
National Institute of Developmental Psychiatry for Children and Adolescents (INCT-CNPq), São Paulo, Brazil Department & Institute of Psychiatry, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil
Jim van Os*: Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, School of Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNS), Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC), Maastricht, The Netherlands Department of Psychosis Studies, King's College London, King's Health Partners, London, UK Department of Psychiatry, Brain Centre Rudolf Magnus, Utrecht University Medical Centre, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Rodrigo Affonseca Bressan: Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil National Institute of Developmental Psychiatry for Children and Adolescents (INCT-CNPq), São Paulo, Brazil Department of Psychosis Studies, King's College London, King's Health Partners, London, UK
*: Author for correspondence: Jim van Os, E-mail: j.vanos@maastrichtuniversity.nl, vanosj@gmail.com

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Abstract

Background

Previous work showed traumatic life events (TLE) with intention to harm, like bullying and abuse, to be more strongly associated with psychotic experiences (PE) than other types of trauma, like accidents. However, this association is subject to reporting bias and can be confounded by demographic characteristics and by differences in dose of exposure across different trauma categories. We studied the association between TLE with and without intention to harm and PE, taking into account potential confounders and biases.

Methods

A total of 2245 children and adolescents aged 6–14 years were interviewed by psychologists. The interview included the presence of 20 PE (both self-report and psychologist evaluation). In addition, parents provided information on child exposure to trauma, mental health and PE.

Results

Results showed no significant association between TLE without intention to harm only and PE for the three methods of assessment of PE (self-report, parent report and psychologist rating). On the other hand, there was a positive association between PE and TLE in groups exposed to traumatic experiences with intention to harm (with intention to harm only and with and without intention to harm). Results remained significant after controlling for demographic and clinical confounders, but this positive association was no longer significant after adjusting for the number of TLE.

Conclusions

TLE with intention to harm display a stronger association with PE than TLE without intention to harm, and this difference is likely reducible to a greater level of traumatic exposure associated with TLE with intention to harm.

Keywords

Adolescent child psychotic accidents child abuse mental health mental disorders

Type: Original Articles
Information: Psychological Medicine , Volume 48 , Issue 13 , October 2018 , pp. 2235 - 2246

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291717003762 [Opens in a new window]
Copyright: Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2018

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