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Childhood adversity and recurrence of psychotic experiences during adolescence: the role of mediation in an analysis of a population-based longitudinal cohort study

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posted on 2022-04-20, 16:18 authored by Niamh DhondtNiamh Dhondt, Lorna Staines, Colm Healy, Mary CannonMary Cannon

 

Background: Psychotic experiences (PEs) are relatively common in childhood and adolescence and are associated with increased risk of functional issues and psychiatric illness in young adulthood, and PEs that recur are associated with increased risk of poorer psychiatric and functional outcomes. Childhood adversity is a well-established risk factor for PEs. The aim of this study was to investigate (1) the relationship between childhood adversity and recurring PEs in adolescence and (2) candidate mediators of that relationship.

Methods: We used data from Cohort '98 of the Growing Up in Ireland study (n = 6039) at three time points (ages 9, 13 and 17) to investigate the relationship between childhood adversity (parent-reported at age 9), recurring PEs (measured using a subset of the Adolescent Psychotic-like Symptoms Screener at ages 13 and 17). The mediating roles of parent-child relationship, internalising and externalising difficulties, self-concept, physical activity, dietary quality, perceived neighbourhood safety and friendship quantity were investigated using the KHB path decomposition method.

Results: Childhood adversity was associated with an increased risk of recurring PEs with a population attributable fraction of 23%. Internalising difficulties and self-concept explained 13% of the relationship between childhood adversity and PEs suggesting a partial mediation. A significant direct effect remained between childhood adversity and recurring PEs.

Conclusions: The established relationship between childhood adversity and PEs may be mainly driven by the relationship between childhood adversity and recurring PEs. Internalising difficulties and self-concept together mediate part of the relationship between childhood adversity and recurring PEs.

Funding

European Research Council Consolidator Award (Grant Number: 724809 iHEAR)

Academic Track Internship Bursary

HRB Investigator Led Award (Grant Code: ILP-PHR-2019–009)

History

Comments

The original article is available at https://www.cambridge.org/

Published Citation

Dhondt N, Staines L, Healy C, Cannon M. Childhood adversity and recurrence of psychotic experiences during adolescence: the role of mediation in an analysis of a population-based longitudinal cohort study. Psychol Med. 2022;1-9

Publication Date

21 March 2022

PubMed ID

35311635

Department/Unit

  • Beaumont Hospital
  • Psychiatry

Publisher

Cambridge University Press

Version

  • Published Version (Version of Record)