Childhood Trauma and the Origins of Paranormal Belief: A Constructive Replication

1994 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
pp. 107-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harvey J. Irwin
Keyword(s):  
Childhood Trauma ◽  
Traumatic Events ◽  
Children Of Alcoholics ◽  
Specific Context ◽  
Paranormal Belief ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Alcoholic Parent

Previous research suggests that, as a group, people who believe in the paranormal tend to have a history of traumatic events in childhood. This relationship has been incorporated into Irwin's 1993 model of the psychological origins and functions of paranormal belief. A constructive replication of the relationship and a test of Irwin's model was undertaken in relation to a specific context, namely, a childhood spent with an alcoholic parent. Compared to 89 control participants, a sample of 32 adults who were children of alcoholics had stronger beliefs in witchcraft, superstitions, and precognition. The results are discussed in relation to two components of Irwin's model.

scholarly journals The interplay between childhood trauma, cognitive biases, and cannabis use on the risk of psychosis in nonclinical young adults in Poland

2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorota Frydecka ◽  
Błażej Misiak ◽  
Kamila Kotowicz ◽  
Renata Pionke ◽  
Martyna Krężołek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Childhood Trauma ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Cognitive Biases ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Traumatic Events ◽  
Cannabis Use ◽  
Traumatic Experience ◽  
Traumatic Experiences ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Background. Childhood traumatic events are risk factors for psychotic-like experiences (PLEs). However, the mechanisms explaining how trauma may contribute to the development of PLEs are not fully understood. In our study, we investigated whether cannabis use and cognitive biases mediate the relationship between early trauma and PLEs. Methods. A total sample of 6,772 young adults (age 26.6 ± 4.7, 2,181 male and 3,433 female) was recruited from the general population to participate in an online survey. We excluded 1,158 individuals due to a self-reported lifetime diagnosis of any mental disorder. The online survey included selected items from the following questionnaires: Traumatic Experience Checklist (TEC, 3 items), Childhood Experience of Care and Abuse Questionnaire (CECA.Q, 3 items), Cannabis Problems Questionnaire (CPQ, 10 items), Davos Assessment of Cognitive Biases Scale (DACOBS-18, 9 items), and Prodromal Questionnaire-16 (PQ-16). Mediation analyses were performed with respect to different categories of traumatic experiences (emotional, physical and sexual abuse as well as emotional neglect). Results. Our results showed significant associations of any time of childhood trauma with higher scores of cannabis use (CPQ), cognitive biases (DACOBS), and PLEs (PQ-16) (p < 0.001). We found a direct effect of childhood trauma on PLEs as well as significant indirect effect mediated through cannabis use and cognitive biases. All models tested for the effects of specific childhood adversities revealed similar results. The percentage of variance in PQ-16 scores explained by serial mediation models varied between 32.8 and 34.2% depending on childhood trauma category. Conclusion. Cannabis use and cognitive biases play an important mediating role in the relationship between childhood traumatic events and the development of PLEs in a nonclinical young adult population.

scholarly journals The Impact of the FKBP5 Gene Polymorphisms on the Relationship between Traumatic Life Events and Psychotic-Like Experiences in Non-Clinical Adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 561
Author(s):  
Filip Stramecki ◽  
Dorota Frydecka ◽  
Łukasz Gawęda ◽  
Katarzyna Prochwicz ◽  
Joanna Kłosowska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Abuse ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Psychotic Disorders ◽  
Traumatic Events ◽  
Psychosis Proneness ◽  
Traumatic Life Events ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Pituitary Adrenal Axis

Common variations of the FKBP5 gene are implicated in psychotic disorders, by modulating the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis reactivity to stress. It has been demonstrated that some of them might moderate the effects of childhood trauma on psychosis proneness. However, these associations have not been investigated with respect to traumatic life events (TLEs). Therefore, we aimed to explore whether the FKBP5 polymorphisms moderate the effects of TLEs on the level of psychotic-like experiences (PLEs). A total of 535 non-clinical adults were approached for participation, and genotyping of six FKBP5 polymorphisms (rs3800373, rs9470080, rs4713902, rs737054, rs1360780 and rs9296158) was performed. The Prodromal Questionnaire-16 (PQ-16) and the Traumatic Events Checklist (TEC) were administered to assess PLEs and TLEs, respectively. Among the rs1360780 CC homozygotes, a history of physical abuse was associated with significantly higher PQ-16 scores. This difference was not significant in the rs1360780 T allele carriers. Similarly, a history of physical abuse was associated with significantly higher PQ-16 scores in the rs9296158 GG homozygotes but not in the rs9296158 A allele carriers. Finally, emotional neglect was related to significantly higher PQ-16 scores in the rs737054 T allele carriers but not in the rs737054 CC homozygotes. The present study indicates that variation in the FKBP5 gene might moderate the effects of lifetime traumatic events on psychosis proneness.

The relationship of childhood trauma and DNA methylation of NMDA receptor genes in first-episode schizophrenia

Epigenomics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Camila M Loureiro ◽  
Helene A Fachim ◽  
Fabiana Corsi-Zuelli ◽  
Rosana Shuhama ◽  
Paulo R Menezes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Childhood Trauma ◽  
Genomic Dna ◽  
First Episode ◽  
Childhood Trauma Questionnaire ◽  
History Of Childhood ◽  
History Of ◽  
First Episode Schizophrenia ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship

Aim: We investigated GRIN1, GRIN2A, GRIN2B and LINE-1 DNA methylation in first-episode schizophrenia patients, their nonaffected siblings and age- and sex-matched controls testing for associations between DNA methylation and exposition to childhood trauma. Materials & methods: The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire evaluated the history of childhood trauma. Genomic DNA was bisulfite converted and pyrosequencing was employed to quantify DNA methylation. Results: GRIN2A, GRIN2B and LINE-1 DNA methylation was not associated with childhood trauma in patients, siblings and controls. Siblings with childhood trauma had hypermethylation at CpG1 of GRIN1 compared with siblings without trauma. Conclusion: Childhood trauma may influence GRIN1 methylation in subjects with liability to psychosis, but not in frank schizophrenia or controls.

scholarly journals Association between childhood trauma and multimodal early-onset hallucinations

2020 ◽  
Vol 216 (3) ◽  
pp. 156-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
François Medjkane ◽  
Charles-Edouard Notredame ◽  
Lucie Sharkey ◽  
Fabien D'Hondt ◽  
Guillaume Vaiva ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Suicidal Ideation ◽  
Adverse Events ◽  
Childhood Trauma ◽  
Traumatic Experiences ◽  
History Of Childhood ◽  
Sensory Modalities ◽  
Icd 10 ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Psychiatric Problems

SummaryPrevious reports suggest that adverse events during childhood could be related to an array of psychiatric problems. Here, we question the relationship between childhood traumatic experiences and the sensory complexity of hallucinations in a cohort of 75 children and adolescents. We evidence a positive link between the number of sensory modalities involved in hallucinations and history of childhood trauma, even after controlling for the co-occurrence of suicidal ideation or the number of ICD-10 diagnoses. These findings support initiatives in which a routine exploration of traumatic events in childhood is performed when multimodal hallucinations are present.

scholarly journals Intergeneration Transmission of Violence in Forensic Patients With a Diagnosis of Schizophrenia and Psychosis: Was Parental Alcoholic Abuse a Significant Factor?

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milena Petrovic ◽  
Lidija Injac Stevovic
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Family History ◽  
Alcohol Abuse ◽  
Childhood Trauma ◽  
Psychotic Disorders ◽  
Violent Behavior ◽  
Traumatic Events ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Parental Alcohol

Background: Child abuse during childhood and the presence of parental alcohol abuse increase the risk of developing mental illness in children, as well as the risk of violent behavior in adulthood. The association of these factors has not been sufficiently investigated when it comes to forensic mental patients. In this study, we examined the impact of traumatic events in childhood and the presence of mental illness and alcohol abuse of parents in subjects with psychosis and schizophrenia who committed serious crimes.Methods: One-hundred and forty-three respondents were included in the current study. Information on childhood abuse was collected by Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). The sample included participants diagnosed with psychotic disorders and schizophrenia with a history of violent behavior (PSCH-V, n = 20), patients diagnosed with psychotic disorders and schizophrenia without a history of violent behavior (Non-V-PSCH, n = 51), and healthy control patients (HC, n = 72). Participants were diagnosed according to the ICD 10 classification system. MINI and CAINS scales were used to confirm the diagnosis. Data on sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were collected. Differences between groups in terms of traumatic events in childhood as well as parental alcohol abuse are presented and analyzed, using descriptive statistical values and nonparametric techniques of inferential statistics.Results: Statistically significant differences were obtained for total scores (χ2 = 28.522, p &lt; 0.001) as well as for (1) major upheaval between the parents (χ2 = 20.739, p &lt; 0.001), (2) being victim of violence—other than sexual (χ2 = 12.701, p &lt; 0.01), and (3) other major upheaval that may have shaped life or personality significantly (χ2 = 30.920, p &lt; 0.001). PSCH-V, compared to HC, had greater exposure to all of the three domains of childhood trauma (U = 396.500, 436.500, and 376.000, respectively; p &lt; 0.001). Similar results were obtained when Non V-PSCH were compared with HC (U = 1,223.000, 1,535.000, and 999.000, respectively; p &lt; 0.001). The results indicated statistically insignificant differences between PSCH-V and Non-V-PSCH in having a family history of mental illness. On the other hand, family history of mental illness was less present in HC compared to PSCH-V (χ2 = 24.238, p &lt; 0.001) and Non V-PSCH (χ2 = 14.456, p &lt; 0.001). The presence of parental alcohol abuse was predominantly present in the PSCH-V group (60%) while a significantly lower presence was found in the Non-V PSCH group (35%) and HC (5.5%).Conclusion: Both PSCH-V and Non-V-PSCH groups had a high degree of exposure to traumatic events in childhood compared to the HC. In PSCH-V, the presence of parental alcohol abuse compared to Non-V-PSCH was dominant. Mental illness coupled with a history of violent behavior represents a factor of polyvictimization, which may increase the likelihood of violent behavior of offspring.

The relationship between childhood trauma and theory of mind in schizophrenia

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. s259-s259 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Mrizak ◽  
R. Trabelsi ◽  
A. Arous ◽  
A. Aissa ◽  
H. Ben Ammar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Theory Of Mind ◽  
Childhood Trauma ◽  
Short Story ◽  
Childhood Trauma Questionnaire ◽  
History Of Childhood ◽  
Neurocognitive Impairments ◽  
History Of ◽  
Physical Neglect ◽  
Competing Interest ◽  
The Relationship

IntroductionA 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.ObjectivesTo investigate the relationship between TOM deficits and CT in SCZ.MethodsFifty-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.ResultsOur 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).ConclusionsOur results need replication but underline the necessity of investigating psychosocial mechanisms underlying the development of social cognition deficits, including deficits in TOM.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

scholarly journals Dissociation mediates the relationship between childhood trauma and hallucination-proneness

2011 ◽  
Vol 42 (5) ◽  
pp. 1025-1036 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Varese ◽  
E. Barkus ◽  
R. P. Bentall
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Signal Detection ◽  
Childhood Trauma ◽  
Auditory Signal ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Dissociative Symptoms ◽  
History Of ◽  
Dissociative Tendencies ◽  
Reality Discrimination ◽  
The Relationship

BackgroundIt has been proposed that the relationship between childhood trauma and hallucinations can be explained by dissociative processes. The present study examined whether the effect of childhood trauma on hallucination-proneness is mediated by dissociative tendencies. In addition, the influence of dissociative symptoms on a cognitive process believed to underlie hallucinatory experiences (i.e. reality discrimination; the capacity to discriminate between internal and external cognitive events) was also investigated.MethodPatients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (n=45) and healthy controls (with no history of hallucinations;n=20) completed questionnaire measures of hallucination-proneness, dissociative tendencies and childhood trauma, as well as performing an auditory signal detection task.ResultsCompared to both healthy and non-hallucinating clinical controls, hallucinating patients reported both significantly higher dissociative tendencies and childhood sexual abuse. Dissociation positively mediated the effect of childhood trauma on hallucination-proneness. This mediational role was particularly robust for sexual abuse over other types of trauma. Signal detection abnormalities were evident in hallucinating patients and patients with a history of hallucinations, but were not associated with pathological dissociative symptoms.ConclusionsThese results are consistent with dissociative accounts of the trauma-hallucinations link. Dissociation, however, does not affect reality discrimination. Future research should examine whether other cognitive processes associated with both dissociative states and hallucinations (e.g. deficits in cognitive inhibition) may explain the relationship between dissociation and hallucinatory experiences.

scholarly journals The role of trauma and partner support in perinatal depression and parenting stress: An Australian pregnancy cohort study

2019 ◽  
Vol 65 (3) ◽  
pp. 225-234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan Galbally ◽  
Stuart J Watson ◽  
Philip Boyce ◽  
Andrew J Lewis
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Parenting Stress ◽  
Childhood Trauma ◽  
Perinatal Depression ◽  
Protective Role ◽  
Partner Support ◽  
History Of Childhood ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Relationship

Background: Improving our understanding of the relationship between maternal depression and parenting stress is likely to lie in the range of additional factors that are associated with vulnerability to depression and also to parenting stress. Objectives: To examine the role of trauma and partner support, in understanding the relationship between perinatal depression and parenting stress. Methods: This study utilises data from 246 women in a pregnancy cohort study that followed women from early pregnancy until their infant was 12 months. Included were both women with a diagnosis of depression and those without depression. The measures included Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Social Support Effectiveness Questionnaire and the Parenting Stress Index. Results: We found women with depression were more likely to report a history of childhood trauma. Depressive symptoms were positively associated with parenting stress while partner support was negatively associated with parenting stress. The protective role of partner support for parenting distress was observed in those with no history of childhood abuse and low depressive symptoms, but not in those with a trauma history and high depressive symptoms. Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of early trauma in understanding the protective role of support on the relationship between parenting and depression. These findings can inform future studies and the refinement of future interventions aimed at both perinatal depression and parenting.

Affective lability mediates the association between childhood trauma and suicide attempts, mixed episodes and co-morbid anxiety disorders in bipolar disorders

2016 ◽  
Vol 47 (5) ◽  
pp. 902-912 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Aas ◽  
C. Henry ◽  
F. Bellivier ◽  
M. Lajnef ◽  
S. Gard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Anxiety Disorders ◽  
Childhood Trauma ◽  
Clinical Features ◽  
Suicide Attempts ◽  
Bipolar Disorders ◽  
History Of Childhood ◽  
History Of ◽  
Axis I ◽  
Affective Lability ◽  
The Relationship

BackgroundMany studies have shown associations between a history of childhood trauma and more severe or complex clinical features of bipolar disorders (BD), including suicide attempts and earlier illness onset. However, the psychopathological mechanisms underlying these associations are still unknown. Here, we investigated whether affective lability mediates the relationship between childhood trauma and the severe clinical features of BD.MethodA total of 342 participants with BD were recruited from France and Norway. Diagnosis and clinical characteristics were assessed using the Diagnostic Interview for Genetic Studies (DIGS) or the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I disorders (SCID-I). Affective lability was measured using the short form of the Affective Lability Scale (ALS-SF). A history of childhood trauma was assessed using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). Mediation analyses were performed using the SPSSprocessmacro.ResultsUsing the mediation model and covariation for the lifetime number of major mood episodes, affective lability was found to statistically mediate the relationship between childhood trauma experiences and several clinical variables, including suicide attempts, mixed episodes and anxiety disorders. No significant mediation effects were found for rapid cycling or age at onset.ConclusionsOur data suggest that affective lability may represent a psychological dimension that mediates the association between childhood traumatic experiences and the risk of a more severe or complex clinical expression of BD.

scholarly journals Effect of Childhood Psychological Trauma on Mood and Neurotic Disorders: A Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 699-719
Author(s):  
Rohit Jaiswal
Keyword(s):  
Childhood Trauma ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Psychological Trauma ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Research Papers ◽  
Neurotic Disorder ◽  
History Of Childhood ◽  
Neurotic Disorders ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract: Childhood trauma has been always associated with an increase in the prevalence of mental illnesses. Here, in this paper, we try to investigate and analyse different research papers to understand the relationship between childhood trauma and neurotic and mood disorders. We analysed more than 55 papers from the various sample populations which comprised various age groups. The results showed that childhood sexual and physical abuse is more prevalent in patients with depressive and anxiety disorders. Also, bipolar and neurotic excoriation patients had a history of childhood trauma. This concluded that childhood trauma can increase the risk of developing mood or neurotic disorders. Keywords: Childhood trauma, abuse, neurotic disorder and mood disorder.

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