Association of Trauma Type, Age of Exposure, and Frequency in Childhood and Adolescence With Psychotic Experiences in Early Adulthood

Is exposure to trauma during childhood and adolescence associated with an increase in the risk of developing psychotic experiences?

Findings In this cohort study of 4433 children and adolescents, all types of trauma, at any time from early childhood through adolescence, are associated with subsequent psychotic experiences after adjusting for plausible confounders. Effect sizes were larger for repeated exposure, exposure to multiple types of trauma, and for more proximal exposure to trauma.

Meaning These findings are consistent with the thesis that trauma could have a causal association with psychotic experiences; if so, identification of modifiable mediators is required to inform prevention strategies.