Childhood abuse and the content of adult psychotic symptoms.

Abstract

During the last three decades epidemiological and clinical studies have explored prevalence rates of traumatic experiences and the impact of early trauma on a person’s life. Prevalence of traumatic events of all types in people with severe mental illness can be as high as 98% (Mueser et al., 1998), compared to rates of up to 56% in community populations (Kessler, Sonnega, Bromet, Hughes, & Nelson, 1995). In psychiatric patient populations, reported rates of childhood physical abuse (CPA) are up to 82%, childhood sexual abuse (CSA) are up to 54%, and co-occurring