Assessment of the relationship between psychotic-like experiences and traumatic life events: a cross-sectional study

TL;DR

This study explores how traumatic life events are linked to psychotic-like experiences in a non-clinical group of young adults.

Contribution

It provides new evidence on the association between traumatic events and psychotic-like experiences in a non-clinical population.

Findings

Over half of participants reported traumatic life events, and many showed signs of psychotic-like experiences.

Those with traumatic life events were significantly more likely to screen positive for psychotic-like experiences.

Bullying or abuse in school was strongly associated with higher scores on the Prodromal Questionnaire-Brief.

Abstract

Traumatic life events (TLEs) have been associated with the entire spectrum of psychosis outcomes, including risk and severity of psychotic disorders and psychotic-like experiences (PLEs). In a non-clinical setting, understanding the relationship could help improve prevention services.

The aim of this study is to establish the relationship between TLEs and PLEs.

A cross-sectional study was conducted in a Tunisan business and engineering school from March 2022 to June 2022. Participants completed the Tunisian dialect version of the Prodromal Questionnaire-Brief (PQ-B), a validated self-report instrument designed to evaluate prodromal symptoms. TLEs such as physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, as well as neglect experiences, lived or witnessed have been assessed along with bullying experiences.

The final sample size consisted of 358 participants, with a median age of 22 ± 2.22 years, with a sex ratio (M/F) of 1.41. More than half of the participants (58.6%) reported having experienced TLEs (49% in the preceding 6 months) while 31% had experienced bullying or abuse in school (27.9% in the preceding 6 months). The mean total score of the PQ-B for the study population was 7.27 ± 4.387, 36.3% reached the threshold and were defined as PQ-B-positive subjects. Those with a lifetime history of major life events were more likely to screen positive on the total score PQ-B (p = 0.000), as were those with a lifetime history of bullying or abuse (p = 0.000).

Understanding the factors that interact in the significant association between PLEs and TLEs may provide useful information for prevention programs and the improvement of mental health.

None Declared