Gender differences in the association between childhood physical and sexual abuse, social support and psychosis.
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Authors
Gayer-Anderson, Charlotte
Fisher, Helen L
Fearon, Paul
Hutchinson, Gerard
Morgan, Kevin
Dazzan, Paola
Boydell, Jane
Doody, Gillian A
Jones, Peter B
Murray, Robin M
Issue Date
2015-04-18
Type
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Language
en
Keywords
Childhood adversity , Onset , Psychosis , Social networks , Social support
Alternative Title
Abstract
Childhood adversity (variously defined) is a robust risk factor for psychosis, yet the mitigating effects of social support in adulthood have not yet been explored. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between childhood sexual and physical abuse and adult psychosis, and gender differences in levels of perceived social support.
A sample of 202 individuals presenting for the first time to mental health services with psychosis and 266 population-based controls from south-east London and Nottingham, UK, was utilised. The Childhood Experience of Care and Abuse Questionnaire was used to elicit retrospective reports of exposure to childhood adversity, and the Significant Others Questionnaire was completed to collect information on the current size of social networks and perceptions of emotional and practical support.
There was evidence of an interaction between severe physical abuse and levels of support (namely, number of significant others; likelihood ratio test χ(2) = 3.90, p = 0.048). When stratified by gender, there were no clear associations between childhood physical or sexual abuse, current social support and odds of psychosis in men. In contrast, for women, the highest odds of psychosis were generally found in those who reported severe abuse and low levels of social support in adulthood. However, tests for interaction by gender did not reach conventional levels of statistical significance.
These findings highlight the importance of investigating the potential benefits of social support as a buffer against the development of adult psychosis amongst those, particularly women, with a history of early life stress.
A sample of 202 individuals presenting for the first time to mental health services with psychosis and 266 population-based controls from south-east London and Nottingham, UK, was utilised. The Childhood Experience of Care and Abuse Questionnaire was used to elicit retrospective reports of exposure to childhood adversity, and the Significant Others Questionnaire was completed to collect information on the current size of social networks and perceptions of emotional and practical support.
There was evidence of an interaction between severe physical abuse and levels of support (namely, number of significant others; likelihood ratio test χ(2) = 3.90, p = 0.048). When stratified by gender, there were no clear associations between childhood physical or sexual abuse, current social support and odds of psychosis in men. In contrast, for women, the highest odds of psychosis were generally found in those who reported severe abuse and low levels of social support in adulthood. However, tests for interaction by gender did not reach conventional levels of statistical significance.
These findings highlight the importance of investigating the potential benefits of social support as a buffer against the development of adult psychosis amongst those, particularly women, with a history of early life stress.
Description
Citation
Gayer-Anderson, C., Fisher, H. L., Fearon, P., Hutchinson, G., Morgan, K., Dazzan, P., Boydell, J., Doody, G. A., Jones, P. B., Murray, R. M., Craig, T. K., & Morgan, C. (2015). Gender differences in the association between childhood physical and sexual abuse, social support and psychosis. Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology, 50(10), 1489–1500. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-015-1058-6
Publisher
License
Journal
Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology
Volume
50
Issue
10
PubMed ID
DOI
10.1007/s00127-015-1058-6
10.1093/schbul/sbs050
10.1093/schbul/sbp009
10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2010.147
10.1192/bjp.bp.110.083642
10.1192/bjp.bp.107.047985
10.1017/S0033291700011831
10.1017/S0033291704003903
10.1007/BF00922627
10.1023/A:1025117311660
10.1037/0033-2909.98.2.310
10.1002/da.10048
10.1037/0033-295X.107.3.411
10.1007/s10578-008-0102-0
10.1093/sf/61.2.484
10.1176/appi.ajp.162.2.250
10.1017/S2045796012000406
10.1348/014466505X35344
10.1007/s00127-002-0589-9
10.1093/schbul/sbp103
10.1111/j.2044-8260.1988.tb00799.x
10.1007/s00127-002-0557-4
10.1093/schbul/sbs074
10.1192/bjp.bp.111.103267
10.1007/s00127-006-0098-3
10.1521/psyc.2006.69.2.115
10.1016/j.schres.2007.10.001
10.1017/S2045796011000862
10.1177/0004867413488218
10.1016/j.psychres.2013.12.048
10.1093/schbul/sbr115
10.1002/da.20534
10.1037/0278-6133.7.3.269
10.1002/j.2161-1882.2012.00002.x
10.1017/S0033291700018791
10.1097/01.psy.0000151486.28349.70
10.1037/0003-066X.58.1.5
10.1037/0022-0167.36.3.295
10.1177/0022146510395592
10.1192/bjp.174.6.547
10.1017/S0033291701003312
10.1111/j.1600-0447.2010.01594.x
10.4088/JCP.v65n0611
10.1093/schbul/sbs050
10.1093/schbul/sbp009
10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2010.147
10.1192/bjp.bp.110.083642
10.1192/bjp.bp.107.047985
10.1017/S0033291700011831
10.1017/S0033291704003903
10.1007/BF00922627
10.1023/A:1025117311660
10.1037/0033-2909.98.2.310
10.1002/da.10048
10.1037/0033-295X.107.3.411
10.1007/s10578-008-0102-0
10.1093/sf/61.2.484
10.1176/appi.ajp.162.2.250
10.1017/S2045796012000406
10.1348/014466505X35344
10.1007/s00127-002-0589-9
10.1093/schbul/sbp103
10.1111/j.2044-8260.1988.tb00799.x
10.1007/s00127-002-0557-4
10.1093/schbul/sbs074
10.1192/bjp.bp.111.103267
10.1007/s00127-006-0098-3
10.1521/psyc.2006.69.2.115
10.1016/j.schres.2007.10.001
10.1017/S2045796011000862
10.1177/0004867413488218
10.1016/j.psychres.2013.12.048
10.1093/schbul/sbr115
10.1002/da.20534
10.1037/0278-6133.7.3.269
10.1002/j.2161-1882.2012.00002.x
10.1017/S0033291700018791
10.1097/01.psy.0000151486.28349.70
10.1037/0003-066X.58.1.5
10.1037/0022-0167.36.3.295
10.1177/0022146510395592
10.1192/bjp.174.6.547
10.1017/S0033291701003312
10.1111/j.1600-0447.2010.01594.x
10.4088/JCP.v65n0611
ISSN
1433-9285