A high prevalence of childhood abuse has been reported in patients with severe mental illness. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 102 patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or schizoaffective disorder. Social, demographic, and clinical data were obtained. Patients were evaluated using Brief Psychotic Relative Scale, and Traumatic Life Events and Distressing Event questionnaires. Almost half (47.5%) of these patients had suffered some kind of child abuse, and our results confirmed a relationship between a history of childhood abuse and more severe psychosis. Diagnosis of schizophrenia was determined 4.1 years earlier in victims of childhood abuse. Hospital admissions were twice as high in victims of psychological abuse. Patients with a history of sexual abuse were more than twice as likely to attempt suicide (68% vs. 28.9%).

Traumatic experiences and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are more frequent in patients with serious mental illness than in the general population. This study included 102 patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and schizoaffective disorder, according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) criteria. Epidemiological and clinical data were collected using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale and Traumatic Life Events and Distressing Event questionnaires. We found a high number of traumatic experiences, and 15.1% of the patients met all criteria for PTSD. We found no differences based on diagnosis or sex, although there was a nonsignificant trend toward greater PTSD comorbidity in women. Among patients with serious mental illness and PTSD, 64.3% had made some attempt at suicide at some point in life, compared with 37.4% of patients without PTSD.

Aims:In some different studies, a high prevalence of interpersonal trauma especially childhood abuse as well as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been found in patients with several mental illness (SMI): schizophrenia, schizoaffective and bipolar disorder.The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of the traumatic life events and PTSD in a sample with SMI.Methods:We enrolled adults patients with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder or bipolar I disorder. We excluded patients who score 3 or more in conceptual disorganization, hallucinations and/or unusual contents of the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and 4 or more in another item of this scale. Interventions: sociodemographic date and Traumatic Life Events Questionnaire and Distressing Event Questionnaire.Results:78 patients (52.6% men) with a mean age of 40 years. Diagnostic of the sample: 47.5% schizophrenia, 41% bipolar disorder and 11.5% schizoaffective disorder. Traumatic life events in the childhood: physical abuse, 22.1% (22.5% males and 21.8% females); psychological abuse, 26.9% (14.6% males and 40.5% females, p< 0.05); sexual abuse, 28.2% (21.9% males and 35.1% females).Some abuse in childhood, 48.0% (38.1% males and 62.2% women, p< 0.05).Sexual abuse in adulthood: 25.6% (43.24% females and 9.7% men, p=0'05).PTSD, 12.9% (8.3% males and 20.7% females).Conclusions:Almost the half of the patients have biographical history of traumatic life events in the childhood. These traumatic events are significantly more prevalent in females. in adulthood, almost half of women had suffered sexual abuse.A fifth part of the women with SMI have comorbidity with PTSD.

Introduction: In some different studies, a high prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been found in patients with several mental illness (SMI): schizophrenia, schizoaffective and bipolar disorder. Aims: Evaluate the prevalence and correlates of PTSD in a sample of patients with SMI. Methods: Adult patients with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder or bipolar I disorder were enrolled. Patients who score 3 or more in conceptual disorganisation, hallucinations and/or unusual contents of thinking and 4 in another item of the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) were excluded. Interventions: Sociodemographic data Traumatic Live Events Questionnarie. Kubany ang Hayne, 2001. Distressing Event Questionnaire. Kubany anb Haynes, 2001, related to PTSD diagnostic DSM-IV criteria. Results: 102 patients were included. The diagnostic subgrup of SMI patients were: 40 bipolar disorder, 52 schizophrenia and 10 schizoaffective desorder. The prevalence of PTSD was found in 15.1%: Criterion B (reexperiencing) 34.4%, Criterion C (avoindance and numbing) 27.1%, Criterion D (hyperarousal) 27.1%. The PTSD was more prevalent in females: 21.7% versus 8.5% (p 0.074). Only in criterium of hyperarousal the differences of gender were significatives (p 0.02). There were no significative differences in dignostic subgrups (p 0.381). Patients with PTSD had some suicide attempt history in 64.3% versus in 35.7% the patients without PTSD (p 0.042). Conclusions: The comorbidity of PTSD in SMI was found in a fifteen percent , and only three patients had been diagnostiqued. PTSD is significantly related to history of suicide attempts in patients with SMI.