Childhood abuse and psychosis; a critical review of the literature

Abstract

Childhood trauma has long been recognised as a potential cause for a range of affective mental health problems arising in adulthood. Only in recent years has the association between childhood abuse and psychosis begun to be investigated. This paper provides a critical review of the literature addressing the relationship between childhood abuse and psychosis. Implications for practitioners are discussed, including practice, policy, treatment and child protection issues. A significant proportion of people develop psychosis in adulthood following all types of childhood abuse, including people diagnosed with schizophrenia, major depressive disorders, dissociative identity disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Evidence suggests the possibility of a causal relationship between childhood abuse and psychosis in adulthood. Mental health nurses are ideally placed to offer help, care and support to those individuals who experience psychosis by acknowledging and listening to their life events, including experiences of childhood abuse.

Emotions, Traits and Negative Beliefs as Possible Mediators in the Relationship between Childhood Experiences of being Bullied and Paranoid Thinking in a Non-Clinical Sample

“…Recently there has been increasing recognition of the contribution of traumatic life events to the experience of psychosis with greater emphasis being placed on sexual and physical abuse (Manning & Stickley, 2009;Read, van Os, Morrison & Ross, 2005). The results of this study highlight the need for therapists to assess for a wide range of adverse early life experiences including bullying.…”

Psychiatric and Physical Sequelae of Childhood Physical and Sexual Abuse and Forced Sexual Trauma Among Individuals With Serious Mental Illness

“…Numerous investigations have linked childhood sexual abuse with elevated risk for mental disorders (Cutajar et al., ; Spataro, Mullen, Burgess, Wells, & Moss, ). In addition, childhood abuse has been shown to predict increased rates of mood and psychotic disorders (Bebbington et al., ; Manning & Stickley, ; Sugaya et al., ). Thus, childhood abuse has been conceptualized to exert a neuropathological influence on the developing brain and therefore contribute to diathesis of serious mental illness (Read, Perry, Moskowitz, & Connolly, ; Spauwen, Krabbendam, Lieb, Wittchen, & van Os, ).…”

A combined review of: Collective biography and the legacy of Hildegard Peplau, Annie Altschul and Eileen Skellern; the origins of mental health nursing and its relevance to the current crisis in psychiatry; Mental health content of comprehensive pre-registration nursing curricula in Australia and Childhood abuse and psychosis; a critical review of the literature

“…This methodology of the collective biography not only provides incremental evidence for identified themes but also establishes a dialogue between the strands of evidence to 'produce a cognisable weave of shared interests'. Stickley and Manning (2009) use the method of 'critical literature review' over 'traditional literature review' to incorporate 'reflection' and 'reflexivity' into the review process, in order to bring practitioner voice and experience into the analysis of the theory and concepts. Finally, McCann et al (2009) use survey methodology to analyse mental health content of pre-registration nursing curricula in Australia.…”

“…Winship et al (2009) describe how the work of Altschul, Peplau and Skellern, in its advocacy of user involvement and social inclusion, was not only democratic but fiercely challenging of the status quo in its insistence that staff were not to be experienced as authority. In a similar vein, Stickley and Manning (2009) intimate that members of the medical profession whose beliefs lie in biological and genetic causes of mental health problems need to be challenged by a generation of mental health nurses who are aware of the role of childhood abuse histories in formulation and development of appropriate interventions. Importantly, Stickley and Manning also highlight the seminal work of Marius Romme and Sandra Escher in Holland, whose more democratic approach to hearing voices has as its focus peer support and self-help rather than reliance in 'experts' in positions of power.…”

“…Winship et al (2009) describe the establishment of the therapeutic community movement in which the complex processes of therapeutic relationships were explored and debated. Stickley and Manning (2009), in describing the implications for practitioners of their critical review, clearly state that 'the significance of the therapeutic relationship should not be understated' in the understanding and treatment of people who suffer trauma-induced psychosis. Finally, in their survey, McCann et al (2009) draw attention to the fact that the interpersonal nature of caring for people with mental health problems should be translated into delivery of theory subjects involving the opportunity to engage students and to role play clinical scenarios.…”