Network Structure of Childhood Trauma, Bodily Disturbances, and Schizotypy in Schizophrenia and Nonclinical Controls

Abstract

Background and Hypothesis Exposure to childhood trauma has been linked to the development of psychosis and bodily-self disturbances, two hallmarks of schizophrenia. Prior work demonstrated that bodily disturbances serve as a bridge between childhood trauma and schizophrenia symptomatology, but the diagnostic specificity of these connections remains unknown. This study uses network analysis to bridge this gap by comparing the interplays between childhood trauma, bodily-self disturbances, and schizotypy in clinical and general populations. Study Design Networks were constructed to examine the relationships between schizotypy (Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire; SPQ), bodily self-disturbances (Perceptual Aberration Scale; PAS), and childhood trauma (Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, CTQ) in 152 people with schizophrenia (SZ) and 162 healthy comparison participants (HC). The Fused Graphical Lasso was used to jointly estimate the networks in the two groups and the structure and strength of the networks were compared. Node centrality and shortest paths between CTQ, PAS, and schizotypy were examined. Study Results When comparing SZ and HC, the network of bodily self-disturbances, childhood trauma, and schizotypy were similarly structured, but the network was significantly stronger in SZ than HC. In both groups, bodily self-disturbances were on one of the shortest paths between childhood trauma to schizotypal experiences. Conclusions Our findings revealed reliable associations between childhood trauma, bodily-self disturbance, and schizotypy, with bodily disturbances acting as a bridge from childhood trauma to schizotypy. The elevated strength of the SZ network indicates a more highly interconnected, and therefore reactive network in which exposure to childhood trauma can more easily activate bodily disturbances and schizotypy.

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“…Further, recent research has identified bodily self-disturbances as the shortest paths from childhood trauma to schizotypal experiences in both schizophrenia patients and healthy individuals ( Torregrossa et al, 2024 ), using the network approach to understanding the multifaceted nature of schizotypy and its relationship to schizophrenia ( Fonseca-Pedrero et al, 2021 ). Future research investigating the applications of MBI for reducing risk factors for conversion to psychosis and schizophrenia in the individuals with high positive schizotypy should include bodily self-disturbances related to childhood trauma as one of the outcome measures.…”