TY - JOUR
T1 - The relationship between childhood abuse and severity of psychosis is mediated by loneliness
T2 - an experience sampling study
AU - Steenkamp, Lisa
AU - Weijers, Jonas
AU - Gerrmann, Jorinde
AU - Eurelings-Bontekoe, Elisabeth
AU - Selten, Jean Paul
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2019 Elsevier B.V.
PY - 2022/3
Y1 - 2022/3
N2 - Background: This study tested the hypotheses that (i) the relationship between a history of childhood abuse and severity of psychosis is mediated by loneliness; (ii) the relationship between loneliness and psychosis is mediated by within-person fluctuations in depressive and anxious feelings. Methods: Fifty-nine individuals with non-affective psychotic disorder rated the intensity of loneliness, positive symptoms, and depressive and anxious feelings during repeated moments in daily life (Experience Sampling Method). Childhood abuse was assessed retrospectively using the ‘Childhood Experience of Care and Abuse’ interview. To test the mediation hypotheses, a multilevel structural equation modeling paradigm was used. Results: As predicted, the relationship between severity of childhood abuse and positive symptoms was mediated by loneliness (b = 0.08, 95% CI [0.02, 0.13], p = 0.005). In turn, the relationship between loneliness and positive symptoms was mediated by within-person fluctuations in both depressive (b = 0.04, 95% CI [0.02, 0.06], p < 0.001) and anxious (b = 0.02, 95% CI [0.01, 0.03], p = 0.002) symptomatology. Depression was a stronger mediator than anxiety (b = 0.02, 95% CI [0.00, 0.04], p = 0.027). Conclusions: Our findings highlight the role of childhood abuse and loneliness in the severity of psychosis in daily life.
AB - Background: This study tested the hypotheses that (i) the relationship between a history of childhood abuse and severity of psychosis is mediated by loneliness; (ii) the relationship between loneliness and psychosis is mediated by within-person fluctuations in depressive and anxious feelings. Methods: Fifty-nine individuals with non-affective psychotic disorder rated the intensity of loneliness, positive symptoms, and depressive and anxious feelings during repeated moments in daily life (Experience Sampling Method). Childhood abuse was assessed retrospectively using the ‘Childhood Experience of Care and Abuse’ interview. To test the mediation hypotheses, a multilevel structural equation modeling paradigm was used. Results: As predicted, the relationship between severity of childhood abuse and positive symptoms was mediated by loneliness (b = 0.08, 95% CI [0.02, 0.13], p = 0.005). In turn, the relationship between loneliness and positive symptoms was mediated by within-person fluctuations in both depressive (b = 0.04, 95% CI [0.02, 0.06], p < 0.001) and anxious (b = 0.02, 95% CI [0.01, 0.03], p = 0.002) symptomatology. Depression was a stronger mediator than anxiety (b = 0.02, 95% CI [0.00, 0.04], p = 0.027). Conclusions: Our findings highlight the role of childhood abuse and loneliness in the severity of psychosis in daily life.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85063446201&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.schres.2019.03.021
DO - 10.1016/j.schres.2019.03.021
M3 - Article
C2 - 30940399
AN - SCOPUS:85063446201
SN - 0920-9964
VL - 241
SP - 306
EP - 311
JO - Schizophrenia Research
JF - Schizophrenia Research
ER -