Psychological trauma and schizotypal symptoms

Abstract

In a sample of 75 women recruited from the community, we measured trauma/maltreatment history and symptoms of schizotypal personality disorder, using both questionnaire and interview measures. As hypothesized, individuals with histories of trauma/maltreatment had elevated levels of schizotypal symptoms. Among types of trauma/maltreatment, reported childhood neglect was especially strongly associated with schizotypal symptoms. Although posttraumatic stress disorder symptom severity, depression, dissociation, and difficulty identifying one's emotions were all associated with schizotypal symptoms, they could not account completely for the association between trauma/maltreatment and schizotypal symptoms.