The Impact of Childhood Trauma, Hallucinations, and Emotional Reactivity on Delusional Ideation

Abstract Background A large body of evidence has demonstrated that childhood trauma increases the risk for developing a psychotic disorder. However, the path by which psychotic symptoms develop following trauma is still debated. Emotional reactivity, a tendency to experience more intense and enduring emotional responses, and hallucinations are sequelae of childhood trauma that may predict the emergence of delusional ideation. This study aimed to examine evidence for this hypothesis in a college student sample. Methods Self-report measures were used to cross-sectionally assess childhood trauma (Childhood Trauma Questionnaire), delusional ideation (Peters et al Delusions Inventory), hallucinations (Launay-Slade Hallucinations Scale), and emotional reactivity (Emotion Reactivity Scale) in 1703 US college students. Results Hallucinations and emotional reactivity fully mediated the relationship between childhood trauma and delusional ideation, after controlling for covariates (gender, age, levels of current stress, stressful life events, and resilience). Discussion These results suggest that hallucinations and emotional reactivity associated with childhood trauma may represent quantifiable targets for early intervention.