Association of types of delusions and hallucinations with childhood abuse and neglect among inpatients with schizophrenia in South Korea: A preliminary study

Abstract

This study examined the association of several types of childhood trauma with types of delusions and hallucinations among 42 younger adult inpatients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia at a university-affiliated hospital in South Korea. Participants were administered the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire - short form and the Scale for Assessment of Positive symptoms. Emotional abuse had a positive correlation with delusions of reference, persecutory delusions, and delusions of being controlled. There was no statistically significant relationship between childhood abuse/neglect and hallucinations. The contents of some delusions reflected adverse childhood experiences, indicating a need for further exploration of the contribution of childhood trauma to current psychotic symptoms.