Childhood abuse and verbal intelligence among adults diagnosed with first-episode schizophrenia

Abstract

Objective: While many individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia report childhood trauma, little is known about the relationship between childhood abuse and intelligence in this population. Authors hypothesized the abused individuals would show lower verbal IQ. Methods: This preliminary study compared the intelligence profile between 46 adults experiencing first-episode schizophrenic psychosis with and without a history of childhood physical or sexual abuse. Clinical assessment included the Korean Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (K-WAIS) and an interview assessing history of sexual and repeated physical abuse before age 16. Results: The mean verbal IQ score of patients with a history of childhood abuse (n=21) was significantly lower than that of patients without a history of childhood abuse (n=25; p < .05). However, the mean number of years of education was also significantly lower in those with a history of childhood abuse (p < .001). In fact, an analysis of covariance controlling for education revealed no group differences in intelligence. Conclusions: Childhood trauma may contribute to low verbal intelligence of first-onset patients diagnosed with schizophrenia by leading to poor educational attainment. Assessment and management of first-onset patients with childhood abuse need to be tailored for their intellectual level.