Childhood trauma and adolescent psychotic experiences in a community-based cohort: The potential role of positive attributes as a protective factor.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate how a set of positive social and personality characteristics called 'positive attributes' affects the emergence and persistence of Psychotic Experiences (PE) in adolescence.

METHOD

We used data from a community-based Brazilian High-Risk Cohort (HRC). 2511 6-12 year-old children were evaluated at baseline, and 80.05% completed a 3-year follow-up interview. At baseline, childhood trauma was assessed using parent- and self-report, and positive attributes were assessed by parent-report. Trained psychologists rated self-reported PE at both time points. Linear models evaluated the effect of childhood trauma and positive attributes on PE at follow-up. Mediation models tested i.) the indirect effect of positive attributes on the association between childhood trauma and follow-up PE and, ii.) the indirect effect of childhood trauma and positive attributes on the relationship between PE at baseline and follow-up.

RESULTS

Higher levels of baseline PE (B = 0.157, p < .001) and higher childhood trauma (B = 0.110, p < .001) were associated with increased follow-up PE. Higher positive attributes predicted lower PE after 3 years, adjusting for the prevalence of baseline PE and childhood trauma (B = -0.042, p < .022). Positive attributes partially mediated the relationship between childhood trauma and follow-up PE. The indirect pathway of childhood trauma and positive attributes mediated the association between baseline and follow-up PE.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher levels of positive social and behavioral traits in childhood may diminish the subsequent emergence of PE. As these attributes can be promoted, our findings suggest that positive attributes may represent a novel target for preventive interventions in children at risk of developing PE.