ABSTRACT
Abstract Background The mediating role of childhood trauma in the relationship between schizotypal symptoms and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) was not sufficiently investigated to date. Objectives In the present study, our major goal was to analyse the mediator role of childhood abuse (emotional, physical, and sexual), and neglect (emotional and physical) on the link between schizotypal symptoms and OCD, after controlling for duration of OCD, the mean number of comorbid Axis I disorders, and current anxiety. Methods One hundred fifteen patients (aged 18-65 years) who had primary diagnosis of OCD and Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale score ≥16 were assessed using the short form of Childhood Trauma Questionnaire questionnaire (CTQ-SF), Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ), and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Results The all types of schizotypal symptoms were significantly correlated with the scores of childhood abuse and neglect, and BAI. The childhood abuse as a mediator significantly predicted the total YBOCS scores (p = 0.02) after when BAI scores were controlled. However, childhood neglect was not multivariately related to current OCD severity, and did not mediate the relationship between schizotypal traits and total YBOCS scores. Discussion We suggested that childhood trauma mediated the schizotypal traits in relationship with current OCD severity independent from anxiety severity.