Multivariate Analysis of Relationship between Childhood Trauma and Psychotic Symptoms in Patients with Schizophrenia

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between childhood trauma and psychotic symptoms in schizophrenic patients after controlling for the possible confounding factors, such as depression and dissociative symptoms. Ninety-eight schizophrenic inpatients participated. Childhood trauma was examined using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaires (CTQ), which consists of physical abuse (PA), sexual abuse (SA), emotional abuse (EA), physical neglect (PN), and emotional neglect (EN). Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Dissociative Experience Scale (DES), and Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI) were also administered. Data were analyzed by partial correlation and general linear model. The total score of CTQ was positively correlated with positive, general, and total scores of PANSS. All five types of childhood trauma were associated with dissociative symptoms. EA and EN were positively correlated with depressive symptoms. Only SA significantly predicted positive symptoms of schizophrenia after controlling for age, sex, BDI, and DES scores, with a dose-response relationship between SA and positive symptoms.

Psychological Reactions and Physical Trauma by Types of Disasters: View from Man-Made Disaster / 신경정신의학

A variety of psychological and physical symptoms may appear in disaster victims. The type of disaster as well as individual factors could affect the pattern and severity of symptoms. Several reports have shown that fire survivors suffered from survivor guilt, re-experience, and fear of fire and burn scars associated with depressive symptoms. Inhalation burns are of special interest because of the possibility of delayed systemic complications. Large traffic accident causes more frequent and severe post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), particularly intrusive thoughts, compared to general road traffic accident. Traumatic brain injury and serious physical injuries could increase the PTSS expression. Considering that tragic collapse accidents occurred mainly as a result of careless construction, anger and mistrust are understandable. Legal disputes and compensation issues can provoke social conflict and prolonged suffering. Understanding the psychological characteristics and responses will be required in order to support the mental health of disaster victims.

Stress Coping Strategies and Quality of Life in Patients with Schizophrenia / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to investigate the pattern of stress coping strategies and the effects of stress coping strategies on quality of life in patients with schizophrenia. METHODS: Stress coping strategies and quality of life were examined using Ways of Coping Checklist and Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale for 98 patients with schizophrenia. Stress coping strategies were composed of problem-focused coping, social support seeking, emotion-focused coping, and wishful thinking. Among these, problem-focused coping and social support seeking were active coping strategies while emotion-focused coping and wishful thinking were passive coping strategies. Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI) were also administered. RESULTS: Active coping scores were higher than passive coping scores in patients with schizophrenia. Quality of life was higher in the active coping group compared to the passive coping group. Active coping usage was a significant predictor of higher quality of life even after controlling for gender, age, PANSS, and BDI scores. CONCLUSION: Patients with schizophrenia used more active coping strategies than passive coping strategies, which showed significant association with higher quality of life. A treatment program to provide education on use of active coping strategies in a proper and flexible way might contribute to enhanced quality of life in patients with schizophrenia.