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Recorded Rates of Trauma Exposure in a Retrospective Epidemiologically Complete First-Episode Psychosis Cohort
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  • Aisling Redmond,
  • Keith Gaynor,
  • Sean Naughton,
  • Mary Clarke
Aisling Redmond
University College Dublin School of Psychology
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Keith Gaynor
University College Dublin School of Psychology

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Sean Naughton
Dublin East Treatment and Early Care Team
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Mary Clarke
Dublin East Treatment and Early Care Team
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Abstract

Background: Trauma plays an important role in the development and maintenance of psychosis. However, it is still under-examined in daily clinical practice. The current study investigated the rates of recording of trauma-exposure in the clinical histories of a first-episode psychosis (FEP) cohort attending an early intervention psychosis service. Methods: This study used a retrospective chart review methodology in a six-year epidemiologically complete (FEP) first-episode psychosis cohort attending an early intervention psychosis service. The Trauma and Life Events Checklist was used to define the rate and types of trauma exposure reported in clinical histories. The relationships were examined between recorded trauma-exposure and positive and negative symptoms, depression, and duration of untreated psychosis at first assessment. Results: A high rate of recorded trauma exposure was found, indicating that clinicians are recording trauma-exposure in daily practice through clinical histories. Childhood trauma exposure was recorded in 47.4% of the sample. No significant relationships between the recorded trauma-exposure and symptom measures were found. A significant relationship was found between interpersonal stressors and positive symptoms, and work-related stress and negative symptoms, highlighting the important of proximal stressful life events. Discussion: Even though clinicians were not assessing trauma systematically using standardised instruments, this study found that clinicians were recording trauma-exposure in daily practice. The high rates of trauma-exposure highlighted the need for trauma to be systematically diagnosed, assessed and treated in planning services for people with psychosis. This study found no significant relationship between recorded trauma-exposure and symptomology.
30 May 2024Submitted to Early Intervention in Psychiatry
03 Jun 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
29 Jun 2024Reviewer(s) Assigned
18 Jul 2024Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
09 Aug 20241st Revision Received
09 Aug 2024Submission Checks Completed
09 Aug 2024Assigned to Editor
09 Aug 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
11 Aug 2024Editorial Decision: Accept