4.3 Trauma and Symptom Severity
The absence of a significant relationship between the retrospective
assessment of trauma-exposure and symptom severity contrasts with the
previous literature (Carr et al., 2018; Larkin & Read, 2008; Matheson
et al., 2018; Shelvin et al., 2007). Childhood exposure to trauma also
had no relationship with symptom severity, again contrasting with
previous literature (Bentall et al., 2014; Humphrey et al., 2022). This
finding may indicate that it is not the presence of trauma-exposure that
impacts the symptomology of psychosis but possibly the appraisal and the
related distress. For instance, recent research has indicated the role
of complex PTSD as a potential mediator between early trauma and the
development of psychosis (Mason et al., 2023). Another possible
explanation for this finding is that other factors mediate the influence
trauma exposure has on symptom severity. For example, attachment and
cannabis-use have been shown to be mediating factors in the relationship
between childhood trauma and psychosis (Humphrey et al., 2022; Kiburi et
al., 2021). Finally, methodological issues with retrospective assessment
of trauma-exposure based on case-histories may also have impacted the
findings. This methodology does not have the advantage of being able to
explore trauma-exposure experiences with participants to understand the
nuances of the experiences, the impact or trauma-related symptomatology.