Self-reported childhood trauma correlates with schizotypal measures in schizophrenia but not bipolar pedigrees.

Background: Strong evidence supports the association between childhood trauma and psychotic disorders. In two different high-risk populations, we looked for a correlation between the magnitude of schizotypal dimensions and the importance of self-reported childhood trauma.

Method: A sample of 138 unaffected first-degree relatives was recruited (67 relatives of schizophrenic probands and 71 relatives of bipolar probands). The relationship between schizotypal dimensions and childhood trauma scores was analyzed by partial correlations.

Results: A positive correlation was found between childhood trauma scores and total schizotypal scores in first-degree relatives of schizophrenic subjects but not in first-degree relatives of bipolar probands. This correlation was primarily due to a strong association with the positive dimension of schizotypy.

Conclusions: The significant correlation between childhood trauma and schizotypal dimensions in subjects at high genetic risk for schizophrenia suggests that susceptibility genes for schizophrenia may interact with childhood trauma to induce the emergence of schizotypal dimensions, mainly positive psychotic features.