@article{ref1,
title="Post-traumatic symptomatology and compulsions as potential mediators of the relation between child sexual abuse and auditory verbal hallucinations",
journal="Behavioural and cognitive psychotherapy",
year="2018",
author="McCarthy-Jones, Simon",
volume="46",
number="3",
pages="318-331",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Whilst evidence is mounting that childhood sexual abuse (CSA) can be a cause of auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH), it is unclear what factors mediate this relation. Recent evidence suggests that post-traumatic symptomatology may mediate the CSA-AVH relation in clinical populations, although this hypothesis has not yet been tested in the general population. There is also reason to believe that obsessive ideation could mediate the CSA-AVH relation. AIMS: To test for evidence to falsify the hypotheses that post-traumatic symptomatology, obsessions, compulsions, anxiety and depression mediate the relation between CSA and AVH in a general population sample. <br><br>METHOD: Indirect effects of CSA on AVH via potential mediators were tested for, using a regression-based approach employing data from the 2007 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (n = 5788). <br><br>RESULTS: After controlling for demographics, IQ and child physical abuse, it was found that CSA, IQ, post-traumatic symptomatology and compulsions predicted lifetime experience of AVH. Mediation analyses found significant indirect effects of CSA on AVH via post-traumatic symptomatology [odds ratio (OR): 1.11; 95% confidence interval (CI):1.00-1.29] and compulsions (OR: 1.10, 95% CI: 1.01-1.28). <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: These findings offer further support for the hypothesis that post-traumatic symptomatology is a mediator of the CSA-AVH relation. Although no evidence was found for obsessional thoughts as a mediating variable, a potential mediating role for compulsions is theoretically intriguing. This study's findings reiterate the need to ask about experiences of childhood adversity and post-traumatic symptomology in people with AVH, as well as the likely therapeutic importance of trauma-informed and trauma-based interventions for this population.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1352-4658",
doi="10.1017/S1352465817000686",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1352465817000686"
}