Citation

Morgan C, Fisher H, Hutchinson G, Kirkbride J, Craig T, Morgan K, Dazzan P, Boydell JE, Doody G, Jones P, Murray R, Leff J, Fearon P. Acta Psychiatr. Scand. 2009; 119(3): 226-235.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1600-0447.2008.01301.x

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Objective:  We sought to investigate the prevalence and social correlates of psychotic‐like experiences in a general population sample of Black and White British subjects.

Method:  Data were collected from randomly selected community control subjects, recruited as part of the ÆSOP study, a three‐centre population based study of first‐episode psychosis.

Results:  The proportion of subjects reporting one or more psychotic‐like experience was 19% (n = 72/372). These were more common in Black Caribbean (OR 2.08) and Black African subjects (OR 4.59), compared with White British. In addition, a number of indicators of childhood and adult disadvantage were associated with psychotic‐like experiences. When these variables were simultaneously entered into a regression model, Black African ethnicity, concentrated adult disadvantage, and separation from parents retained a significant effect.

Conclusion:  The higher prevalence of psychotic‐like experiences in the Black Caribbean, but not Black African, group was explained by high levels of social disadvantage over the life course.