Citation

Bourgeois C, Lecomte T, McDuff P, Daigneault I. Can. J. Psychiatry 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Vernacular Title

L'âge d'apparition des troubles psychotiques chez les victimes d'agression sexuelle à l'enfance: Une étude prospective de cohortes appariées

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Canadian Psychiatric Association, Publisher SAGE Publications)

DOI

10.1177/0706743720970853

PMID

33155838

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Victims of child sexual abuse (CSA) present with a higher risk of psychotic disorders. However, the developmental course of psychosis following CSA, such as the age at onset, remains unknown. This study aimed to determine whether the age at onset of psychotic disorders was influenced by sexual abuse, sex, and confounding factors (substance misuse, intellectual disability, and socioeconomic status).

METHOD: A prospective matched-cohort design was used, with administrative databases from a child protection agency (CPA) and a public health system. Children who received a substantiated report of CSA at the CPA and whose health data could be retrieved were selected (n = 882) and matched with children from the general population using their date of birth, sex, and geographical area. Survival analysis was performed to estimate the association between sexual abuse, sex, and confounding factors and the age at onset of psychotic disorders.

RESULTS: Sexual abuse and substance misuse are significantly associated with the age at onset of psychotic disorders. In the sexually abused group, only substance misuse is associated with the age at onset of psychotic disorders, but this was not significant for the general population.

CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the importance of prevention of psychotic disorders among sexually abused youth, especially those with a substance misuse diagnosis.

Language: en

Keywords

mental disorders; cohort studies; child abuse; case-control studies; psychotic disorders; survival analysis