Dissociation as a causal pathway from sexual abuse to positive symptoms in the spectrum of psychotic disorders

Abstract Background Although numerous studies have supported the role of childhood maltreatment in etiology psychosis, underlying mechanisms not been well understood yet. The present study aimed to investigate mediating particular forms dissociation relationship between five major types abuse and psychotic symptoms among patients with schizophrenia spectrum other disorders. Methods In this cross-sectional correlation study, 70 first-episode chronic were selected by systematic random sampling (with interval 3) from inpatients outpatients referring Baharan Psychiatric hospital, Zahedan, Iran, matched based on age, gender, education level. Moreover, age-, gender-, level-matched community controls recruited hospital staff their relatives friends. All participants completed a research interview questionnaires. Data experiences maltreatment, dissociation, demographics collected analyzed SPSS V25 software. Results obtained results revealed that mean scores sexual abuse, emotional physical higher than (without any significant difference patients). Furthermore, highest dissociative belonged patients. Multiple-mediation also indicated absorption amnesia played positive symptoms. demonstrated predicting even absence abuse. Conclusions This illustrated specific associations experiences, clinical population. Thus, provide appropriate interventions, disorders asked about wide range possible adverse experiences. Nevertheless, further using prospective or longitudinal designs need be carried out realize differential contribution various potential interactions, more precisely.