Attenuated psychotic symptoms, substance use and self-reported PTSD in adolescence

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Contributors

Abstract

Background: The occurrence of attenuated psychotic symptoms (APS) is a major concern in populations with substance use disorders (SUDs). However, APS also frequently develop in the course of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This study explores how the prevalence of APS differs between adolescent patients with only SUD, SUD with a history of traumatic experiences (TEs), and with SUD and self-reported PTSD. Methods: We recruited n = 120 treatment-seeking adolescents at a German outpatient clinic for adolescents with SUD. All participants filled out questionnaires assessing APS (PQ-16, YSR schizoid scale), trauma history, PTSD symptoms (both UCLA PTSD Index), and SUD severity (DUDIT) next to an extensive substance use interview. We performed a multivariate analysis of co-variance with the four PQ-16 scales and the YSR scale as outcomes and PTSD status as predictor. Additionally, we performed five linear regressions predicting each PQ-16 score and YSR score based on tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, ecstasy, amphetamine, and methamphetamine use. Results: Participants with co-occurring SUD and self-reported PTSD showed significantly higher APS prevalence rates (PQ-16 score, p =.00002), more disturbed thought content (p =.000004), more perceptual disturbances (p =.002), more negative symptoms (p =.004) and more thought problems (p =.001) compared to adolescents with SUD and a history of trauma and adolescents with only SUD. Past-year substance use was not predictive for APS prevalence (F(75) = 0.42; p =.86; R 2 =.04). Conclusion: Our data suggests that the occurrence of APS in adolescents with SUD is better explained by co-occurring self-reported PTSD than by substance use frequency or substance class. This finding might indicate that APS might be reduced through treating PTSD or focusing on TEs in SUD therapy.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number2193327
Number of pages9
Journal European journal of psychotraumatology : official organ of the European Society of Traumatic Stress Studies (ESTSS)
Volume14 (2023)
Issue number2
Publication statusPublished - 3 Apr 2023
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

Scopus 85151795963
PubMed 37010565

Keywords

Keywords

  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/therapy, Humans, Self Report, Adolescent, Surveys and Questionnaires, Cognition, Substance-Related Disorders/epidemiology

Library keywords