BACKGROUND Several large population-based studies have demonstrated associations between adverse childhood experiences and later development of psychotic symptoms. However, little attention has been paid to the mechanisms involved in this pathway and the few existing studies have relied on cross-sectional assessments. METHODS Prospective data on 6692 children from the UK Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) were used to address this issue. Mothers reported on children's exposure to harsh parenting and domestic violence in early childhood, and children self-reported on bullying victimization prior to 8.5 years. Presence of children's anxiety at 10 years and their depressive symptoms at 9 and 11 years were ascertained from mothers, and children completed assessments of self-esteem and locus of control at 8.5 years. Children were interviewed regarding psychotic symptoms at a mean age of 12.9 years. Multiple mediation analysis was performed to examine direct and indirect effects of each childhood adversity on psychotic symptoms. RESULTS The association between harsh parenting and psychotic symptoms was fully mediated by anxiety, depressive symptoms, external locus of control, and low self-esteem. Bullying victimization and exposure to domestic violence had their associations with psychotic symptoms partially mediated by anxiety, depression, locus of control, and self-esteem. Similar results were obtained following adjustment for a range of confounders and when analyses were conducted for boys and girls separately. CONCLUSIONS These findings tentatively suggest that specific cognitive and affective difficulties in childhood could be targeted to minimize the likelihood of adolescents exposed to early trauma from developing psychotic symptoms.

中文翻译：

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ALSPAC 出生队列中儿童受害和精神病样症状之间的途径。

背景 几项基于人群的大型研究已经证明不良童年经历与后来的精神病症状发展之间存在关联。然而，很少有人关注这一途径所涉及的机制，现有的少数研究依赖于横断面评估。方法 来自英国雅芳父母和儿童纵向研究 (ALSPAC) 的 6692 名儿童的前瞻性数据用于解决这个问题。母亲报告了儿童在幼儿时期遭受严厉的养育和家庭暴力，儿童自我报告了 8.5 岁之前的欺凌受害情况。从母亲那里确定儿童在 10 岁时存在焦虑，在 9 岁和 11 岁时出现抑郁症状，儿童在 8.5 岁时完成了自尊和控制点的评估。平均年龄为 12.9 岁的儿童接受了有关精神病症状的采访。进行了多重中介分析，以检查每个童年逆境对精神病症状的直接和间接影响。结果 严厉的养育与精神病症状之间的关联完全由焦虑、抑郁症状、外部控制点和低自尊介导。欺凌受害和家庭暴力与精神病症状的关联部分由焦虑、抑郁、控制点和自尊介导。在对一系列混杂因素进行调整后以及分别对男孩和女孩进行分析后，也获得了类似的结果。