The Relationship between Childhood Emotional Abuse and Schizotypy Traits, with Neglect as the Sole Unique Predictor of Schizotypy

Childhood emotional abuse has been of increasing interest in the study of personality disorders and personality disorder symptoms. Previous research has found associations between childhood emotional abuse and schizotypy (Afifi et al., 2011), where emotional abuse has often been studied as an umbrella concept. The only clear distinction has been between emotional abuse and emotional neglect (Hornor, 2011). The present study aims to investigate different types of childhood emotional abuse, namely parental neglect, parental verbal abuse and parental antipathy, to explore the associations between these and schizotypal symptoms. 194 participants completed an online-questionnaire measuring schizotypal traits (SPQ-B; Raine & Benishay, 1995), parental neglect (CAT; Sanders & Becker-Lausen, 1995), parental verbal abuse (VAS; Teicher, Samson, Polcari & McGreenery, 2006) and parental antipathy (CECA.Q; Bifulco, Bernazzani, Moran & Jacobs, 2005). Significant correlations were found between the three measures of childhood emotional abuse and SPQ-B total and SPQ-B sub-scale scores. A multiple regression analysis indicated that 19% of the variance predicted SPQ-B total scores, where neglect was found to have the only unique predictive value to schizotypy. The findings suggests that the measured variables of emotional abuse are correlated to schizotypal scores, however only neglect show a significant predictive value. Therefore, neglect is of most importance in the understanding of the development of schizotypy traits. By understanding the relevance of various childhood adversities on schizotypy it may be possible to develop more appropriate interventions and possible treatment.bsc_Psyunpub1625_ethesesunpu