Psychotic experiences and PTSD: exploring associations in a population survey
Abstract
Background Extensive evidence has shown that experiencing a traumatic event and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are associated with experiences of psychosis. However, less is known about specific PTSD symptoms and their relationship with psychotic experiences. This study aimed to examine the relationship between symptoms of PTSD with paranoia and auditory hallucinations in a large-scale sample. Method The Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (APMS) was utilized to examine the prevalence of lifetime trauma, symptoms of PTSD, and experiences of paranoia and auditory hallucinations (n = 7403). Results There were significant bivariate associations between symptoms of PTSD and psychotic experiences. Multiple logistic regression analyses indicated that reliving and arousal symptoms were significant predictors for paranoia while reliving, but not arousal symptoms, also significantly predicted auditory hallucinations. A dose-response relationship was found, the greater the number of PTSD symptoms, the greater the odds were of experiencing both paranoia and hallucinations. Conclusions These findings illustrate that symptoms of PTSD are associated with increased odds of experiencing auditory hallucinations and paranoia. Overlaps appear to be present between the symptoms of PTSD and psychotic experiences. Increasing awareness of this association may advance work in clinical practice.
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Paranoia occurs transdiagnostically.
“Paranoia occurs transdiagnostically (e.g. Alsawy, Wood, Taylor, & Morrison, 2015; D’Agostino, Monti, & Starcevic, 2019; Varghese et al., 2011).”
From A counterweight model for understanding and treating persecutory delusions. (2025) · cites this paper as Alsawy, Wood, Taylor, & Morrison, 2015
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“This is a similar response rate found in a study which examined the dose-response relationship between trauma and psychosis (Bentall et al. 2012).”
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Auditory hallucinations across the lifespan: a systematic review and meta-analysis
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A counterweight model for understanding and treating persecutory delusions.
Freeman, D., Isham, L., & Waite, F. (2025) · Psychological Medicine · doi:10.1017/s0033291725001242 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
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- Authors
- Alsawy, S., Wood, L., Taylor, P. J., & Morrison, A. P.
- Affiliations
- University of Manchester (GB)
- North East London NHS Foundation Trust (GB)
- University of Liverpool (GB)
- National Health Service (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Wood, L.
- Venue
- Psychological Medicine
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 2015-05-20
- Volume
- 45
- Issue
- 13
- Pages
- 2849-2859
- ISSN
- 0033-2917 (ISSN-L)
- 1469-8978
- OpenAlex
- W2109067488
- Cited by
- 78
- References
- 15
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 1
- FWCI
- 12.42
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychological Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research Explorer (The University of Manchester) (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Schizophrenia research and treatment
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Migration, Health and Trauma
- Keywords
- post-traumatic stress disorder, psychotic experiences, paranoia, auditory hallucinations, lifetime trauma, arousal symptoms, dose-response relationship, Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Female, Hallucinations, Humans, Male, Mass Screening, Middle Aged, Paranoid Disorders, Psychotic Disorders, Surveys and Questionnaires, Risk Factors, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Logistic Models, Odds Ratio, Young Adult
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