Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 3, 2026

Brain Morphology of Cannabis Users With or Without Psychosis: A Pilot MRI Study
Published on: August 18, 2020
Hallucinations in adolescent inpatients with post-traumatic stress disorder and schizophrenia: similarities and
Mary Jessop1, James Scott, Barry Nurcombe
1Child and Youth Mental Health Service, Royal Children's Hospital and Health District Service, Brisbane, QLD, Australia. Mary_Jessop@health.qld.gov.au
Objective:
This study compares the phenomenology of hallucinations in a series of hospitalized adolescents diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and schizophrenia.
Methods:
Subjects admitted to a tertiary adolescent inpatient unit were screened for hallucinations. Those reporting hallucinations were asked standardized questions relating to these experiences. Hallucinations in subjects with a primary diagnosis of schizophrenia or PTSD were compared.
Results:
Hallucinations in both schizophrenia and PTSD have similar form and content. Frequent, vivid, realistic, external hallucinations occurred in both disorders. Hallucinations in PTSD were usually derogatory and related to self-harm, but not direct reflections of traumatic events. Patients with PTSD reported greater emotional distress, self-harm and suicidal ideation than those with schizophrenia.
Conclusions:
This case series suggests that the phenomenology of hallucinations in adolescents with schizophrenia and PTSD is similar.
Related Concept Videos
Positive Symptoms Schizophrenia: Hallucinations and Delusions
Hallucinations
Hallucinations in...
Positive Symptoms of Schizophrenia: Hallucinations and Delusions
Thought Disorders
Disorganized and unusual thought processes mark thought disorders in schizophrenia. One key feature is disorganized speech, where an individual's conversation includes loosely...
Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia
Psychosis: Pathophysiology of Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders
Researchers have identified genetic factors that increase susceptibility to schizophrenia, underscoring the intricate interplay between genetics and environment in disease development. At the core of schizophrenia's pathophysiology is excessive dopaminergic neurotransmission within the...
Psychosis and Antipsychotic Drugs: Overview
