Gender differences in the association between childhood trauma, clinical symptoms, and cognitive function in Chinese...

This study investigates the gender-specific associations between childhood trauma, clinical symptoms, and cognitive function in Chinese patients with chronic schizophrenia.

A total of 601 patients with chronic schizophrenia were evaluated using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ-SF), the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), and the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS). Correlation and regression analyses were performed to explore the relationships between childhood trauma and clinical symptoms and cognitive function, considering gender differences.

Childhood trauma prevalence showed no gender differences. In male patients, physical neglect predicted PANSS Positive symptoms (β = 0.123), and physical abuse was linked to lower Visuospatial Construction scores (β = -0.103). In female patients, emotional neglect predicted PANSS Positive (β = 0.225) and Excitement factors (β = 0.197), and emotional abuse predicted Depressive symptoms (β = 0.186). Sexual abuse was associated with lower language scores (β = -0.204), and physical neglect with deficits in Immediate (β = -0.261) and Delayed Memory (β = -0.157).

The findings highlight distinct gender-specific patterns in the impact of childhood trauma on clinical symptoms among patients with chronic schizophrenia. This suggests the necessity for gender-specific therapeutic interventions to address these differences effectively.