Cognitive biases for trauma stimuli in people with schizophrenia

Objectives. This study investigates whether cognitive biases related to trauma (physical and sexual trauma) are present in a sample of participants with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Method. Fifty‐three participants, with a DSM‐IV diagnosis of schizophrenia, completed tasks of attentional and memory bias, followed by several trauma report questionnaires. Those who reported a history of sexual and/or physical trauma were compared with a ‘non‐specific/no‐trauma’ subgroup. The reliability of trauma reports was determined by comparing current data on the Trauma History Questionnaire to that gathered one year previously, for a subsample of participants. Concordance rates and kappa coefficients suggested moderate to high reliability for reports of sexual and physical trauma. Attentional bias was assessed by comparing colour‐naming times on modified Stroops, of either a sexual or physical nature, with control Stroops with negative, positive and neutral emotionally valenced stimuli. A subsequent incidental recall memory task was then employed. Results. High rates of sexual and/or physical trauma were found. Those who reported a history of sexual trauma evidenced a statistically significant increase in colour‐naming times for sexual trauma stimuli, compared to both the ‘physical trauma only’ and the ‘non‐specific/no trauma’ control groups. They also showed greater incidental recall of sexual trauma words in comparison to the other groups. Such a pattern was not, however, discerned for those reporting histories of physical trauma. Conclusions. Findings suggest cognitive schemata related to sexual trauma remains ‘active’ in those people with schizophrenia who report a related history.