The longitudinal association between adverse childhood experiences and persistence of psychotic-like experiences in young people: evidence from the ALSPAC birth cohort

Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with increased risk of psychotic-like experiences (PLEs), but the relationship between specific adversities and the persistence of PLEs in young people remains unclear. This study examined associations between distinct ACE types and the persistence of PLEs until 24 years old.Methods: Using longitudinal data from participants in the ALSPAC cohort with at least one PLE datapoint, we used group-based trajectory modelling to estimate longitudinal trajectories of PLEs from age 12-24. We examined their associations with bullying victimisation, maltreatment, parental mental health problems, parental substance abuse, parental separation, and parental intimate partner violence in infancy and childhood prior to first PLE experiences. Results: Amongst 4,448 participants, a three-group trajectory model provided the best fit, revealing low, increasing and persistent PLEs groups from ages 12-24. In fully adjusted multinomial logistic regression models, those exposed to bullying were more likely to belong to either the increasing (relative risk ratio [RRR]: 1.83, 95%CIs: 1.26 – 2.66) or high (RRR: 1.78, 95%CIs: 1.07 – 2.93) PLEs group than the low PLE group; those exposed to maltreatment were more likely to be in the increasing PLE group (RRR: 1.47, 95%CIs: 1.03 – 2.10). No other ACEs were associated with PLE trajectories.Conclusions: Bullying was associated with persistent PLEs up to 24 years old, independent of other forms of childhood adversity, with timing-specific effects of maltreatment on increasing symptoms emerging later in adolescence. Findings provide further evidence for the importance of prioritising bullying and maltreatment reduction as salient public health targets.