Stress Sensitivity and Psychotic Experiences in 39 Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

ABSTRACT: Stress has a central role in most theories of psychosis etiology, but the relation between stress and psychosis has rarely been examined in large population-level data sets, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. We used data from 39 countries in the World Health Survey (n = 176 934) to test the hypothesis that stress sensitivity would be associated with psychotic experiences, using logistic regression analyses. Respondents in low-income countries reported higher stress sensitivity (P < .001) and prevalence of psychotic experiences (P < .001), compared to individuals in middle-income countries. Greater stress sensitivity was associated with increased odds for psychotic experiences, even when adjusted for co-occurring anxiety and depressive symptoms: adjusted odds ratio (95% CI)

SUBMITTER: DeVylder JE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5049526 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature