Sexually abused children twice as likely to develop schizophrenia, study shows

Researchers from Austria reveal that sexually abused children are at risk of developing psychotic illnesses in adulthood, reports Reuters.

The study shows that children who were sexually assaulted have more than double the odds of developing schizophrenia. Currently, 0.7 percent of the general population have the illness, however individuals who were abused account for 1.9 percent of diagnosed cases.

Experts say that the findings do not necessarily signify that abuse triggers psychosis directly, but rather it may reflect risk factors such as poverty or a difficult family situation. Furthermore, children who are sexually assaulted may become anxious, withdrawn and perceive the world as a threatening place.

Researchers add that while the new results cannot prove a direct relationship between abuse and later psychosis, it may guide those who were sexually assaulted toward professional help.

Individuals with the condition often exhibit a lack of pleasure in everyday life, experience hallucinations, delusions, and unusual or dysfunctional thought processes.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, an estimated 2.4 million people in the U.S. have a diagnosed case of schizophrenia.