Relationships between markers of emotional and social cognition and acoustic-verbal hallucinations in children and adolescents with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Louise-Emilie Dumas, Florence Askenazy, Arnaud Fernandez
PLoS One September 23, 2025 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0332910 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Prospective observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 31 |
| Population | Children and adolescents aged 8–16 with PTSD and without psychotic disorder (DSM-5) |
| Duration | 6 months |
| Measures | DES IV, BAVQ-R, NEPSY II |
| Topics | PTSD |
| Keywords | Humans Hallucinations Prospective studies Emotions Stress disorders, post-traumatic Psychotic disorders Adolescent Child Female Biomarkers Social cognition |
| Registration | NCT03356028 |
| Key findings | At baseline, emotional and social cognition markers were not associated with the presence of acoustic-verbal hallucinations. At six months, emotional cognition markers were significantly associated with persistence of hallucinations, PTSD, and psychotic disorders, whereas social cognition markers were not. |
Abstract
Introduction: Acoustic-verbal hallucinations (AVH) occur in children and adolescents without psychotic disorders. They are often associated with anxiety, thymic and behavioral disorders and a history of trauma, notably post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). AVH may be transient, but their persistence increases the risk of progression to a psychotic disorder. The aim of this study was to observe the links between markers of emotional and social cognition and the presence of AVH in children with PTSD, as well as the evolution of post-traumatic and psychotic symptoms.
Methods: This was a prospective 6-month study, including children aged 8-16 with PTSD and without psychotic disorder (DSM-5). Participants were divided into two groups, with and without AVH. Emotional cognition markers were measured using the DES IV and BAVQ-R, while social cognition markers were assessed via the NEPSY II test.
Results: 31 patients were included: 16 with AVH and 15 without. Results showed that at inclusion, markers of emotional and social cognition were not associated with AVH. At 6 months, markers of emotional cognition were significantly associated with the persistence of AVH, PTSD and psychotic disorders, unlike those of social cognition.
Conclusion: Emotional cognition markers play a central role in the evolution of hallucinatory, post-traumatic and psychotic symptoms, and could become a target for prevention and targeted therapy. Clinical
Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03356028.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on PTSD, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy Using Low Doses in a Small Sample of Women with Chronic Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Women with chronic PTSD secondary to sexual assault | 2008 | Observational cohort | n = 6 |
| An Ambulatory Polysomnography Study of the Post-traumatic Nightmares of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Treatment-seeking veterans, current serving military members, and emergency service... | 2017 | Observational study using ambulatory polysomnography | n = 35 |
| Increased Mastery Elements Associated With Imagery Rehearsal Treatment for Nightmares in Sexual Assault Survivors With PTSD. Female sexual assault survivors with chronic nightmares | 2004 | Observational cohort | n = 44 |
| Posttraumatic stress symptoms following near-death experiences. Persons who report near-death experiences and those who came close to death without NDEs | 2001 | Observational study | |
| Impact of oral ketamine augmentation on hospital admissions in treatment-resistant depression and PTSD: a retrospective study. Outpatients with treatment-resistant depression and PTSD | 2018 | Retrospective review | n = 37 |
Citations in the library
Cites 12
- Prevalence and correlates of auditory vocal hallucinations in middle childhood The British Journal of Psychiatry December 31, 2009
- Course of auditory vocal hallucinations in childhood: 11‐year follow‐up study Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica March 24, 2016
- Relationship between social cognition and emotional markers and acoustic-verbal hallucination in youth with post-traumatic stress disorder: Protocol for a prospective, 2-year, longitudinal case-control study. PLoS One July 2, 2024
- Pathways from Trauma to Psychotic Experiences: A Theoretically Informed Model of Posttraumatic Stress in Psychosis Frontiers in Psychology May 23, 2017
- Diversity Within the Psychotic Continuum. Schizophrenia Bulletin November 21, 2016
and 7 more in the library