Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE) and Trauma and Loss Spectrum (TALS) 12 months after an earthquake in Italy

Research following disasters allows for exploration of the effects of severe stress on mental health, as trauma is likely to increase the risk of psychosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between post-earthquake symptom distress and subclinical psychological symptoms on 512 young students, one year after the earthquake on 6 April 2009 in L'Aquila, Italy. Methods: Assessments included the Trauma and Loss Spectrum Self-Report and Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE). Significant associations were seen between trauma-related measures and subclinical symptoms of psychosis and depression scores. Results: Trauma related measures are associated with a weak increase in the subclinical positive and negative dimensions of psychosis, and a modest increase in the subclinical depressive dimension. Conclusions: Different post-trauma risk trajectories, were the main predictors of the three CAPE scores. Post-traumatic stress syndrome predicted CAPE positive, negative and depressive subclinical experiences in different ways