Vocational Function Among Persons with Schizophrenia with and Without History of Childhood Sexual Trauma

This study examined whether history of childhood sexual abuse in schizophrenia is linked with severity of vocational deficits. Work performance was measured using the Work Behavior Inventory and hours of work performed in a vocational rehabilitation program and then compared for 12 participants with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder reporting abuse and 18 with schizophrenia with no abuse history. ANOVAs indicated that the sexual abuse group worked fewer hours during the first 4 weeks of the program and demonstrated poorer work performance overall. An interaction was found suggesting that the sexually abused group's performance declined as the nonsexually abused group improved over time. Childhood sexual abuse may be associated with greater vocational deficits in adults with schizophrenia.