People

Dr Antonella Trotta

Senior Lecturer
School of Health and Social Care
Dr Antonella Trotta

Profile

Biography

I am a Senior Lecturer in the School of Health and Social Care at the University of Essex, where I teach quantitative research and clinical applications modules on the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology Program. I trained as Clinical Psychologist at the University of Palermo, Italy, and completed my PhD at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London. I have published articles on the interaction between genetic vulnerabilities and childhood adversities in individuals with psychosis. During my clinical research fellowships, I have been investigating developmental risk factors for young adult psychopathology using longitudinal twin cohort studies. As a Psychoanalyst, I am also passionate about psychoanalytic theories and techniques and how research on psychoanalytic interventions can inform the development of specific psychological treatments for the young adult population. My clinical and research interests also focus on psychological mechanisms, such as affective regulation and cognition, through which early life experiences contribute to the onset and outcomes of severe mental illnesses.

Qualifications

  • PhD in Psychosis Studies King's College London,

  • DClinPsy Universita' di Palermo,

  • PGDip University of Essex,

Appointments

University of Essex

  • Senior Lecturer, School of Health and Social Care, Essex University (25/10/2021 - present)

  • Athena Swan Lead, School of Health and Social Care, University of Essex (1/2/2023 - present)

Other academic

  • Clinical Reseach Fellow, King's College London (1/9/2017 - 31/12/2019)

  • Honorary Lecturer and Visiting Researcher, King's College London (1/1/2017 - present)

Research and professional activities

Research interests

Psychobiological pathways from childhood adversity to severe mental illnesses

Key words: childhood trauma
Open to supervise

Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy

Key words: Psychoanalysis
Open to supervise

Conferences and presentations

The effectiveness of psychoanalytic psychotherapy for young adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis

International Psychoanalytical Association 52nd Congress, 1/7/2021

Associations between childhood victimization, inflammatory biomarkers and psychotic phenomena in childhood and adolescence: a longitudinal cohort study ​

British Association of Psyhopharmacology Summer meeting, 1/6/2021

The impact of Childhood maltreatment on the child's mind

Invited presentation, Keynote presentation, Prochild Winter School, Prochild Winter School, Bologna, Italy, 25/1/2021

Teaching and supervision

Current teaching responsibilities

  • Clinical Applications 1 (HS762)

  • Clinical Research 1 (HS763)

  • Clinical Interventions and Skills 1 (HS765)

  • Clinical Research 2 (HS773)

  • Personal and Professional Development 3 (HS784)

  • Clinical Intervention and Skills 3 (HS785)

Publications

Journal articles (49)

Aas, M., Alameda, L., Di Forti, M., Quattrone, D., Dazzan, P., Trotta, A., Ferraro, L., Rodriguez, V., Vassos, E., Sham, P., Tripoli, G., Cascia, CL., Barbera, DL., Tarricone, I., Muratori, R., Berardi, D., Lasalvia, A., Tosato, S., Szöke, A., Llorca, P-M., Arango, C., Tortelli, A., de Haan, L., Velthorst, E., Bobes, J., Bernardo, M., Sanjuán, J., Santos, JL., Arrojo, M., Del-Ben, CM., Menezes, PR., Selten, J-P., Jones, PB., Jongsma, HE., Kirkbride, JB., Rutten, BPF., van Os, J., Gayer-Anderson, C., Murray, RM. and Morgan, C., (2023). Synergistic effects of childhood adversity and polygenic risk in first-episode psychosis: the EU-GEI study. Psychological Medicine. 53 (5), 1-9

Newbury, J., Arseneault, L., Moffitt, T., Odgers, C., Howe, LD., Bakolis, I., Reuben, A., Williams, B., Danese, A., Sugden, K., Rasmussen, L., Ambler, A., Trotta, A. and Fisher, H., (2023). Socioenvironmental adversity and adolescent psychotic experiences: exploring potential mechanisms in a UK longitudinal cohort”. Schizophrenia Bulletin. 49 (4), 1042-1054

Colizzi, M., Marin, D. and Trotta, A., (2023). Editorial: Developmental trajectories in mental health between adolescence and adulthood. Frontiers in Psychiatry. 14, 1230996-

Yiend, J., Lam, CLM., Schmidt, N., Crane, B., Heslin, M., Kabir, T., McGuire, P., Meek, C., Mouchlianitis, E., Peters, E., Stahl, D., Trotta, A. and Shergill, S., (2023). Cognitive bias modification for paranoia (CBM-pa): a randomised controlled feasibility study in patients with distressing paranoid beliefs.. Psychological Medicine. 53 (10), 4614-4626

Leung, CJ., Yiend, J., Trotta, A. and Lee, TMC., (2022). The combined cognitive bias hypothesis in anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Anxiety Disorders. 89, 102575-102575

Trotta, A., Kang, J., Stahl, D. and Yiend, J., (2021). Interpretation Bias in Paranoia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Clinical Psychological Science. 9 (1), 3-23

Trotta, A., Arseneault, L., Danese, A., Mondelli, V., Rasmussen, LJH. and Fisher, HL., (2021). Associations between childhood victimization, inflammatory biomarkers and psychotic phenomena in adolescence: A longitudinal cohort study.. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity. 98, 74-85

Ajnakina, O., Agbedjro, D., Lally, J., Forti, MD., Trotta, A., Mondelli, V., Pariante, C., Dazzan, P., Gaughran, F., Fisher, HL., David, A., Murray, RM. and Stahl, D., (2020). Predicting onset of early- and late-treatment resistance in first-episode schizophrenia patients using advanced shrinkage statistical methods in a small sample. Psychiatry Research. 294, 113527-113527

Murray, RM., Mondelli, V., Stilo, SA., Trotta, A., Sideli, L., Ajnakina, O., Ferraro, L., Vassos, E., Iyegbe, C., Schoeler, T., Bhattacharyya, S., Marques, TR., Dazzan, P., Lopez-Morinigo, J., Colizzi, M., O'Connor, J., Falcone, MA., Quattrone, D., Rodriguez, V., Tripoli, G., La Barbera, D., La Cascia, C., Alameda, L., Trotta, G., Morgan, C., Gaughran, F., David, A. and Di Forti, M., (2020). The influence of risk factors on the onset and outcome of psychosis: What we learned from the GAP study. Schizophrenia Research. 225, 63-68

Vassos, E., Sham, P., Kempton, M., Trotta, A., Stilo, SA., Gayer-Anderson, C., Di Forti, M., Lewis, CM., Murray, RM. and Morgan, C., (2020). The Maudsley environmental risk score for psychosis. Psychological Medicine. 50 (13), 2213-2220

Sideli, L., Murray, RM., Schimmenti, A., Corso, M., La Barbera, D., Trotta, A. and Fisher, HL., (2020). Childhood adversity and psychosis: a systematic review of bio-psycho-social mediators and moderators. Psychological Medicine. 50 (11), 1761-1782

Trotta, A., Arseneault, L., Caspi, A., Moffitt, TE., Danese, A., Pariante, C. and Fisher, HL., (2020). Mental Health and Functional Outcomes in Young Adulthood of Children With Psychotic Symptoms: A Longitudinal Cohort Study. Schizophrenia Bulletin. 46 (2), 261-271

Trotta, A., Iyegbe, C., Yiend, J., Dazzan, P., David, AS., Pariante, C., Mondelli, V., Colizzi, M., Murray, RM., Di Forti, M. and Fisher, HL., (2019). Interaction between childhood adversity and functional polymorphisms in the dopamine pathway on first-episode psychosis. Schizophrenia Research. 205, 51-57

Leung, CJ., Fosuaah, A., Frerichs, J., Heslin, M., Kabir, T., Lee, TMC., McGuire, P., Meek, C., Mouchlianitis, E., Nath, AS., Peters, E., Shergill, S., Stahl, D., Trotta, A. and Yiend, J., (2019). A qualitative study of the acceptability of cognitive bias modification for paranoia (CBM-pa) in patients with psychosis. BMC Psychiatry. 19 (1), 225-

Rodriguez, V., Ajnakina, O., Stilo, SA., Mondelli, V., Marques, TR., Trotta, A., Quattrone, D., Gardner-Sood, P., Colizzi, M., Wiffen, BD., Dazzan, P., Di Forti, M., Falcone, MA., David, AS. and Murray, RM., (2019). Jumping to conclusions at first onset of psychosis predicts longer admissions, more compulsory admissions and police involvement over the next 4 years: the GAP study. Psychological Medicine. 49 (13), 2256-2266

Vassos, E., Sham, P., Kempton, M., Trotta, A., Stilo, S., Gayer-Anderson, C., Di Forti, M., Lewis, C., Murray, R. and Morgan, C., (2019). F114THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MAUDSLEY ENVIRONMENTAL RISK SCORE FOR PSYCHOSIS. European Neuropsychopharmacology. 29, S1171-S1172

Ajnakina, O., Trotta, A., Di Forti, M., Stilo, S., Kolliakou, A., Gardner-Sood, P., Lopez-Morinigo, J-D., Gaughran, F., David, A., Dazzan, P., Pariante, C., Mondelli, V., Murray, R. and Fisher, H., (2018). T130. ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN DIFFERENT TYPES OF CHILDHOOD ADVERSITY AND 5-YEAR OUTCOMES IN FIRST-EPISODE PSYCHOSIS PATIENTS. Schizophrenia Bulletin. 44 (suppl_1), S166-S166

Rodriguez, V., Ajnakina, O., Stilo, S., Mondelli, V., Marques, TR., Trotta, A., Tripoli, G., Quattrone, D., Colizzi, M., Sood, P., Wiffen, B., Dazzan, P., Vassos, E., Forti, MD., David, A. and Murray, R., (2018). F68. PREMORBID IQ, EDUCATIONAL LEVEL AND JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS AS PREDICTORS OF CLINICAL OUTCOME AT FIRST ONSET OF PSYCHOSIS OVER THE NEXT 4 YEARS: THE GAP STUDY. Schizophrenia Bulletin. 44 (suppl_1), S246-S246

Ajnakina, O., Trotta, A., Forti, MD., Stilo, SA., Kolliakou, A., Gardner-Sood, P., Lopez-Morinigo, J., Gaughran, F., David, AS., Dazzan, P., Pariante, C., Mondelli, V., Murray, RM. and Fisher, HL., (2018). Different types of childhood adversity and 5-year outcomes in a longitudinal cohort of first-episode psychosis patients. Psychiatry Research. 269, 199-206

Murray, R., Forti, MD., Vassos, E., Trotta, A., Quigley, H., Ajnakina, O., Quattrone, D., Tripoli, G., Rodriguez, V. and Morgan, C., (2018). 35.4 A PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH TO THE PREVENTION OF PSYCHOSIS. Schizophrenia Bulletin. 44 (suppl_1), S59-S59

Trotta, A., Arseneault, L., Caspi, A., Danese, A., Moffitt, T., Pariante, C. and Fisher, H., (2018). O8.3. CLINICAL AND FUNCTIONAL OUTCOMES IN YOUNG ADULTHOOD OF CHILDREN WITH PSYCHOTIC SYMPTOMS: A LONGITUDINAL TWIN COHORT STUDY. Schizophrenia Bulletin. 44 (suppl_1), S97-S97

Rodriguez, V., Ajnakina, O., Stilo, S., Mondelli, V., Marques, TR., Trotta, A., Tripoli, G., Quattrone, D., Colizzi, M., Sood, P., Wiffen, B., Dazzan, P., Vassos, E., Forti, MD., David, A. and Murray, R., (2018). F68. PREMORBID IQ, EDUCATIONAL LEVEL AND JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS AS PREDICTORS OF CLINICAL OUTCOME AT FIRST ONSET OF PSYCHOSIS OVER THE NEXT 4 YEARS: THE GAP STUDY. Schizophrenia bulletin. 44 (Suppl 1), S246-S246

Murray, R., Forti, MD., Vassos, E., Trotta, A., Quigley, H., Ajnakina, O., Quattrone, D., Tripoli, G., Rodriguez, V. and Morgan, C., (2018). 35.4 A PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH TO THE PREVENTION OF PSYCHOSIS. Schizophrenia bulletin. 44 (Suppl 1), S59-S59

Trotta, A., Arseneault, L., Caspi, A., Danese, A., Moffitt, T., Pariante, C. and Fisher, H., (2018). O8.3. CLINICAL AND FUNCTIONAL OUTCOMES IN YOUNG ADULTHOOD OF CHILDREN WITH PSYCHOTIC SYMPTOMS: A LONGITUDINAL TWIN COHORT STUDY. Schizophrenia bulletin. 44 (Suppl 1), S97-S97

Ajnakina, O., Trotta, A., Di Forti, M., Stilo, S., Kolliakou, A., Gardner-Sood, P., Lopez-Morinigo, J-D., Gaughran, F., David, A., Dazzan, P., Pariante, C., Mondelli, V., Murray, R. and Fisher, H., (2018). T130. ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN DIFFERENT TYPES OF CHILDHOOD ADVERSITY AND 5-YEAR OUTCOMES IN FIRST-EPISODE PSYCHOSIS PATIENTS. Schizophrenia bulletin. 44 (Suppl 1), S166-S166

Trotta, A. and Formica, I., (2018). The Oedipus complex in psychoanalysis: Reflections on Freud's clinical cases. Mediterranean Journal of Clinical Psychology. 6 (1), 1-17

Yiend, J., Trotta, A., Meek, C., Dzafic, I., Baldus, N., Crane, B., Kabir, T., Stahl, D., Heslin, M., Shergill, S., McGuire, P. and Peters, E., (2017). Cognitive Bias Modification for paranoia (CBM-pa): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. Trials. 18 (1), 298-

Trotta, A., Iyegbe, C., Di Forti, M., Sham, PC., Campbell, DD., Cherny, S., Mondelli, V., Aitchison, K., Murray, R., Vassos, E. and Fisher, H., (2017). 133. Interplay Between Schizophrenia Polygenic Risk Score and Childhood Adversity in First-Presentation Psychotic Disorder: A Pilot Study. Schizophrenia Bulletin. 43 (suppl_1), S72-S72

O’Connor, JA., Ellett, L., Ajnakina, O., Schoeler, T., Kollliakou, A., Trotta, A., Wiffen, BD., Falcone, AM., Di Forti, M., Murray, RM., Bhattacharyya, S. and David, AS., (2017). Can cognitive insight predict symptom remission in a first episode psychosis cohort?. BMC Psychiatry. 17 (1), 54-

Trotta, A., Iyegbe, C., Di Forti, M., Sham, PC., Campbell, DD., Cherny, S., Mondelli, V., Aitchison, K., Murray, R., Vassos, E. and Fisher, H., (2017). 133. Interplay Between Schizophrenia Polygenic Risk Score and Childhood Adversity in First-Presentation Psychotic Disorder: A Pilot Study. Schizophrenia bulletin. 43 (Suppl 1), S72-S72

Lally, J., Ajnakina, O., Di Forti, M., Trotta, A., Demjaha, A., Kolliakou, A., Mondelli, V., Reis Marques, T., Pariante, C., Dazzan, P., Shergil, SS., Howes, OD., David, AS., MacCabe, JH., Gaughran, F. and Murray, RM., (2016). Two distinct patterns of treatment resistance: clinical predictors of treatment resistance in first-episode schizophrenia spectrum psychoses. Psychological Medicine. 46 (15), 3231-3240

Trotta, A., Murray, RM., David, AS., Kolliakou, A., O’Connor, J., Di Forti, M., Dazzan, P., Mondelli, V., Morgan, C. and Fisher, HL., (2016). Impact of Different Childhood Adversities on 1-Year Outcomes of Psychotic Disorder in the Genetics and Psychosis Study. Schizophrenia Bulletin. 42 (2), 464-475

Colizzi, M., Carra, E., Fraietta, S., Lally, J., Quattrone, D., Bonaccorso, S., Mondelli, V., Ajnakina, O., Dazzan, P., Trotta, A., Sideli, L., Kolliakou, A., Gaughran, F., Khondoker, M., David, AS., Murray, RM., MacCabe, JH. and Di Forti, M., (2016). Substance use, medication adherence and outcome one year following a first episode of psychosis. Schizophrenia Research. 170 (2-3), 311-317

Ajnakina, O., Trotta, A., Oakley-Hannibal, E., Di Forti, M., Stilo, SA., Kolliakou, A., Gardner-Sood, P., Gaughran, F., David, AS., Dazzan, P., Pariante, C., Mondelli, V., Morgan, C., Vassos, E., Murray, RM. and Fisher, HL., (2016). Impact of childhood adversities on specific symptom dimensions in first-episode psychosis. Psychological Medicine. 46 (2), 317-326

Trotta, A., Iyegbe, C., Di Forti, M., Sham, PC., Campbell, DD., Cherny, SS., Mondelli, V., Aitchison, KJ., Murray, RM., Vassos, E. and Fisher, HL., (2016). Interplay between Schizophrenia Polygenic Risk Score and Childhood Adversity in First-Presentation Psychotic Disorder: A Pilot Study. PLOS ONE. 11 (9), e0163319-e0163319

Di Forti, M., Marconi, A., Carra, E., Fraietta, S., Trotta, A., Bonomo, M., Bianconi, F., Gardner-Sood, P., O'Connor, J., Russo, M., Stilo, SA., Marques, TR., Mondelli, V., Dazzan, P., Pariante, C., David, AS., Gaughran, F., Atakan, Z., Iyegbe, C., Powell, J., Morgan, C., Lynskey, M. and Murray, RM., (2015). Proportion of patients in south London with first-episode psychosis attributable to use of high potency cannabis: a case-control study. The Lancet Psychiatry. 2 (3), 233-238

Trotta, A., Forti, MD., lyegbe, C., Green, P., Dazzan, P., Mondelli, V., Morgan, C., Murray, RM. and Fisher, HL., (2015). Familial risk and childhood adversity interplay in the onset of psychosis. BJPsych Open. 1 (1), 6-13

Trotta, A., Murray, RM. and Fisher, HL., (2015). The impact of childhood adversity on the persistence of psychotic symptoms: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychological Medicine. 45 (12), 2481-2498

Trotta, A., Murray, RM. and MacCabe, JH., (2015). Do premorbid and post-onset cognitive functioning differ between schizophrenia and bipolar disorder? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychological Medicine. 45 (2), 381-394

Di Forti, M., Sallis, H., Allegri, F., Trotta, A., Ferraro, L., Stilo, SA., Marconi, A., La Cascia, C., Reis Marques, T., Pariante, C., Dazzan, P., Mondelli, V., Paparelli, A., Kolliakou, A., Prata, D., Gaughran, F., David, AS., Morgan, C., Stahl, D., Khondoker, M., MacCabe, JH. and Murray, RM., (2014). Daily Use, Especially of High-Potency Cannabis, Drives the Earlier Onset of Psychosis in Cannabis Users. Schizophrenia Bulletin. 40 (6), 1509-1517

Kolliakou, A., Sallis, H., Trotta, A., O'Connor, J., Di Forti, M., David, AS. and Murray, RM., (2014). Poster #S215 EFFECTS OF CANNABIS USE ON CLINICAL AND PSYCHOSOCIAL OUTCOMES IN FIRST-EPISODE PSYCHOSIS. Schizophrenia Research. 153, S167-S167

Stilo, SA., Di Forti, M., Gayer-Anderson, C., Hubbard, K., Reininghaus, U., Trotta, A., Beards, S., Fisher, H., Mondelli, V., Murray, RM. and Morgan, C., (2014). Poster #S11 THE JOINT EFFECT OF SOCIAL ADVERSITY IN CHILDHOOD AND IN ADULTHOOD ON PREDICTING PSYCHOSIS. Schizophrenia Research. 153, S91-S92

Trotta, A., O'Connor, J., Kolliakou, A., Di Forti, M., Dazzan, P., Pariante, C., David, AS., Murray, RM. and Fisher, H., (2014). Poster #T240 CAN CHILDHOOD ADVERSITY PREDICT ONSET AND CLINICAL OUTCOMES OF PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS?. Schizophrenia Research. 153, S374-S375

Ferraro, L., Russo, M., O'Connor, J., Wiffen, BDR., Falcone, MA., Sideli, L., Gardner-Sood, P., Stilo, S., Trotta, A., Dazzan, P., Mondelli, V., Taylor, H., Friedman, B., Sallis, H., La Cascia, C., La Barbera, D., David, AS., Reichenberg, A., Murray, RM. and Di Forti, M., (2013). Cannabis users have higher premorbid IQ than other patients with first onset psychosis. Schizophrenia Research. 150 (1), 129-135

Trotta, A., Di Forti, M., Mondelli, V., Dazzan, P., Pariante, C., David, A., Mulè, A., Ferraro, L., Formica, I., Murray, RM. and Fisher, HL., (2013). Prevalence of bullying victimisation amongst first-episode psychosis patients and unaffected controls. Schizophrenia Research. 150 (1), 169-175

Abbs, B., Achalia, RM., Adelufosi, AO., Aktener, AY., Beveridge, NJ., Bhakta, SG., Blackman, RK., Bora, E., Byun, MS., Cabanis, M., Carrion, R., Castellani, CA., Chow, TJ., Dmitrzak-Weglarz, M., Gayer-Anderson, C., Gomes, FV., Haut, K., Hori, H., Kantrowitz, JT., Kishimoto, T., Lee, FHF., Lin, A., Palaniyappan, L., Quan, M., Rubio, MD., de Azúa, SR., Sahoo, S., Strauss, GP., Szczepankiewicz, A., Thompson, AD., Trotta, A., Tully, LM., Uchida, H., Velthorst, E., Young, JW., O'Shea, A. and DeLisi, LE., (2012). The 3rd Schizophrenia International Research Society Conference, 14–18 April 2012, Florence, Italy: Summaries of oral sessions. Schizophrenia Research. 141 (1), e1-e24

Trotta, A., (2012). PREVALENCE OF BULLYING AMONGST FIRST-EPISODE PSYCHOSIS PATIENTS AND UNAFFECTED CONTROLS. Schizophrenia Research. 136, S24-S24

Trotta, A., Di Forti, M., Morgan, C., Dazzan, P., Pariante, C., David, A., Mule, A., La Cascia, C., La Barbera, D., Murray, RM. and Fisher, HL., (2012). Poster #63 PREVALENCE OF BULLYING AMONGST FIRST-EPISODE PSYCHOSIS PATIENTS AND UNAFFECTED CONTROLS. Schizophrenia Research. 136, S303-S303

Trotta, A., MacCabe, JH. and Murray, RM., (2012). Poster #131 PREMORBIDAND POST-ONSET COGNITIVE FUNCTIONINGIN SCHIZOPHRENIA AND BIPOLAR DISORDERS. A META-ANALYSIS. Schizophrenia Research. 136, S233-S233

Books (1)

(2022). Prevention in Mental Health. Springer International Publishing. 9783030979058

Book chapters (1)

Trotta, A., (2022). Childhood Trauma and Mental Health: Never Too Early to Intervene. In: Prevention in Mental Health. Springer International Publishing. 91- 108. 9783030979058

Reports and Papers (1)

Vassos, E., Sham, P., Kempton, M., Trotta, A., Stilo, SA., Gayer-Anderson, C., Forti, MD., Lewis, CM., Murray, RM. and Morgan, C., The Maudsley Environmental Risk Score for Psychosis