Purpose: This study sought to investigate whether the experience of childhood trauma increases the likelihood that individuals with psychosis will be motivated to drink alcohol as an avoidant coping strategy and adopt a ‘sealing over’ recovery style.

Method: Seventy-two participants with a diagnosis of a psychotic disorder completed assessments of childhood trauma, drinking motives, recovery style, and alcohol use.

Results: Overall current alcohol use was low but 34.8% of respondents reported a history of alcohol-related problems. Childhood emotional abuse predicted motivation to drink alcohol to cope and a history of alcohol-related problems. The relationship between emotional abuse and history of alcohol-related problems was fully mediated by motivation to drink alcohol to cope. Recovery style was not observed to be related to any key variables.

Conclusions: Findings highlight the need to routinely assess childhood trauma in clinical practice and to consider the impact of emotional abuse upon coping strategies in individuals with psychosis during treatment. Theoretical implications and recommendations for future research are suggested.