Dissociative symptoms in relation to childhood physical and sexual abuse

TLDR

Studies have reported high rates of childhood abuse among individuals with psychiatric illness. The study aimed to determine whether dissociative symptoms are specifically associated with histories of abuse. Ninety‑eight female psychiatric inpatients completed self‑report measures of childhood trauma, dissociative symptoms, and general psychiatric symptoms. Sixty‑three percent reported abuse, 83% had dissociative scores above the normal adult median (with 24% at or above the PTSD median), and those with abuse histories exhibited higher dissociative symptom levels.

Abstract

Studies have reported high rates of childhood abuse in people with psychiatric illness. This study examined whether dissociative symptoms are specific to patients with histories of abuse. Ninety-eight female psychiatric inpatients completed self-report instruments that focused on childhood history of trauma, dissociative symptoms, and psychiatric symptoms in general. Sixty-three percent of the subjects reported physical and/or sexual abuse. Eighty-three percent had dissociative symptom scores above the median score of normal adults, and 24% had scores at or above the median score of patients with posttraumatic stress disorder. Subjects with a history of childhood abuse reported higher levels of dissociative symptoms than those who did not.