Dissociative experiences and trauma in eating disorders.
This study explores the relationship between traumatic experiences and dissociative phenomena in a large group of eating disorder patients (N = 98). Traumatic experiences were assessed by means of a self-report questionnaire and a clinical interview; dissociative experiences were assessed with the newly developed self-reporting Dissociation Questionnaire (DIS-Q). About 25% of the patients reported to have experienced traumatic events in their personal life and this subgroup had significantly higher scores on the DIS-Q, compared with normal control subjects. About 12% of our patient sample mentioned dissociative experiences to a degree as high as in a group of patients with dissociative disorders. Amnesia turned out to be the most specific characteristic in trauma-induced dissociation. These data suggest that trauma-induced dissociative experiences may play an important role in the development of a subgroup of patients with an eating disorder.
Vanderlinden
J
J
Eating Disorder Unit, University Center Kortenberg, Belgium.
Vandereycken
W
W
van Dyck
R
R
Vertommen
H
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D002032:Bulimia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D004213:Dissociative Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*