Relationships of dissociation and childhood abuse and neglect with heart rate in delinquent adolescents.
This study examined the relationship of dissociative symptoms, abuse and neglect, and gender to mean heart rate (HR) in two types of interviews. Participants were 25 female and 16 male delinquent adolescents. Dissociative symptoms and abuse and neglect were assessed by structured interviews. Participants were randomized to one of two conditions, to describe either their most stressful life experience or their free association thoughts. Greater dissociative symptoms were associated with lower mean HR, whereas abuse and neglect, being a girl, and participating in the free association task were associated with higher mean HR. The finding that high levels of dissociative symptoms may be related to a suppression of autonomic physiological responses to stress support Bremner's conceptualization (J. D. Bremner, 1999) that dissociative symptoms comprise one of two subtypes of the acute stress response, differing physiologically as well as subjectively from a predominantly hyperarousal or intrusive symptom response.
Koopman
Cheryl
C
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305-5718, USA. cheryl.koopman@leland.stanford.edu
Carrion
Victor
V
Butler
Lisa D
LD
Sudhakar
Shiv
S
Palmer
Laura
L
Steiner
Hans
H
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004213:Dissociative Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male