Physiological arousal and dissociation in acute trauma victims during trauma narratives.
The aim of the present study was to examine whether the finding of suppressed physiological activity in dissociative rape-trauma victims (Griffin, Resick, & Mechanic, 1997) was replicable in a nonsexual assault trauma group. A sample of 17 high-dissociating (HD) participants and 18 low-dissociating (LD) participants who had experienced a motor vehicle accident or physical assault described their trauma while skin conductance, heart rate activity, and self-reported mood were recorded. HD individuals demonstrated a trend for elevated heart rate during the experiment compared with LD participants, but both groups displayed comparable skin-conductance levels. Curve estimation analysis indicated that the two groups had a similar pattern of physiological responding during the trauma narratives. These findings challenge the notion that dissociative reactions are associated with reduced psychophysiological arousal after trauma.
Nixon
Reginald D V
RD
Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia 5001. reg.nixon@flinders.edu.au
Bryant
Richard A
RA
Moulds
Michelle L
ML
Felmingham
Kim L
KL
Mastrodomenico
Julie A
JA
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology*; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004213:Dissociative Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005712:Galvanic Skin Response / Q000502:physiology*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D033262:Narration; D040701:Stress Disorders, Traumatic, Acute / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires