title: Posttraumatic stress symptoms, dissociation, and alexithymia in an Italian sample of flood victims.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several studies have demonstrated a significant association between dissociation and posttraumatic symptoms. A dissociative reaction during a traumatic event may seem to predict the later development of posttraumatic stress symptoms. Moreover, several researchers also observed an alexithymic condition in a variety of traumatized samples.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 287 flood victims (men =159, 55.4%; women =128, 44.6%) with an age range of 17-21 years (mean =18.33; standard deviation =0.68) completed the following: Impact of Event Scale-Revised, Dissociative Experiences Scale II, Twenty-Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale, and Peritraumatic Dissociative Experiences Questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found significant correlations among all variables. Linear regression showed that peritraumatic dissociation plays a mediator role between alexithymia, dissociation, and post-traumatic stress symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results seem to confirm the significant roles of both dissociation and alexithymia for the development of posttraumatic symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, Kore University of Enna, Enna, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Craparo
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gori
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, Kore University of Enna, Enna, Italy.
authors.forename: Elvira
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mazzola
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, Kore University of Enna, Enna, Italy.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Petruccelli
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, Kore University of Enna, Enna, Italy.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pellerone
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Unit of Psychotraumatology, San Raffaele Giglio Hospital of Cefalù, Cefalù, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rotondo
keywords: PTSD; peritraumatic dissociation; posttraumatic symptoms