title: Standardized mirror confrontation: Body-related emotions, cognitions and level of dissociation in patients with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder after childhood sexual abuse.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A criterion for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is the avoidance of trauma-associated stimuli that trigger emotional suffering. First studies on body image of patients with PTSD after childhood sexual abuse (CSA) support the hypothesis that awareness of the own body triggers emotional suffering.
  
  
  METHODS
  Body-related emotions, cognitions and level of dissociation of n = 17 patients meeting DSM-IV criteria for PTSD and n = 29 healthy controls (HCs) during a standardized mirror confrontation while wearing a standard bikini were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was shown that expecting to be and while being confronted with one's own body, patients with PTSD showed significantly stronger negative emotionality and cognitions as well as higher dissociative states as compared to HCs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings suggest that in patients with PTSD after CSA, one's own body might function as a stimulus that leads to aversive emotional responses, negative cognitions and dissociative states. The elaboration of treatment for PTSD should consider these body-related aspects, e.g., by investigating the effects of body exposure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Central Institute for Mental Health, Heidelberg University, J5, D-68159 Mannheim, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Borgmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Central Institute for Mental Health, Heidelberg University, J5, D-68159 Mannheim, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Nikolaus
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kleindienst
authors.affiliation: Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Osnabrück University, Knollstrasse 15, D-49069 Osnabrück, Germany.
authors.forename: Silja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vocks
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Biological Psychology, Faculty for Social Sciences, Mannheim University, D-68131 Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Anne Sibilla
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Dyer
keywords: Body image; Childhood sexual abuse; Dissociation; Emotions; Mirror confrontation; Posttraumatic Stress Disorder