title: Dissociation and Posttraumatic Symptoms in Maltreated Preschool Children.
abstract: This study examines dissociation and posttraumatic symptomatology in a sample of maltreated preschool-age children in foster care. Analyses compared Child Behavior Checklist subscale scores for the foster care sample and a community sample, and also examined differences between maltreatment subtypes. Exposure to any type of maltreatment was associated with greater dissociation and posttraumatic symptomatology in this sample. Preschool-age children with documented sexual abuse displayed high levels of posttraumatic symptoms, whereas children with documented physical abuse tended to use dissociation as a primary coping mechanism. The finding that physically abused children had high levels of dissociation confirms previous research with preschoolers.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Psychology Doctoral Student, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR.
authors.forename: Annmarie C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Hulette
authors.affiliation: Professor of Psychology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR.
authors.forename: Jennifer J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Freyd
authors.affiliation: Research Scientist, Oregon Social Learning Center, Eugene, OR.
authors.forename: Katherine C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Pears
authors.affiliation: Research Scientist, Oregon Social Learning Center, Eugene, OR.
authors.forename: Hyoun K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Research Scientist, Oregon Social Learning Center, Eugene, OR; Senior Scientist, Center for Research to Practice, Eugene, OR.
authors.forename: Philip A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.affiliation: Instructor in the Psychology Department, Washington State University, Vancouver, WA.
authors.forename: Kathryn A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Becker-Blease
keywords: PTSD; child abuse; dissociation; maltreatment; preschoolers