Predicting a dissociative disorder from type of childhood maltreatment and abuser-abused relational tie.
We investigate the types of childhood maltreatment and abuser-abused relational ties that best predict a dissociative disorder (DD). Psychiatric inpatients (n = 116; mean age = 35; F:M = 1.28:1) completed measures of dissociation and trauma. Abuse type and abuser-abused relational ties were recorded in the Traumatic Experiences Questionnaire. Multidisciplinary team clinical diagnosis or administration of the SCID-D-R to high dissociators confirmed DD diagnoses. Logit models described the relationships between abuser-abused relational tie and the diagnostic grouping of patients, DD present (n = 16) or DD absent (n = 100). Fisher's exact tests measured the relative contribution of specific abuse types. There was a positive relationship between abuse frequency and the presence of DD. DD patients experienced more abuse than patients without DDs. Two combinations of abuse type and relational tie predicted a DD: childhood emotional neglect by biological parents/siblings and later emotional abuse by intimate partners. These findings support the early childhood etiology of DDs and subsequent maladaptive cycles of adult abuse. Enquiries about childhood maltreatment should include a history of emotional neglect by biological parents/siblings. Adult emotional abuse by intimate partners should assist in screening for DDs.
a Department of Psychiatry , University of Pretoria; and Weskoppies Hospital , Pretoria , South Africa.
Christa
C
Krüger
b Department of Statistics , University of Pretoria , Pretoria , South Africa.
Lizelle
L
Fletcher
D000328:Adult; D054523:Adult Survivors of Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology*; D004213:Dissociative Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
Abuser–abused relational ties; biological parents/siblings; childhood maltreatment; dissociative disorders; emotional abuse; emotional neglect; intimate partners