Citation

Krüger C, Fletcher L. J. Trauma Dissociation 2017; 18(3): 356-372.

Affiliation

Department of Statistics , University of Pretoria , Pretoria , South Africa.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/15299732.2017.1295420

PMID

28318411

Abstract

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.

Language: en

Keywords

Abuser–abused relational ties; biological parents/siblings; childhood maltreatment; dissociative disorders; emotional abuse; emotional neglect; intimate partners