STRESSORS AND CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS DURING CHILDHOOD AND DISSOCIATIVE EXPERIENCES IN SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ABUSE AMONG INPATIENT PSYCHIATRIC WOMEN

The purpose of this study was to examine which childhood events were a ssociated with more extensive use of adult dissociative states in 90 f emale inpatients with histories of sexual abuse. The study found that childhood stressors of maltreatment (physical neglect, witnessing sexu al abuse, and witnessing physical abuse) were associated with higher l evels of dissociative symptoms. In contrast, childhood stressors of lo ss (parental separation and death of a close relative) were not relate d to increased severity of dissociative symptoms. The study also demon strated that a close relationship with either a parent, sibling, extra parental adult, or friend did not have a mediating effect on the degre e of adult dissociative symptoms. Directions for future research are p resented. Copyright (C) 1995 by W.B. Saunders Company