Dissociative symptomatology and traumatogenic factors in adolescent psychiatric patients

This study describes the relation of different types of childhood trauma to the degree of dissociative experiences. Subjects were 198 consecutively ad mitted adolescent psychiatric patients, 11 to 19 years old (89 inpatients a nd 109 outpatients). All patients completed the Adolescent Dissociative Exp eriences Scale. A Checklist of Traumatic Childhood Events was filled out by clinicians. The results showed an increase in the degree of dissociative e xperiences in patients with a history of sexual abuse, physical abuse, negl ect, and stressful life events. With the exception of Life events, a modera te form of traumatic experience had the same effect on dissociative experie nces as severe forms. The strongest effect was found for emotional neglect, which seems to be an important pathogenic risk factor. The results suggest that therapists and researchers should be aware that even less severe form s of abuse and neglect may have a significant impact on the development of dissociative psychopathology in adolescents.