BackgroundSomatoform dissociation is a specific form of dissociation with somatic manifestations represented in the form of ‘pseudoneurological’ symptoms due to disturbances or alterations of normal integrated functions of consciousness, memory or identity mainly related to trauma and other psychological stressors. With respect to the distinction between psychological and somatoform manifestations of dissociation current data suggest a hypothesis to which extent mild manifestations of ‘pseudoneurological’ symptoms in healthy young population may be linked to stress-related psychopathological symptoms or whether these symptoms more likely could be attributed to unexplained somatic factors.MethodsWith this aim we have assessed the relationship between somatoform dissociation and stress-related psychopathology (i.e. anxiety, depression, symptoms of traumatic stress, alexithymia) in a group of 250 healthy non-psychiatric and non-clinical young adults.ResultsResults of this study show that the symptoms of somatoform dissociation are significantly linked to stress-related psychopathology.ConclusionsFindings of this study show that the ‘pseudoneurological’ symptoms may be linked to stress-related psychopathological processes which indicate that also mild levels of stress may influence somatic feelings and may lead to various somatoform dissociative symptoms.
Current findings suggest that mother's marital status indicating father's absence or conflicting relationship to father may be specifically related to dissociation and other stress-related symptoms.We have assessed relationships of mother's marital status, dissociative symptoms, and other psychopathological manifestations in a sample of 19 years’ old young adults (N = 364) participating in European longitudinal study (European Longitudinal Study of Parenthood and Childhood).The results show clinically significant manifestations of dissociative symptoms in young adult men whose mothers were fatherless and in women whose mothers were re-married. Other psychopathological symptoms did not reach clinically significant manifestations.The results suggest that significant factor related to high level of dissociative symptoms in men growing in fatherless families might be linked with disturbed and conflicting attachment to a father's figure and pathological dependent attachment to mother. In women dissociative symptoms likely are linked to conflicting relationship between mother and daughter associated with stepfather’ presence in the family.
Dissociation is traditionally attributed to trauma and other psychological stressors although there is evidence that in many cases dissociative symptoms could be attributable to initial brain insult, injury or other organic brain disease. With respect to these findings there is a question to which extent symptoms of somatoform dissociation are related to symptoms of traumatic stress or whether these symptoms may be predominantly attributed to various somatic factors. With this aim we have assessed the relationship between somatoform dissociation and symptoms of traumatic stress in a group of 75 healthy adolescents. Main result of this study indicates statistically significant relationship between somatoform dissociative symptoms and psychosocial stressors measured by symptoms of traumatic stress. Results of this study also show that the symptoms of somatoform dissociation may occur continuously in population and that only in high level of their experience they cause psychopathological states. In this context, result of this study suggests that also mild levels of stress influence somatic feelings that may lead to symptoms that may occur also as a consequence of various somatic factors.
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