Posttraumatic Dissociation as a Mediator of the Effects of Trauma on Distressful Introspectiveness

Abstract

This paper focuses on the stable personality trait of introspectiveness, exploring the relationship between introspectiveness and childhood trauma, dissociation and emotional distress. Ninety Israeli women were recruited from emergency counseling services and from academic and office employment settings. Pearson correlations between traumatic experiences and various dimensions of introspectiveness revealed significant links. Negative emotional and sexual experiences were the trauma variables that contributed most to this relationship, whereas a tendency to be aware of feelings toward family and about mortality were the dimensions of introspection that added most to this association. Prior trauma history, dissociation, introspectiveness, and emotional distress were significantly interrelated. The data from a path analysis performed suggest that introspectiveness may be better explained by the independent effect of dissociation rather than directly by trauma or by emotional distress. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.

Childhood Traumatic Experiences, Dissociative Symptoms, and Dissociative Disorder Comorbidity Among Patients With Panic Disorder: A Preliminary Study

“…Those with childhood traumas and dissociative symptoms usually experience affect dysregulation (van der Kolk, Pelcovitz, & Roth, 1996). These fluctuations occur with a series of painful introspective mechanisms (Somer, 2002). We propose that dissociation is a defense mechanism against traumatic memories, and this leads to emotional dysregulation, somatization, anxiety associated with panic attacks, and expectation anxiety.…”

Advances in Dissociation Research and Practice in Israel

“…Although this group seemed to be rather unconcerned by the etiology of these dissociative traits, several other Israeli publications attempted to show the link between childhood trauma and dissociative pathology, among them a book review (e.g., Somer, 1997c), literature review articles (e.g., Bar-Guy & Shalev, 2001), and empirical research papers demonstrating significant statistical pathways connecting dissociation with childhood trauma, as well as with distressful introspectiveness and maladaptive daydreaming (Somer, 2002a(Somer, , 2002b. The interest in the traumatic etiology of dissociative psychopathology was also reflected in several other Israeli research studies showing that posttraumatic dissociation was a predictor of a later proclivity to seek chemical dissociation through opiate use (Avni, 2000(Avni, , 2002Somer, 2003, in press;Somer & Avni, 2003) and a probable factor in the tendency of survivors to seek solace in the arms of misguided male therapist offenders (Somer, 1999).…”