Trauma-Related Dissociation Is Linked With Maladaptive Personality Functioning

Abstract

Background: Extensive research has demonstrated the positive associations among the exposure to traumatic experiences, the levels of dissociation, and the severity of psychiatric symptoms in adults. However, it has been hypothesized in clinical literature that an excessive activation of the dissociative processes following multiple traumatic experiences may jeopardize the psychological and behavioral functioning of the individuals, fostering higher levels of maladaptive personality functioning.Methods: The study involved 322 adult volunteers from Italy. Participants completed measures on traumatic experiences, dissociation, and maladaptive personality traits.Results: The number of traumatic experiences reported by participants were positively associated with dissociation scores and maladaptive personality scores. Mediation analyses showed that dissociation acted as a partial mediator in the relationship between traumatic experiences and overall maladaptive personality functioning. Regression curve analyses showed that the positive association between maladaptive personality functioning and dissociation was stronger among participants with higher exposure to traumatic experiences.Conclusion: Exposure to multiple traumatic experiences may increase the risk for an excessive activation of the dissociative processes, which in turn may generate severe impairments in multiple domains of personality functioning.

Is Our Self Related to Personality? A Neuropsychodynamic Model

“…Traumatic experiences, particularly attachment trauma and early relational adverse experiences, not only foster dissociation and psychopathology (Schimmenti, 2017 ) creating a vertical disconnection in the mind-brain-body system but also elicit the impulsivity, lack of effortful control, emotional dysregulation and use of immature defenses that are characteristics of self-other pathologies (see alternative model of personality disorders, DSM-5, 2013), such as BPO or maladaptive personality pathologies in general (Mucci, 2016 , 2018 ; Granieri et al, 2017 , 2018 ).…”

Depressive Symptoms and Addictive Behaviors in Young Adults After Childhood Trauma: The Mediating Role of Personality Organization and Despair

“…On a behavioral level, this adverse influence on brain development is reflected by impaired emotional regulation which was found to mediate the relationship between childhood trauma and adult psychopathology ( 13 , 14 ). Furthermore, recent studies by Schimmenti ( 15 ) and Granieri et al ( 16 ) observed that the link between childhood trauma, adult life psychopathology and personality dysfunction is partially mediated by dissociation. This particular emotional regulation strategy presents a serious obstacle in the functional development of the brain-mind and is considered a primitive defense style related to splitting mechanisms and fragmentation of the self ( 17 ).…”

A New Measure for Assessing Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders: The Addictive Behavior Questionnaire (ABQ)

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