Trauma-Related Dissociation Is No Fantasy: Addressing the Errors of Omission and Commission in Merckelbach and Patihis (2018)

Brand, Bethany L.; Dalenberg, Constance J.; Frewen, Paul A.; Loewenstein, Richard J.; Schielke, Hugo J.; Brams, Jolie S.; Spiegel, David

doi:10.1007/s12207-018-9336-8

Cited by 30 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 73 publications

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“…Childhood traumatic events are linked with nightmares and dissociative experiences (Agargun et al, 2003). Hence, a relationship between sleep experiences and dissociative symptoms can be explained by traumatic experiences that cause sleep disturbances such as nightmares, hyperarousal and sleep avoidance (Ohayon, Shapiro, Ohayon, & Shapiro, 2000) in individuals with DID or PTSD, resulting in heightened dissociative symptoms as a by-product and vice-versa (Brand et al, 2018;Koffel & Watson, 2009). Our results show a strong effect of traumatic experiences on DID symptomatology, even when controlling the effect of sleep disturbances.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 55%

“…Furthermore, the presence of dissociative symptoms is highly contingent on childhood trauma history (Frewen, Brown, & Lanius, 2016). However, self-reported rates of trauma may be underreported due to knowingly withheld information to avoid painful recollection (Koutstaal, Schacter, Johnson, Angell, & Gross, 1998), or unknowingly withheld due to dissociative processes (Brand et al, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Sleep, trauma, fantasy and cognition in dissociative identity disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and healthy controls: a replication and extension study

Dimitrova

Fernando

Vissia³

et al. 2020

European Journal of Psychotraumatology

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Background: Two aetiology models for dissociative identity disorder (DID) have been proposed, namely a childhood Trauma Model and an iatrogenic or Fantasy model. A recent study indicated that sleep disturbances underlie dissociative symptomatology. Objective: Our current study aims to test whether this finding can be replicated in an independent sample and to investigate if this finding still holds after correcting for childhood and adult traumatization. An experimental working memory task is included to investigate how sleep disturbance, traumatization, dissociation, and fantasy proneness impact cognitive functioning. Methods: Three groups of participants were includedindividuals with DID, individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and matched healthy controls. Sleep disturbances were measured and compared between the groups along with measures of childhood and adult traumatization, psychoform and somatoform [psychological and somatic] dissociative symptoms, and fantasy proneness. Cognitive capacity was assessed using a working memory task. Results: When controlled for traumatic experiences, sleep disturbances did not predict dissociative symptoms. When controlled for sleep disturbance and fantasy proneness, childhood traumatization did predict dissociative symptoms. Psychoform dissociative symptoms correlated with traumatic experiences more than with fantasy proneness. Working memory performance was similar among the participating groups. Propensity to fantasy did not discriminate individuals with DID and PTSD, and was a weak predictor of dissociative symptoms. Conclusion: Whereas DID and PTSD are associated with sleep disturbances, these features do not statistically predict dissociative symptoms in these disorders when traumatic experiences are taken into account. Fantasy proneness is not excessive in DID and PTSD. Hence, we found no evidence that sleep disturbances, propensity to fantasy and abnormal working memory capacity explain dissociative symptoms in DID and PTSD. In sum, the relationship between sleep and dissociative symptoms disappeared when potentially traumatizing events were controlled for.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 55%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sleep, trauma, fantasy and cognition in dissociative identity disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and healthy controls: a replication and extension study

Dimitrova

Fernando

Vissia³

et al. 2020

European Journal of Psychotraumatology

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“…There is some irony in Brand et al's (2018) response to our commentary, in which they lament the "bad old days" of argumentative rhetoric on the topic. In some places it seems as though they indulge in such rhetoric themselves.…”

Section: Falsifiabilitymentioning

confidence: 91%

“…It is this purported extraordinary remembering that we think should be treated with skepticism in courts of law. Brand et al (2018) compared our criticism with that of a minority of researchers "who refuse to accept any evidence favoring global warming, evolution, or the finding that cigarette smoking related to cancer." (p., 388).…”

Section: Carl Saganmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Expert Witnesses, Dissociative Amnesia, and Extraordinary Remembering: Response to Brand et al.

Patihis

Otgaar

2019

Psychol. Inj. and Law

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Brand et al.'s (2018) response-as well as previous works by some of the authors-reveal a recurrent and concerning picture of using lengthy, but flawed, arguments to promote the concept of dissociative amnesia. Our focus here is not so much on the weak-to-moderate correlation between measures of trauma and dissociation-we concentrate more on the weak evidence for dissociative amnesia. If triers of fact accept there is a correlation between trauma and feeling depersonalized or experiencing memory errors, we foresee relatively few legal consequences. However, if the leap is made to accept that trauma causes dissociative amnesia (or dissociative identity disorder) then it opens the door to repressed memory testimony being trusted in the courtroom, which in the past has had negative consequences. The problem with the concept and theory of dissociative amnesia is that there is an easy-to-miss claim of extraordinary remembering that contradicts findings and theories in memory research. Incorrect beliefs in such extraordinary remembering that can have severe repercussions in court. We document some areas of agreement with Brand et al., but reiterate that there is a lack of evidence for the mechanisms proposed in dissociative amnesia.

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A bibliometric analysis of the recovered memory controversy in the 21st century

Dodier

2018

Applied Cognitive Psychology

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Trauma-Related Dissociation Is No Fantasy: Addressing the Errors of Omission and Commission in Merckelbach and Patihis (2018)

Cited by 30 publications

References 73 publications

Sleep, trauma, fantasy and cognition in dissociative identity disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and healthy controls: a replication and extension study

Sleep, trauma, fantasy and cognition in dissociative identity disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and healthy controls: a replication and extension study

Expert Witnesses, Dissociative Amnesia, and Extraordinary Remembering: Response to Brand et al.

A bibliometric analysis of the recovered memory controversy in the 21st century

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