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Adolescents’ Dissociative Experiences: the Moderating Role of Type of Trauma and Attachment Style

Gusic, Sabina LU ; Cardeña, Etzel LU orcid ; Bengtsson, Hans LU and Søndergaard, Hans Peter (2016) In Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma 9. p.341-351
Abstract
This cross-sectional study evaluated the selfreported
attachment style of 239 Swedish adolescents (ages
13 to 20) and investigated the relation between dissociation,
attachment, and potentially traumatic events (PTEs). We had
hypothesized that specific PTEs, including family-related
emotional and physical abuse, sexual abuse, and emotional
abuse by non-relatives such as bullying, would interact with
insecure attachment styles leading to higher levels of dissociation.
Results show that insecure attachment styles predicted
dissociative experiences (DE) independently of PTE exposure.
Dissociative experiences related more strongly to PTE
exposure when the adolescent had an anxious... (More)
This cross-sectional study evaluated the selfreported
attachment style of 239 Swedish adolescents (ages
13 to 20) and investigated the relation between dissociation,
attachment, and potentially traumatic events (PTEs). We had
hypothesized that specific PTEs, including family-related
emotional and physical abuse, sexual abuse, and emotional
abuse by non-relatives such as bullying, would interact with
insecure attachment styles leading to higher levels of dissociation.
Results show that insecure attachment styles predicted
dissociative experiences (DE) independently of PTE exposure.
Dissociative experiences related more strongly to PTE
exposure when the adolescent had an anxious attachment
style. Our results also suggest that higher rates of DE are
related to an interaction between insecure attachment styles
and the experience of verbal harassment and bullying, mainly
by peers in school. We conclude that the relation between
trauma and dissociation is complex, with both type of trauma
and attachment style interacting with dissociative phenomena. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Trauma, Bullying, Dissociation, Emotional abuse, Attachment, Adolescence
in
Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma
volume
9
pages
341 - 351
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • scopus:85003707679
ISSN
1936-1521
DOI
10.1007/s40653-016-0107-y
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
7f4f0784-6269-4386-91e0-0750293adc41
date added to LUP
2016-12-12 10:48:07
date last changed
2024-02-03 06:33:24
@article{7f4f0784-6269-4386-91e0-0750293adc41,
  abstract     = {{This cross-sectional study evaluated the selfreported<br/>attachment style of 239 Swedish adolescents (ages<br/>13 to 20) and investigated the relation between dissociation,<br/>attachment, and potentially traumatic events (PTEs). We had<br/>hypothesized that specific PTEs, including family-related<br/>emotional and physical abuse, sexual abuse, and emotional<br/>abuse by non-relatives such as bullying, would interact with<br/>insecure attachment styles leading to higher levels of dissociation.<br/>Results show that insecure attachment styles predicted<br/>dissociative experiences (DE) independently of PTE exposure.<br/>Dissociative experiences related more strongly to PTE<br/>exposure when the adolescent had an anxious attachment<br/>style. Our results also suggest that higher rates of DE are<br/>related to an interaction between insecure attachment styles<br/>and the experience of verbal harassment and bullying, mainly<br/>by peers in school. We conclude that the relation between<br/>trauma and dissociation is complex, with both type of trauma<br/>and attachment style interacting with dissociative phenomena.}},
  author       = {{Gusic, Sabina and Cardeña, Etzel and Bengtsson, Hans and Søndergaard, Hans Peter}},
  issn         = {{1936-1521}},
  keywords     = {{Trauma; Bullying; Dissociation; Emotional abuse; Attachment; Adolescence}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{12}},
  pages        = {{341--351}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma}},
  title        = {{Adolescents’ Dissociative Experiences: the Moderating Role of Type of Trauma and Attachment Style}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s40653-016-0107-y}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s40653-016-0107-y}},
  volume       = {{9}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}