Dissociation as a mediator of interpersonal trauma and depression: adulthood versus childhood interpersonal traumas.

BMC Psychiatry

Department of Psychiatry, Hanyang University Guri Hospita, 153, Gyeongchun-ro, Guri-si, Seoul, Gyeonggi-do, Korea.

Published: November 2024

AI Article Synopsis

  • This study explores the link between interpersonal trauma (experienced in childhood and adulthood) and the severity of depression and dissociation in adult individuals.
  • It found that while both types of trauma are correlated with depressive symptoms, childhood trauma is specifically linked to higher levels of dissociation.
  • The research suggests that dissociation may act as a mediator, meaning it could play a role in how childhood trauma impacts depression, indicating that targeting dissociation in therapy may help those who experienced childhood trauma.

Article Abstract

Extensive research has established that interpersonal trauma is related to depression and dissociation severity. Extending prior research, this study found that childhood and adulthood interpersonal traumas are related to depressive symptoms and examined the role of dissociative process as a mediator. Two hundred eighty-nine adult participants retrospectively reported on traumatic experiences and current symptoms of dissociation and depression, indicating that both childhood and adulthood interpersonal traumas are related to the severity of depression. However, childhood interpersonal trauma was associated with a higher level of dissociative symptoms. Moreover, it was suggested that dissociation serves as a pathway through which childhood interpersonal trauma influences depression, although this relationship was not observed for adulthood interpersonal trauma. In conclusion, this study highlights the potential role of dissociation in the development and maintenance of depression, particularly among individuals who have experienced childhood interpersonal trauma. These findings suggest that interventions targeting dissociation show potential for mitigating retrospective depression, especially for survivors of childhood interpersonal trauma.

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Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11531156PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12888-024-06095-2DOI Listing

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