ABSTRACT
Recent studies have suggested an association between childhood physical and sexual abuse and adult dissociative experiences. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship of both childhood and adult-onset abuse and their characteristics for adult dissociative symptoms. One hundred forty-four psychiatric outpatients completed self-report questionnaires on measures of dissociation (Dissociative Experience Scale [DES]) and histories of both past and current sexual and physical abuse (Traumatic Events Questionnaire [TEQ]). Of 114 subjects (30 men and 84 women) who completed both forms, 35% and 43% reported childhood physical and sexual abuse, respectively. Dissociative symptoms were significantly related to ethnicity and multiple episodes or combined types of abuse in childhood and adulthood. In terms of the characteristics of childhood abuse, numerous episodes of physical abuse (P = .01) and father-perpetrated sexual abuse (P = .02) were significantly related to the degree of dissociation. These findings emphasize the role of repeated childhood trauma and the combination of both childhood and adult traumatic experiences in the development of dissociative phenomena.
Subject(s)
Child Abuse, Sexual , Dissociative Disorders/epidemiology , Violence , Adolescent , Adult , Age of Onset , Analysis of Variance , Child , Child, Preschool , Dissociative Disorders/psychology , Female , Humans , Infant , Male , New York/epidemiology , Socioeconomic FactorsABSTRACT
Eighty-six female and 34 male psychiatric outpatients completed a self-report questionnaire that retrospectively assessed their history of physical and sexual abuse and assault. Seventy percent reported an abusive experience in childhood or adulthood. Female subjects were more likely than male subjects to report childhood sexual abuse and adult physical and sexual assaults. For all subjects, childhood sexual abuse was associated with adult sexual and physical assault. The charts of several patients who reported abuse histories did not include any record of abuse.
Subject(s)
Child Abuse, Sexual/statistics & numerical data , Mental Disorders/epidemiology , Rape/statistics & numerical data , Spouse Abuse/statistics & numerical data , Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/epidemiology , Violence/statistics & numerical data , Adolescent , Adult , Ambulatory Care/statistics & numerical data , Child , Child Abuse, Sexual/diagnosis , Child Abuse, Sexual/psychology , Connecticut/epidemiology , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Incidence , Male , Mental Disorders/diagnosis , Mental Disorders/psychology , Middle Aged , Rape/psychology , Spouse Abuse/psychology , Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/diagnosis , Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/psychology , Violence/psychologyABSTRACT
The present study examines the relationship between suicidal behaviors and histories of abuse in psychiatric outpatients. Two hundred fifty-one psychiatric outpatients were evaluated for history of abuse, suicidal behavior, demographics, and clinical characteristics using self-report instruments and a face-to-face interview. Logistic regression analysis indicated that physical abuse (battering) in adulthood and histories of a combination of childhood and adulthood abuse were significant predictors of past suicide attempts and current suicidal ideation. Victims of abuse were more likely than nonvictim controls to have been suicidal at a younger age and to have made multiple suicide attempts. Among patients with a history of abuse, suicide attempters could be distinguished from nonattempters on the basis of higher levels of dissociation, depression, and somatization. Abusive experiences in adulthood appear to play an important role in suicidal behavior among psychiatric outpatients. High levels of specific symptoms (i.e., depression, somatization, and dissociation) among patients with a history of abuse can help to identify outpatients at risk for suicidal behavior.