Somatoform dissociation, psychological dissociation, and specific forms of trauma

Abstract Background: Childhood trauma is clearly associated with psychological dissociation a failure to integrate cognitive, behavioural and emotional aspects of experience. However, there is also evidence that trauma results in somatoform dissociation, where the individual fails to process somatic experiences adequately. Somatoform dissociation is linked to a number of psychiatric disorders that are relatively resistant to treatment. The present study addresses the hypothesis that somatoform dissociation will be associated specifically with childhood trauma that involves physical contact, rather than with non-contact forms of trauma. Methods: An unselected clinical group of 72 psychiatric patients completed standardized measures of childhood trauma, psychological dissociation, and somatoform dissociation. Results: The findings supported the hypothesis, with a specific link between somatoform dissociation and the severity of reported childhood trauma involving physical contact or injury. In contrast, psy...