In recent years, there has been an increased focus on dissociation as a possible pre-existing vulnerability for the development of PTSD. The most characteristic features of dissociation involve negative symptoms such as amnesia, loss of bodily control and loss of somato-sensory awareness (e.g. depersonalisation).
The Danish Center for Psychotraumatology contributes research on dissociation and its role as a pre-existing vulnerability in the development of PTSD. Among other things, studies have been conducted on the connection between this pre-existing vulnerability and the Big Five personality traits as a further contribution to our understanding of the development of PTSD.
Read more about the Center's contributions on this page.
Publications:
Palic, S., Carlsson, J., Armour, C. & Elklit A.: (2015). Assessment of dissociation in Bosnian treatment-seeking refugees in Denmark. Nordic Journal of Psychiatry, 69, 307-314. Doi: 10.3109/08039488.2014.977344
Publications:
Lahav, Y. & Elklit, A. (2016). The cycle of healing - dissociation and attachment during treatment of CSA survivors. Child Abuse and Neglect, 60, 67-76. Doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2016.09.009
Publications:
Ponce de Leon, B., Andersen, S. Karstoft, K. & Elklit, A. (2017). Pre-deployment dissociation and personality as risk factors for post-deployment PTSD in Danish soldiers deployed to Afghanistan. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 9:1, 1443672. Doi: 10.1080/20008198.2018.1443672
Publications:
Armour, C., Shevlin, M., Elklit, A. & Houston, J.: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder with psychotic features. In A. Moskowitz, In. Schäfetraumar, & M. J. Dorahy (Eds.): Trauma, Dissociation & Psychosis (pp 257-270). Chicester, UK: Wiley-Blackwell, 2019. Doi: 10.1002/9781118585948.ch16
Publications:
Murphy, S., Elklit, A., Murphy, J., Hyland, P. & Shevlin, M. (2017). A Cross-Lagged Panel Study of Dissociation and Posttraumatic Stress in a Treatment-Seeking Sample of Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 73, 1370-1381. Doi: 10.1002/jclp.22439
Objective: Filling this gap, this prospective study explored the moderating role of perceived threat within the relations between PD and PTSD, above and beyond age, gender, education, and early trauma-related symptoms.
Method: A convenience sample of 200 Israeli civilians filled out self-report questionnaires during the peritraumatic phase (T1) and one to two months after the posttraumatic phase (T2) of being exposed to rocket attacks.
Results: The results showed that perceived threat and PD were associated with early trauma-related symptoms and PTSD symptoms. Moreover, perceived threat moderated the relationship between PD and all PTSD symptom clusters apart from avoidance.
Conclusions: The present results suggest that the implications of PD are shaped by levels of perceived threat, so that detriments of PD are evident when the trauma is appraised as being highly threatening. Therefore, early interventions that aim to decrease PD may be beneficial in preventing PTSD symptoms of intrusion, hyper arousal, and negative alterations in mood and cognition, for individuals who perceive traumatic events as highly threatening.
Relevant Publications:
Dokkedahl, S. B., & Lahav, Y. (2024). Peritraumatic dissociation and posttraumatic stress symptoms: the moderating role of perceived threat. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 15(1). DOI: 10.1080/20008066.2024.2338670