The prevalence of dissociation and Dissociative Disorders, and trauma and parent-child dynamics as etiological factors: implications for the validity of the Trauma Model and Fantasy Model of dissociation

Abstract

Chapter Two: The prevalence and antecedents of Dissociative Disorders (DDs) and dissociative experiences in college populations: a meta-analysis of 98 studies provides benchmarks for understanding and interpreting prevalence rates of DD and dissociation in a college populations, as well as reviewing research on antecedents to establish the evidence base for both the Trauma Model and Fantasy Model of dissociation.

This main meta-analysis includes two CMA data files: 1. The first contains secondary data from 12 studies that provide the prevalence rates for at least one of the DDs with the diagnosis based on a structured clinical interview (the SCID-D, the mini SCID-D and the DDIS). 2. The second contains secondary data from 92 studies measuring dissociation with the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES) that report the DES mean, or components thereof, i.e. the mean for the pathological taxon (DES-T), the subscales of absorption, depersonalization or amnesia; or the percentage of pathological dissociators in the sample.

Chapter Three: Parent-child dynamics and experiences of maltreatment during childhood that predict dissociation in a college population contains primary research that enables the influence of parent-child dynamics, including attachment, to be empirically tested, to see if these alongside trauma exposure can predict dissociation in adulthood in a non-clinical sample; and to determine whether these findings provide support for the Trauma Model or Fantasy Model of dissociation.

The data set for chapter three is derived from primary data collection from 313 internal and external students and academic staff from the University of New England using demographic data and data from the following four instruments: - A 60 question version of the Multidimensional Inventory of Dissociation (MID; Dell, 2006) - The Parent-Child Dynamics Questionnaire designed by the PhD student - A revised version of the Betrayal Trauma Index (BTI; Freyd, Deprince, & Zurbriggen, 2001) - Relationship Questionnaire – Clinical Version (RQ-CV; Holmes and Lyons-Ruth, 2006)

Chapter Four What kinds of parent-child dynamics and experiences of maltreatment during childhood best predict dissociation and Dissociative Disorders in Australian college students, outpatients and inpatients? builds upon the findings of chapter three and uses the same set of instruments to see if the relationships found in a university population are replicated in a clinical population; and to determine whether these findings provide support for the Trauma Model or Fantasy Model of dissociation.

The data set for Chapter 4 is derived from primary data collection from three university groups (those with normal, elevated, and clinical levels of dissociation) and a group of 13 inpatients (Belmont Private Hospital, Brisbane) and 21 outpatients (Australia wide) diagnosed with a Dissociative Disorder.