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Risk factors in the early family life of patients suffering from dissociative disorders
Author(s) -
Pasquini P.,
Liotti G.,
Mazzotti E.,
Fassone G.,
Picardi A.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1034/j.1600-0447.2002.01062.x
Subject(s) - dissociative , dissociative disorders , odds ratio , psychology , pediatrics , medicine , psychiatry
Objective: To test the hypothesis that not only intrafamiliar childhood abuses inflicted to the patient, but also major losses or other severe life events suffered by the mother within 2 years of patient's birth, are risk factors for the development of dissociative disorders (DDs). Method: A multicentric case–control study of 52 cases and 146 controls. Results: We estimated a crude odds ratio (OR) of 2.6 (adjusted 1.9) for mothers' losses or other severe life events experienced within 2 years of patient's birth, and a crude OR of 7.6 (adjusted 7.2) for patient's early traumatic experiences. Conclusion: Mother's losses or other severe life events within 2 years of patient's birth and patient's traumatic experiences during childhood are risk factors for the development of dissociative disorders. A possible explanation of these findings is that disorganized or insecure attachment may increase susceptibility to traumatic experiences and propensity to dissociation in adult life.