P Pasquini1, G Liotti, E Mazzotti, G Fassone, A Picardi. 1. Department of Epidemiology and Clinical Psychology, Istituto Dermopatico dell'Immacolata IDI-IRCCS, Rome, Italy. p.pasquini@idi.it
Abstract
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.
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.