Is the development of dissociative symptoms mediated by family functioning?
Despite 100 years of theory in research on dissociative process, our understanding of these symptoms and disorders is limited. Past theories have highlighted the importance of trauma–especially childhood sexual abuse–in the etiology of dissociative symptomatology, but the relationship between child abuse and dissociation has found mixed support. Past research has also overlooked other life experiences that might be important in the etiology of dissociative experiences such as support in the family of origin (i.e., family functioning) and other experiences of trauma outside of child abuse. To determine the relationship between trauma, abuse, family functioning, and dissociation, 415 female undergraduates completed the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES), the Family Functioning Scales, and extensive questionnaires about their sexual, physical, and emotional abuse and trauma histories. All participants were also interviewed with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-Dissociative
