Anxiety Mood.  2022 Oct;18(2):72-79. 10.24986/anxmod.2022.18.2.005.

The Association Between Childhood Interpersonal Trauma and Psychiatric Symptom Complexity, and the Mediating Impact of Dissociation

• Kim Y
• Kim SH
• Kim D
• Kim EK
• Kim J
• Choi N

• KMID: 2534832
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.24986/anxmod.2022.18.2.005

Abstract

Objective
: Any traumatic event can be a risk factor, for subsequent mental disorder. However, childhood trauma, especially in interpersonal nature, is associated with later development of complex symptom patterns. This study examined the role of dissociation as a mediator between childhood trauma and symptom complexity.
Methods
: A pooled data of 369 psychiatric outpatients at a university-affiliated hospital was analyzed for descriptive statistics, group differences, and bivariate correlation analysis to verify a structural model. The questionnaires included the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised, the Trauma History Screen, the Dissociative Experiences Scale-Taxon, the Beck Depression Inventory, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, and the Abbreviated PTSD checklist.
Results
: When other trauma variables were controlled, childhood interpersonal trauma had significant correlation with symptom complexity (r=0.155, p=0.003). Among the paths analyzed, that of childhood in-terpersonal trauma and dissociation showed the greatest impact on symptom complexity (b=9.34, t=5.75, p<0.001). Based on the significance of the indirect impact, the results suggest a complete mediation impact of dissociation on symptom complexity.
Conclusion
: This study validated that childhood interpersonal trauma impacts symptom complexity, through the sequential mediating impact of dissociation. Thus, clinicians should understand childhood interpersonal trauma, dissociation, and symptom patterns in a complex and interacting mode, and develop effective pertinent treatment strategies.

Keyword

Childhood trauma; Child abuse; Interpersonal trauma; Dissociation; Symptom complexity; Psychiatric outpatients