Dissociation in middle childhood among foster children with early maltreatment experiences.

OBJECTIVE

This study examined levels of dissociation in school-aged foster children who had been maltreated before age 5.

METHOD: Data were collected from 118 children (age in years: M = 9.34, SD = 1.02) and their caregivers. Chi-Square and ANOVA were used to compare foster children (n = 67) to community comparison children (n = 51). Regression analyses examined predictors of dissociation for the foster children.

RESULTS

The foster children showed significantly higher levels of dissociation than the control children. Within the foster care group, number of placement transitions, female gender, and maltreatment subtype significantly predicted dissociation.

CONCLUSIONS

The foster children were more dissociative than the control children. The finding that children who had experienced all types of abuse and who had experienced physical abuse with emotional maltreatment and neglect showed the highest levels of dissociation is consistent with findings from previous research.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The findings from this study suggest that maltreated girls and children with specific maltreatment profiles are at increased risk for dissociation. Further, as number of foster placements appears to contribute to dissociation, child welfare professionals should consider this factor during placement transitions.