"There is something wrong with me as a person": Extreme negative beliefs about oneself are associated with trauma-related dissociative symptoms.

BACKGROUND

Posttraumatic cognitions, extreme negative beliefs about oneself, others, and the world following traumatic experiences, play a significant role in the development and maintenance of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These cognitions may do the same for trauma-related dissociation - disruptions in the integration of consciousness and identity; however, this has yet to be tested. Understanding mechanisms underlying dissociation is crucial for improving interventions, as dissociation can negatively impact functioning and is linked to increased risk of suicide.

METHOD: We investigated the relationship between posttraumatic cognitions and pathological dissociation among 107 treatment-seeking adults with PTSD and varied dissociative symptoms. Participants completed self-report measures of childhood trauma, dissociation, PTSD symptoms, and posttraumatic cognitions before and after receiving empirically based trauma-focused treatment.

RESULTS

Multiple regression analyses revealed that posttraumatic cognitions were significantly associated with dissociation after controlling for demographic variables, childhood trauma severity, and baseline PTSD symptoms. Furthermore, decreases in posttraumatic cognitions over the course of treatment were significantly associated with simultaneous decreases in dissociation severity.

CONCLUSION

Our findings highlight posttraumatic cognitions, in particular negative self-cognitions, as a potential fruitful treatment target for trauma-related dissociation. Future research should investigate the effectiveness of psychotherapeutic interventions in reducing posttraumatic cognitions and dissociative symptoms.