Studies have reported high rates of childhood abuse in people with
psychiatric illness. This study examined whether dissociative symptoms are
specific to patients with histories of abuse. Ninety-eight female
psychiatric inpatients completed self-report instruments that focused on
childhood history of trauma, dissociative symptoms, and psychiatric
symptoms in general. Sixty-three percent of the subjects reported physical
and/or sexual abuse. Eighty-three percent had dissociative symptom scores
above the median score of normal adults, and 24% had scores at or above the
median score of patients with posttraumatic stress disorder. Subjects with
a history of childhood abuse reported higher levels of dissociative
symptoms than those who did not.Abstract Teaser