Vortrag 2

09.40 – 10.30 Uhr

Evaluation of the Evidence for the Trauma and Fantasy Models of Dissociation

Bethany Brand Ph.D

Abstract:
Die The relationship between trauma and dissociation has been accounted for by two conflicting models. In the Trauma Model of dissociation, dissociation has been conceptualized as a response to traumatic stress and/or severe psychological adversity.  In the Fantasy Model of dissociation, theorists argue that dissociative individuals are prone to fantasy and suggestibility, thereby creating false memories of trauma; this is the "Fantasy Model”.  An overview of the research related to both models will be presented. Overall, the current research indicates that the relationship between trauma and dissociation is consistent and moderate in strength, and remains significant when objective measures of trauma are used. Prospective studies suggest that dissociation is temporally related to trauma and trauma treatment. When fantasy proneness is controlled, dissociation is still significantly related to trauma. Dissociation is not reliably associated with suggestibility, nor is there evidence of greater inaccuracy of recovered memory. Instead, dissociation is positively related to a history of trauma memory recovery. In summary, current research shows that that there is strong support for the hypothesis that trauma causes dissociation, and that dissociation remains related to trauma history when fantasy proneness is controlled. There little support for the alternative hypothesis that the dissociation-trauma relationship is due to fantasy proneness or confabulated memories of trauma.

back