Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2007. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 73-80).

Borderline and schizotypal personality constructs were compared as predictors of dissociation for 971 nonclinical university undergraduates who completed 11 self-report behavior inventories. Structural equation modeling and multiple regression were used to (a) test the hypothesis that the quantitative interaction of borderline and schizotypal constructs would be the strongest predictor of dissociation and (b) evaluate each construct alone as well as their additive effect for prediction of dissociation. The interaction hypothesis was rejected; the quantitative interaction was only a substantively trifling and statistically nonsignificant predictor of dissociation. In a commonality analysis, the additive borderline and schizotypal effect was equivalent to schizotypy alone and marginally larger than the borderline effect alone for the prediction of dissociation. However, all three effects separately were substantial predictors; thus, dissociation is an untenable discriminator for the borderline and schizotypal constructs. Finally, when schizotypy was compared directly to the borderline construct such that the common variance was distributed dependent upon comparative predictive power (i.e., beta weights), schizotypy was greatly superior to the borderline construct for dissociative predictability. Consequently, reconsideration of the existing paradigm that dissociation is more strongly associated with the borderline construct than with schizotypy is warranted. / Department of Psychological Science

The aim of this thesis was to investigate psychological factors influencing the development and maintenance of post-traumatic symptoms, with particular attention to the role of dissociation. The concept of dissociation is at present not well understood, and a secondary aim of this thesis was to clarify its meaning and structure and enable its assessment. Chapter 2 reports the development and testing of a questionnaire measuring trait dissociation, and the factor analysis of this questionnaire into seven sub-factors with low to medium intercorrelations, along with an analysis of the reliability and validity of this questionnaire, which was used in the subsequent studies. Chapters 3 and 4 consist of experimental studies investigating the relationship between dissociation and later intrusive memories using a videotape of scenes from road traffic accidents as a stimulus. The first study attempted to manipulate dissociation, while the second used extreme scorers on the trait dissociation questionnaire. The manipulation of dissociation proved difficult, but both studies showed a relationship between dissociation and later intrusions. Chapters 6 and 7 report on two prospective clinical studies following road traffic accident victims over the first six months following their accident, and investigates the role of dissociation and other psychological factors in the development of post-traumatic symptoms. Both state and trait dissociation, and the emotional numbing subfactor of dissociation in particular, predict the later development and maintenance of other post-traumatic symptoms. Persistent dissociation was more predictive of later symptoms than dissociation in the first few days after the accident. These results are discussed in relation to current thinking about the concept of dissociation and the DSM diagnoses of post-traumatic stress disorder and acute stress disorder. In particular it seems useful to distinguish between components of dissociation in terms of their relationship to PTSD. Possible future research and clinical implications are also addressed.

Thesis (M.S.W.)--Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, Mass., 2008. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 83-86).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--West Virginia University, 2000. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains xi, 310 p. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 255-298).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2000. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 100-118). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (M.A.)--Miami University, Dept. of Psychology, 2005. / Title from first page of PDF document. Document formatted into pages; contains [1], vi, 103 p. : ill. Includes bibliographical references (p. 79-88).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2000. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 100-118). Also available on the Internet.

xvii, 103 p. : ill. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. / The purpose of this study was to investigate intergenerational relationships between trauma, dissociation, and emotion. Short and long term consequences of betrayal trauma on cognitive and emotion coping strategies in a sample of 67 mother-child dyads were explored. Group comparison, correlation, and regression strategies were used to examine relationships between the following variables: maternal and child trauma histories, maternal and child dissociation, maternal alexithymia, and child emotion coping strategies in response to distressful events. Experiences of high betrayal trauma were found to be related to higher levels of dissociation in both children and mothers. Furthermore, mothers who experienced high betrayal trauma in childhood and were subsequently interpersonally revictimized in adulthood were shown to have higher levels of dissociation than a group of mothers who had experienced high betrayal trauma in childhood but were not revictimized in adulthood. This may indicate that dissociation from a history of childhood betrayal trauma involves a persistent unawareness of future threats in the environment. Additional evidence consistent with this hypothesis was found. Maternal revictimization status was related to child interpersonal trauma history, suggesting that a dissociative unawareness for threats may extend to children. More generally, an association was found between maternal interpersonal trauma history and child interpersonal trauma history. Maternal dissociation was also predictive of maternal alexithymia. This relationship was examined because mothers high in alexithymia were hypothesized to display deficits in emotion socialization that could put their children at greater risk for dissociation. Evidence consistent with a relationship between maternal alexithymia and child dissociation was found. Furthermore, a significant association between maternal alexithymia level and child emotion coping strategy was revealed. Children with highly alexithymic mothers displayed higher levels of passive emotion coping strategies on a task assessing their reactions to a distressful parent-child event. This study provides evidence that the experience of parental trauma has intergenerational effects on children. It is an important first step towards longitudinal studies that can provide additional clarification of the nature of the relationships between these variables, as well as parent-child intervention studies that may help to prevent child trauma exposure and reduce symptomatology. / Committee in charge: Jennifer Freyd, Chairperson, Psychology; Jennifer Ablow, Member, Psychology; Philip Fisher, Member, Psychology; Debra Eisert, Outside Member, Special Education and Clinical Sciences

This study tested a dissociative model of aggression measurement. Aggression is construed as having two components, each of which is associated more strongly with either implicit or explicit measures of aggression. A videogame based frustration manipulation was used to elicit hostile aggressive responses in the form of hard force applied to buttons. Instrumental aggression criteria were also assessed in the form of honesty in reporting game outcomes, willingness to pause games while believing that pausing could damage the study results, and willingness to use unfair strategies that are also described as damaging to study results. Differential prediction of these behaviors by implicit and explicit measures of aggression supported a dissociative model of aggression measurement.