Peritraumatic dissociation predicts posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms via dysfunctional trauma-related memory among war-affected children

Abstract

Background: Among adults there is strong evidence about peritraumatic dissociation (PD) predicting posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), yet evidence among children is very limited. It has been suggested that disturbances in memory functioning might explain the association between PD and PTSD, but this has not yet been empirically tested. Objective: We aimed to test the hypotheses that greater PD would be associated with more posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, and that some of this association would be mediated by disorganized and non-verbal memories about the traumatic event. Method: The sample included 197 Palestinian children (10–12-years) living in the Gaza Strip, participating in the aftermath of the 2008/9 war. Self-report questionnaires were used to measure PD (Peritraumatic Dissociative Experiences Questionnaire) three months post-war, as well as trauma-related memory …