TY - JOUR
T1 - The Relationship between Lifetime Exposure to Potentially Traumatic Events, Peritraumatic Dissociation, and PTSD in a Sample of Sexually Assaulted Women in Sao Paulo, Brazil
AU - Zylberstajn, Cecilia
AU - Messina Coimbra, Bruno
AU - Oliveira-Watanabe, Thauana T
AU - Rangel Maciel, Mariana
AU - Calsavara, Vinicius F
AU - Olff, Miranda
AU - Feijo Mello, Marcelo
AU - Feijo Mello, Andrea
PY - 2022/10/21
Y1 - 2022/10/21
N2 - Sexually assaulted women represent a particularly high-risk group for developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Potentially traumatic events (PTEs) and peritraumatic dissociation (PD) are known risk factors for PTSD. However, little is known about how previous trauma affects PD and how this relationship affects PTSD. We aimed to investigate whether PD acts as a mediator between PTEs and PTSD severity in a sample of recently sexually assaulted women in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Seventy-four sexually assaulted women aged 18-44 completed questionnaires and structured interviews on PTSD, PD, and PTEs. We examined direct and indirect effects of variables using causal mediation analysis. Lifetime exposure to PTEs was a risk factor for PD, but PD was not a risk factor for PTSD symptom severity. Also, PD was not a mediator between PTEs and PTSD severity. We provided recommendations on how to further explore the relationship between lifetime traumatic exposure, PTSD, and peritraumatic dissociation.
AB - Sexually assaulted women represent a particularly high-risk group for developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Potentially traumatic events (PTEs) and peritraumatic dissociation (PD) are known risk factors for PTSD. However, little is known about how previous trauma affects PD and how this relationship affects PTSD. We aimed to investigate whether PD acts as a mediator between PTEs and PTSD severity in a sample of recently sexually assaulted women in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Seventy-four sexually assaulted women aged 18-44 completed questionnaires and structured interviews on PTSD, PD, and PTEs. We examined direct and indirect effects of variables using causal mediation analysis. Lifetime exposure to PTEs was a risk factor for PD, but PD was not a risk factor for PTSD symptom severity. Also, PD was not a mediator between PTEs and PTSD severity. We provided recommendations on how to further explore the relationship between lifetime traumatic exposure, PTSD, and peritraumatic dissociation.
KW - Humans
KW - Female
KW - Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/diagnosis
KW - Brazil
KW - Crime Victims
KW - Surveys and Questionnaires
KW - Sexual Behavior
KW - Dissociative Disorders/diagnosis
U2 - 10.1080/15299732.2022.2136326
DO - 10.1080/15299732.2022.2136326
M3 - Article
C2 - 36271690
SN - 1529-9732
VL - 24
SP - 252
EP - 267
JO - Journal of Trauma and Dissociation
JF - Journal of Trauma and Dissociation
IS - 2
ER -
