Dissociative Experiences in Partner-Assaultive Men

Abstract

Dissociative experiences, dissociative symptoms, and violence-specific dissociation (dissociative experiences that occur during the perpetration of domestic violence) were evaluated in a sample of 47 domestic abuse perpetrators. As predicted, childhood trauma (physical abuse, sexual abuse, and witnessed abuse) was correlated with a range of dissociative experiences and symptoms in this population. General measures of dissociative experiences and symptoms were correlated with reports of violence-specific dissociation. General dissociation and violence-specific dissociation also had significant correlations with the frequency and severity of domestic violence perpetration. The findings suggest that dissociative coping mechanisms may play an important role in the etiology of severe domestic violence, further supporting the need for treatment strategies that ameliorate long-term effects of childhood trauma exposure in this population.