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Dissociation and hypnotizability in posttraumatic stress disorder.
D Spiegel1, T Hunt, H E Dondershine
1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA 94305.
The American Journal of Psychiatry
|March 1, 1988
Summary
Vietnam veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) show higher hypnotizability than other patient groups and healthy individuals. This suggests dissociation is a key defense mechanism in PTSD.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Psychiatry
- Trauma Studies
Background:
- Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a complex mental health condition often associated with dissociative symptoms.
- Understanding the psychological mechanisms underlying PTSD is crucial for effective treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the hypnotizability of Vietnam veterans with PTSD to control and patient groups.
- To investigate the relationship between hypnotizability and dissociative phenomena in PTSD.
Main Methods:
- The Hypnotic Induction Profile was used to assess hypnotizability.
- A cohort of 65 Vietnam veterans with PTSD was compared to a normal control group (N=83) and four patient groups (schizophrenia, N=23; depression/bipolar, N=56; generalized anxiety disorder, N=18).
Main Results:
- Patients with PTSD exhibited significantly higher hypnotizability scores compared to all other groups.
- This finding was consistent across different patient diagnoses and the healthy control sample.
Conclusions:
- Higher hypnotizability in PTSD patients supports the hypothesis that dissociative phenomena serve as a defense mechanism during and after trauma.
- Spontaneous dissociation, imagery, and hypnotizability are likely integral components of PTSD symptomatology.