Transgenerational aspects of trauma and dissociation: Empirical data
We investigated the link between trauma history, dissociation and memories of parental rearing behaviour of 99 psychiatric patients (mainly with eating disorders) and their parents. A modest correlation was found between dissociation and trauma history of mothers and children (not of fathers and children). The incidence of reported trauma in children was not higher when parents report trauma themselves. A relationship was found between trauma and dissociation on the one hand and memories of parental rearing behaviour (‘overprotection’ and ‘warmth’) on the other hand. The results support a complex and multifactor model of trauma and dissociation.