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Dissociation and Posttraumatic Symptoms in Maltreated Preschool Children

  • Trauma Symptoms in Children
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Abstract

This study examines dissociation and posttraumatic symptomatology in a sample of maltreated preschool-age children in foster care. Analyses compared Child Behavior Checklist subscale scores for the foster care sample and a community sample, and also examined differences between maltreatment subtypes. Exposure to any type of maltreatment was associated with greater dissociation and posttraumatic symptomatology in this sample. Preschool-age children with documented sexual abuse displayed high levels of posttraumatic symptoms, whereas children with documented physical abuse tended to use dissociation as a primary coping mechanism. The finding that physically abused children had high levels of dissociation confirms previous research with preschoolers.

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Correspondence to Annmarie C. Hulette.

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Hulette, A.C., Freyd, J.J., Pears, K.C. et al. Dissociation and Posttraumatic Symptoms in Maltreated Preschool Children. Journ Child Adol Trauma 1, 93–108 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1080/19361520802083980

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/19361520802083980

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