Peritraumatic Dissociation, Event Centrality, and Posttraumatic Stress Severity: A Mediation Analysis
Rebekah Marcengill , Rain Sopha, Kaysn Irby, Khristina Bayless, Emily Ineson, Anna Weiss
Many people experience trauma, with some researchers estimating up to 90% of the population is exposed to at least one traumatic event in their lifetime (e.g., Breslau et al., 1998). However, only about 7% are diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (Kessler et al., 2008). Previous research indicates that cognitive and perceptual factors are influential in the development of posttraumatic stress. Peritraumatic dissociation and event centrality are two well-established predictors of posttraumatic stress severity (PTSS). Peritraumatic dissociation is a feeling of being disconnected from reality and/or “on autopilot” during and immediately after the event (Candel & Merckelbach, 2004). Event centrality is the degree to which a traumatic event is thought of as a turning point in the person’s life story, central to their identity and story, and a reference point for understanding other events (Berntsen & Rubin, 2006). Previous research has identified a positive correlation between dissociation and EC (Robinaugh & McNally, 2011, Smeets et al., 2010), and a positive correlation between EC and PTSS (Gehrt et al., 2018). However, no previous research has examined whether EC mediates the relationship between dissociation and PTSS. Some previous studies do indicate that other cognitive factors, such as trauma-related memory (Peltonen et al., 2017) and negative beliefs of self (Thompson-Hollands et al., 2017), mediate this relationship. To our knowledge, our study is the first to examine whether EC mediates the relationship between dissociation and PTSS. We hypothesize that event centrality does mediate the relationship between peritraumatic dissociation and posttraumatic stress severity. In our presentation, we discuss the results of our analysis and potential implications for future research and clinical applications.
Rebekah Marcengill is a senior psychology major and art minor from Greenwood, S.C. She is a Research Assistant in the Stress and Cognition lab led by Dr. Southard-Dobbs. She is also a Supplemental Instructor for Psychology 101.
Rain Sopha is a sophomore psychology major and honors student from Irmo, South Carolina who is a double minor in general studio art and human services. Rain is an undergraduate research assistant in Dr. Southard-Dobbs's Stress and Cognition lab and aspires to be an art therapist and Liscenced Professional Counselor.
Kaysn Irby is a junior psychology major from Greenwood, South Carolina. She is also a double minor in child and family studies and human services. She is an undergraduate research assistant in Dr. Southard-Dobbs's Stress and Cognition Lab.
Khristina Bayless is a Senior Psychology major and Human Services minor from Alexandria, VA. She has an Associate of Arts degree from Piedmont Technical College. She is currently a Research Assistant in Dr. Southard-Dobbs's Stress and Cognition lab.
Emily Ineson is a senior psychology major from London, England and is a research assistant in Dr. Southard-Dobbs's Stress and Cognition Lab. While at Lander University, she has been a member of the Psi Chi Honor Society, a Supplemental Instructor and Tutor for psychology courses, and an athlete on the women’s tennis team. In Fall 2023 she begins her Ph.D. in Psychological Science at University of North Carolina at Wilmington.
Annaliese Weiss is a sophomore majoring in criminology and psychology from Clemson, SC. She plans to obtain a masters degree in forensic psychology after graduating and is currently an undergraduate research assistant in Dr. Southard-Dobbs's Stress and Cognition Lab.