Presenter(s): Cassandra Dukes − Psychology
Faculty Mentor(s): Jennifer Ablow, Jeffrey Measelle
Poster 108
Research Area: Clinical Psychology
Trauma, defined by the DMS-5 as “exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence” can be associated with levels of dissociation when triggered by recollection (Shauer & Elbert, 2010). The Polyvagal Theory, developed by Stephen Porges (1995), suggests that dissociation, a form of immobilization, is a defense used as a coping mechanism to confront an inescapable fear or danger. In keeping with this, research has shown through investigating heart rate that dissociation activates the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) (Koopman et al., 2004). Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) is an important measurement of the PNS that relates to heart rate variation and respiration (Sack, Hopper, & Lamprecht, 2004). Although research has shown associations between heart rate and dissociation during stressful or triggering interviews, there is limited knowledge of dissociation correlating with RSA during personal trauma recall. This study recorded continuous RSA of eighty-two pregnant women discussing trauma during the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) then involved them filling out several questionnaires including the Brief Betrayal Trauma Survey (BBTS), Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), Trauma Symptoms Checklist (TSC), and Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES-II). After data was recorded, it was analyzed using a paired-sample t-test and regressions. It is predicted that as scores on the DES-II increase, RSA will increase during trauma recollection. If the results are consistent with these hypotheses, it will further support the idea of dissociation as a form of coping mechanism and a way to counteract the autonomic nervous system dysfunction normally caused by experiencing trauma. In doing so, researchers can better understand how dissociation helps individuals regulate stress and emotions during stressful situations and why this might be a common symptom of PTSD.