Advanced search
Publication Cover
Journal of Trauma & Dissociation Volume 24, 2023 - Issue 3
Submit an article Journal homepage
1,130
Views
1
CrossRef citations to date
0
Altmetric
Research Article

The Relationship Between Childhood Trauma, Pathological Dissociation, and Behavioral Addictions in Young Adults: Findings from a Cross-Sectional Study

Claudio Imperatoria Cognitive and Clinical Psychology Laboratory, Department of Human Sciences, European University of Rome, Rome, ItalyORCID Iconhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-8207-6919View further author information
, MPsy, PhDORCID Icon,
Benedetta Barchiellib Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyView further author information
, MPsy,
Ornella Corazzac Department of Clinical, Pharmaceutical and Biological Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, UKORCID Iconhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-7371-319XView further author information
, PhDORCID Icon,
Giuseppe Alessio Carbonea Cognitive and Clinical Psychology Laboratory, Department of Human Sciences, European University of Rome, Rome, ItalyView further author information
, MPsy,
Elisabeth Preveted Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyView further author information
, MD,
Simone Montaldod Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyView further author information
, MPsy,
Elena De Rossia Cognitive and Clinical Psychology Laboratory, Department of Human Sciences, European University of Rome, Rome, ItalyView further author information
, MPsy,
Chiara Massulloe Experimental Psychology Laboratory, Department of Education, Roma Tre University, Rome, ItalyView further author information
, MPsy, PhD,
Lorenzo Tarsitanid Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyView further author information
, MD, PhD,
Stefano Ferracutid Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyORCID Iconhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-1150-1460View further author information
, MDORCID Icon,
Massimo Pasquinid Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyView further author information
, MD, PhD,
Massimo Biondid Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyView further author information
, MD,
Benedetto Farinad Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyView further author information
, MD, PhD &
Francesco Saverio Bersanid Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyCorrespondence[email protected]
ORCID Iconhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-7555-8020View further author information
, MDORCID Icon show all
Pages 348-361 | Received 21 Jul 2022, Accepted 09 Nov 2022, Published online: 22 Feb 2023
 
Sample our Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing & Allied Health journals, sign in here to start your FREE access for 14 days

ABSTRACT

Interactions between childhood trauma (CT) and dissociation can contribute to psychiatric disturbances. We explored this phenomenon in relation to behavioral addictions (BAs) in a sample (n = 633) of young adults (age: 18–34 years). Self-report measures investigating CT, dissociation, and symptoms related to gambling disorder, internet gaming disorder, problematic social media use, exercise dependence and compulsive buying were used. Scales related to BAs were summarized into a single measure (“Total Behavioral Addiction Index” – TBAI) for inferential analyses. A model analyzing the direct and indirect effects of CT on TBAI through the mediation of pathological dissociation was performed, controlling for confounding factors. Measures on CT, dissociation, and TBAI were significantly associated with each other (all p < .001). The total effect of CT on TBAI was significant (B = 0.063; CI: 0.045; 0.081); pathological dissociation significantly mediated such association (B = 0.023; CI: 0.013; 0.036). Our findings support the possibility that the interaction between CT and dissociation contributes to increase disturbances related to BAs.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the contribution of the “European Network for Problematic Usage of the Internet” (CA16207) funded by the European Cooperation in Science and Technology for intellectually supporting the study.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data Availability Statement

Aggregated data may be available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Supplementary Data

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/15299732.2023.2181479

Additional information

Funding

No external funding was received for conducting this study.

Log in via your institution

Access through your institution

Log in to Taylor & Francis Online

Restore content access

Restore content access for purchases made as guest
Purchase options * Save for later

PDF download + Online access

  • 48 hours access to article PDF & online version
  • Article PDF can be downloaded
  • Article PDF can be printed
USD 53.00 Add to cart

Issue Purchase

  • 30 days online access to complete issue
  • Article PDFs can be downloaded
  • Article PDFs can be printed
USD 238.00 Add to cart

* Local tax will be added as applicable

Related Research

People also read lists articles that other readers of this article have read.

Recommended articles lists articles that we recommend and is powered by our AI driven recommendation engine.

Cited by lists all citing articles based on Crossref citations.
Articles with the Crossref icon will open in a new tab.