Trauma-related altered states of consciousness in women with BPD with or without co-occurring PTSD

Figures & data

Table 1 Sample clinical characteristics

	BPD with PTSD (n=126)	BPD without PTSD (n=132)	Difference between groups
Age	28.43 (8.08)	28.39 (7.48)	t(256)=0.36, p=0.97
BSL total	215.12 (63.23)	201.92 (70.10)	t(253)=1.58, p=0.12
BSL TRASC	1.62 (0.79)	1.35 (0.91)	t(256)=2.49, p=0.01
BSL NWC-distress	2.39 (0.79)	2.28 (0.90)	t(256)=1.40, p=0.16
DES	33.17 (16.59)	27.40 (14.59)	t(210)=2.69, p=0.01
CTQ – Emotional abuse	18.73 (5.32)	16.85 (5.26)	t(221)=2.65, p=0.01)
CTQ – Physical abuse	12.46 (6.40)	8.83 (4.78)	t(222)=4.84, p<0.001
CTQ – Sexual abuse	15.35 (7.73)	8.19 (4.97)	t(212)=8.17, p<0.001
CTQ – Emotional neglect	18.41 (4.86)	17.04 (4.87)	t(218)=2.07, p=0.04
CTQ – Physical neglect	10.73 (4.13)	9.56 (3.84)	t(222)=2.20, p=0.03
SCID-I comorbidity
Bipolar disorder I	0 (L) 0 (C)	0 (L) 0 (C)	χ^2=0 χ^2=0
Bipolar disorder II	5 (L) 2 (C)	2 (L) 1 (C)	χ^2=1.50, p=0.22 χ^2=0.39, p=0.53
Other bipolar disorder	3 (L) 3 (C)	0 (L) 0 (C)	χ^2=3.11, p=0.08 χ^2=3.21, p=0.07
Major depression	107 (L) 52 (C)	103 (L) 56 (C)	χ^2=1.95, p=0.16 χ^2=1.02, p=0.60
Dysthymia	28 (C)	32 (C)	χ^2=0.17, p=0.68
Delusional disorder	0 (L) 0 (C)	1 (L) 0 (C)	χ^2=0.96, p=0.33 χ^2=0
Brief psychotic disorder	3 (L) 1 (C)	1 (L) 0 (C)	χ^2=1.08, p=0.30 χ^2=1.07, p=0.30
Substance-induced psychotic disorder	3 (L) 0 (C)	2 (L) 0 (C)	χ^2=0.26, p=0.61 χ^2=0
Psychotic disorder NOS	5 (L) 5 (C)	2 (L) 1 (C)	χ^2=1.45, p=0.23 χ^2=3.04, p=0.08
Substance abuse/dependence
Alcohol	27 (L) 12 (C)	54 (L) 13 (C)	χ^2=4.14, p=0.13 χ^2=0.21, p=0.88
Sedatives	28 (L) 8 (C)	17 (L) 4 (C)	χ^2=4.32, p=0.12 χ^2=1.92, p=0.17
Cannabis	13 (L) 9 (C)	22 (L) 6 (C)	χ^2=0.17, p=0.92 χ^2=0.79, p=0.38
Stimulants	4 (L) 3 (C)	10 (L) 2 (C)	χ^2=4.97, p=0.08 χ^2=0.29, p=0.59
Opiates	3 (L) 0 (C)	4 (L) 0 (C)	χ^2=3.77, p=0.15 χ^2=0
Cocaine	3 (L) 0 (C)	9 (L) 0 (C)	χ^2=2.95, p=0.23 χ^2=0
Hallucinogens	4 (L) 1 (C)	5 (L) 0 (C)	χ^2=0.15, p=0.93 χ^2=1.04, p=0.31
Polysubstance	10 (L) 3 (C)	8 (L) 2 (C)	χ^2=4.76, p=0.09 χ^2=0.26, p=0.61
Other addictions	8 (L) 2 (C)	5 (L) 2 (C)	χ^2=1.38, p=0.50 χ^2=0
Panic disorder (PD)	39 (L) 36 (C)	32 (L) 24 (C)	χ^2=1.69, p=0.19 χ^2=3.95, p<0.05
PD with agoraphobia	28 (C)	17 (C)	χ^2=2.84, p=0.09
Agoraphobia without PD	21 (L) 20 (C)	12 (L) 9 (C)	χ^2=3.67, p=0.06 χ^2=5.77, p=0.02
Social phobia	72 (L) 65 (C)	51 (L) 51 (C)	χ^2=7.42, p=0.01 χ^2=5.35, p=0.02
Specific phobia	29 (L) 29 (C)	18 (L) 17 (C)	χ^2=3.99, p<0.05 χ^2=4.97, p=0.03
OCD	29 (L) 27 (C)	21 (L) 15 (C)	χ^2=2.39, p=0.12 χ^2=5.21, p=0.02
GAD	13 (C)	10 (C)	χ^2=0.73, p=0.39
Somatization disorder	10 (C)	5 (C)	χ^2=2.08, p=0.15
Pain disorder	11 (C)	7 (C)	χ^2=1.21, p=0.27
Non-specific somatoform disorder	2 (C)	1 (C)	χ^2=0.39, p=0.54
Hypochondriasis	5 (C)	4 (C)	χ^2=0.17, p=0.68
Body dysmorphic disorder	4 (C)	7 (C)	χ^2=0.74, p=0.39
Anorexia Nervosa	29 (L) 9 (C)	26 (L) 5 (C)	χ^2=0.21, p=0.65 χ^2=0.54, p=0.46
Bulimia	39 (L) 23 (C)	41 (L) 22 (C)	χ^2=0.05, p=.94 χ^2=0.16, p=0.69
Binge eating disorder	22 (L) 20 (C)	16 (L) 12 (C)	χ^2=1.49, p=0.22 χ^2=2.62, p=0.11
Other DSM disorder	3 (L) 3 (C)	4 (L) 4 (C)	χ^2=0.20, p=0.88 χ^2=0.21, p=0.89

All p-values are two-tailed. Differences in df due to missing data. (L) refers to lifetime diagnosis, (C) refers to Current Diagnosis. For simplicity of presentation, frequencies are reported for comorbid substance abuse or dependence, however associated χ² values reflect the distinction between substance abuse versus dependence (i.e., 3 categories were analyzed: 1) absent, 2) present-abuse, 3) present-dependence). SCID-I=Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR, Axis 1 conditions; NOS=not otherwise specified; OCD=obsessive compulsive disorder; GAD=generalized anxiety disorder; DSM=diagnostic and statistical manual.

Table 2 Example items from BSL descriptive of TRASC versus general distress associated with NWC

	TRASC	NWC
Time-memory	Item #32: “I had images that I was very much afraid of” (tauchten in mir Szenen auf, die mich stark ängstigten), Item #57: “I was tortured by images” (wurde ich von inneren Bildern gequält)	Item #41: “I could hardly control my memories” (konnte ich meine Erinnerungen kaum steuern)
Thought	Item #67: “I suffered from voices and noises from inside my head” (litt ich unter der Wahrnehmung von Stimmen oder Geräuschen von innen), Item #81: “I felt as if I had different people inside of me” (hatte ich den Eindruck, als ob es unterschiedliche Personen in mir gäbe)	Item #28: “I didn't believe in my right to live” (glaubte ich, keine Lebensberechtigung zu haben), Item #35: “I hated myself” (haßte ich mich selbst)
Body	Item #36: “I experienced parts of my body dissolving” (hatte ich das Gefühl, daß sich Teile meines Körpers auflösen), Item #43: “I couldn't feel parts of my body” (konnte ich Teile meines Körpers nicht spüren)	Item #8: “Everything felt tight inside of me” (zog sich in mir alles zusammen), Item #30: “I experienced stressful inner tension” (stand ich innerlich unter Hochspannung)
Emotion	Item #16: “I felt paralyzed” (erlebte ich mich wie erstarrt), Item #92: “I felt numb” (erlebte ich mich wie taub)	Item #4: “I was suffering from massive states of anxiety” (litt ich unter massiven Angstzuständen), Item #77: “I was full of despair” (war ich verzweifelt)

TRASC=trauma-related altered states of consciousness; NWC=normal waking consciousness.

Table 3 Correlations between BSL items indicative of TRASC versus general distress associated with NWC and both DES and CTQ

		DES	EA	PA	SA	EN	PN
Full sample	TRASC	0.61**	0.16**	0.10*	0.23**	0.12*	0.17**
	NWC	0.48**	0.15*	0.06	0.16**	0.03	0.10
	Z	3.44**	0.26	0.96	1.68	2.02*	1.53
PTSD+	TRASC	0.60**	0.38**	0.12	0.24**	0.30**	0.21*
	NWC	0.51**	0.28**	0.10	0.14	0.14	0.11
	Z	1.66	1.53	0.24	1.39	2.18*	1.51
PTSD−	TRASC	0.60**	−0.04	0.00	0.16*	−0.04	0.10
	NWC	0.44**	0.03	−0.03	0.15	−0.07	0.08
	Z	3.25**	1.30	0.63	0.16	0.63	0.39

*p<0.05, *p<0.01. Z statistic based on Meng et al. (1992). TRASC=trauma-related altered states of consciousness; NWC=normal waking consciousness; DES=Dissociative Experiences Scale; EA=emotional abuse; PA=physical abuse; SA=sexual abuse; EN=emotional neglect; PN=physical neglect; CTQ=Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Childhood maltreatment history was measured retrospectively by self-report using the CTQ.

Meng S.-L., Rosenthal R., Rubin D. B. Comparing correlated correlation coefficients. Psychological Bulletin. 1992; 111 10.1037/0033-2909.111.1.172. 172–175.

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar