Investigating Differences in Sleep Disturbance, Dissociation, and Anxiety Due to the Severity and Timing of Betrayal Trauma Experienced

Abstract

Betrayal trauma theory suggests betrayal from a trusted person affects how an event is remembered and processed. Few studies have looked at differences in psychological symptoms due to the severity and timing of betrayal trauma (BT). This study examined whether psychological symptoms, specifically, sleep disturbance, dissociation, and anxiety, differ depending on the severity and timing of BT. Participants (N = 270; 67.8% female) with at least one trauma completed online questionnaires measuring BT severity (low-medium, high), timing (childhood trauma, adulthood trauma), and frequency of psychological symptoms. A two-way between-subjects multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was conducted. BT was prevalent in the sample, with 202 participants (74.8%) reporting a history of high BT. The MANOVA revealed a significant interaction between BT severity and BT timing on all outcome variables [p = .007, η²_p = .05]. Childhood BT participants with low-medium BT history had significantly greater sleep disturbance [p = .008, η²_p = .03], than participants with adulthood BT participants with low-medium BT history. Furthermore, adulthood BT participants with a history of high BT had significantly more dissociation [p = .003, η²_p = .01] and anxiety [p < .001, η²_p = .04] symptoms than childhood BT participants with a history of high BT. The research provides a novel insight into how different psychological symptoms manifest according to BT severity and timing, and the possibility of “rotating betrayal blindness” in which trauma awareness shifts in varying contexts.

Keywords:

• Anxiety
• betrayal trauma
• dissociation
• severity
• sleep disturbance

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Emma Carter

Emma Carter is an MSc. Forensic Psychology graduate from Manchester Metropolitan University and a Psychology with Placement Year BSc. from the University of Manchester. Miss Carter has a keen interest in trauma research, which stemmed from her undergraduate and postgraduate research dissertations.

Matthew Brooks

Dr. Matt Brooks is a Senior Lecturer in Forensic Psychology at Manchester Metropolitan University, UK. Dr. Brooks’ work seeks to understand how strengths-based concepts can be used to enhance wellbeing in people who are exposed to adversity, with a particular interest in those who have experienced interpersonal violence.