Chicago 2008

Presentations by members of the Freyd Dynamics Lab at the

2008 Annual Meetings of the
International Society for the Study of Traumatic Stress,
Psychonomics Society, and the
International Society for the Study of Trauma & Dissociation

Chicago, Illinois, November 13-17, 2008

(Scroll down for abstracts and handouts)

ISTSS LogoISTSS 2008 (Nov 13-15)

Kaehler, L. & Freyd, J.J. (November, 2008).  Defense against Betrayal? Borderline Personality Disorder.  Poster presented at the 24th Annual Meeting of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS), Chicago, Illinois, November 13-15, 2008.

Gobin, R. & Freyd, J.J. (November, 2008).  Trust and revictimization among betrayal trauma survivors.  Paper presented at the 24th Annual Meeting of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS), Chicago, Illinois, November 13-15, 2008.

Klest, B., Freyd, J.J., Hampson, S., & Goldberg, L.R. (November, 2008).  Trauma, personality, and demographic predictors of depression.  Paper presented at the 24th Annual Meeting of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS), Chicago, Illinois, November 13-15, 2008.

Klest, B. (November, 2008).  Childhood Trauma, Poverty, and Adult Victimization: An Application of Multilevel Modeling.  Paper presented at the 24th Annual Meeting of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS), Chicago, Illinois, November 13-15, 2008.

Psychonomics Society 2008 (Nov 13-16)

Barlow, M.R., & Freyd, J.J. (November, 2008). Characteristics of Memory for Autobiographical and Episodic Events in Women with Dissociative Identity Disorder.  Poster presented at the Psychonomics Society 49th Annual Meeting, Chicago, Illinois, November 13-16, 2008.

ISSTD 2008 (Nov 15-17)

Kaehler, L. & Freyd, J.J., (November, 2008).  Betrayal Trauma predicts Borderline Personality characteristics: Etiological underpinnings?  Poster presented at the International Society for the Study of Dissociation 25th International Fall Conference, Chicago, IL, November 15-17, 2008.

Barton, J. Klest, B., & Freyd, J.J., (November, 2008).  Exploration of relational health and cognitive measures of dissociation.  Poster presented at the International Society for the Study of Dissociation 25th International Fall Conference, Chicago, IL, November 15-17, 2008.

Freyd, J.J., (November, 2008). How to write an article for publication. Conversation Hour conducted at the International Society for the Study of Dissociation 25th International Fall Conference, Chicago, IL, November 15-17, 2008.

Freyd, J.J., (November, 2008).  Betrayal trauma: Theory and research. In L. Kahn (Chair), Betrayal Trauma: Theory and treatment implications. Workshop conducted at the International Society for the Study of Dssociation 25th International Fall Conference, Chicago, IL, November 15-17, 2008.

Abstracts & Handouts


Kathy Becker Blease

Kaehler, L. & Freyd, J.J. (November, 2008).  Defense against Betrayal? Borderline Personality Disorder.  Poster presented at the 24th Annual Meeting of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS), Chicago, Illinois, November 13-15, 2008.

Full poster:

Abstract
Borderline Personality Disorder has been associated with both trauma and insecure attachment styles. Betrayal Trauma Theory proposes survivors of interpersonal trauma may remain unaware of betrayal in order to maintain a necessary attachment. This preliminary study reports on the relationship between self-reports of betrayal trauma experiences and borderline personality characteristics in a college sample. As much of the sample were college freshmen (Mage=20.1, SD=3.4), this study directly looks at childhood trauma and its relationship to adolescent personality characteristics. Using multiple regression, betrayal was significantly associated with BPD characteristics. Trauma with high-betrayal was the largest contributor to borderline traits and trauma with medium betrayal was also a significant predictor. However, trauma low in betrayal was not associated with BPD features. These results stand even after controlling for gender. These findings suggest betrayal may be a key, and yet heretofore unaddressed, feature of borderline personality disorder. 

Robin Gobin

Gobin, R. & Freyd, J.J. (November, 2008).  Trust and revictimization among betrayal trauma survivors.  Paper presented at the 24th Annual Meeting of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS), Chicago, Illinois, November 13-15, 2008.

In "Revictimization: Examining Cognitive, Emotion, And Social Risk Factors," a Symposium chaired by Anne DePrince.

Handouts:
Abstract
The link between the experience of childhood sexual abuse and subsequent revictimization in adulthood has been widely reported in the literature.  The theories that have been proposed to explain this link have heretofore failed to examine inaccuracy in evaluations of trust and awareness for betrayals in interpersonal contexts as factors contributing to the perpetuation of revictimization.  The present study examined revictimization within a betrayal trauma framework.  Betrayal trauma theory posits that the experience of life threatening traumas perpetrated by someone close to the victim might damage cognitive mechanisms that normally allow individuals to make accurate evaluations of trust.  A sample of 272 college students completed questionnaires regarding betrayal trauma history, willingness to trust, and accuracy for detecting betrayal.  Preliminary data reveal higher rates of betrayal, lower awareness levels, and greater likelihoods of continuing a relationship following an interpersonal betrayal among high betrayal trauma survivors.  These results suggest revictimization risk may be linked to accurate identification of betrayals and the ability to initiate proper self-protective actions.   
bridget

Klest, B., Freyd, J.J., Hampson, S., & Goldberg, L.R. (November, 2008).  Trauma, personality, and demographic predictors of depression.  Paper presented at the 24th Annual Meeting of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS), Chicago, Illinois, November 13-15, 2008.

In "Trauma And Self: Culture, Identity, And Cognitive Predictors Of Depressive And Ptsd Symptoms," a Symposium chaired by Anne DePrince.

Handouts: pdf icon

Abstract
Past research indicates that traumatic events in early life predict depression in adulthood.  A number of other personal characteristics, such as personality style and socio-demographic group, have been implicated as risk factors for both trauma exposure and experiencing depression. This study examines the interplay between trauma, gender, culture, and personality in the prediction of depressive symptoms.  Six-hundred seventy-nine ethnically diverse participants were rated on personality characteristics as children, and were later surveyed in adulthood for experiences of trauma and symptoms of depression.  In this sample, childhood personality was related to trauma exposure in adolescence and adulthood, which in turn was related to depressive symptoms.  However, gender and culture were related to trauma exposure, personality characteristics, and depression, complicating interpretation of these results.  The relative contributions of each of these factors and interactions among factors in predicting depression are discussed. In addition, the implications for prevention and treatment of depression are explored.

 
bridget

Klest, B. (November, 2008).  Childhood Trauma, Poverty, and Adult Victimization: An Application of Multilevel Modeling.  Paper presented at the 24th Annual Meeting of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS), Chicago, Illinois, November 13-15, 2008.

Handouts:

Abstract
This paper employs multilevel modeling to examine whether poverty rates within communities impact relationships between childhood trauma, dissociation, and adult victimization within individuals. A sample of 421 homeowners from five communities was surveyed for childhood trauma exposure, dissociative experiences, and victimization in adulthood. Community poverty rates were assessed using U.S. census data. The results of this study suggest that childhood victimization and dissociation each uniquely predict variance in adult victimization, some variance in adult victimization is attributable to community-level variables, and social context affects revictimization. In particular, the relationship between childhood trauma and victimization in adulthood tends to be stronger among individuals in communities with higher poverty rates. Efforts targeting people victimized as children who currently live in poorer communities might have great potential for reducing revictimization. This study provides an example of the ways in which multilevel designs permit researchers to ask more complex questions, impacting our understanding of the causes, consequences, and prevention of trauma.
 

Barlow, M.R., & Freyd, J.J. (November, 2008). Characteristics of Memory for Autobiographical and Episodic Events in Women with Dissociative Identity Disorder.  Poster presented at the Psychonomics Society 49th Annual Meeting, Chicago, Illinois, November 13-16, 2008.

Full Poster:
Abstract
In dissociative identity disorder (DID) two or more distinct identities recurrently take control of behavior and there is an inability to recall important personal information.  DID is currently conceptualized as an adaptive response to extreme trauma, in which potentially dangerous awareness and memories are contained.  In this study, 11 women with DID were faster than a group of 13 female students at producing autobiographical memories in response to cue words.  Participants with DID had difficulty answering detailed questions about a story containing fear, compared with a neutral story; the student group did not.  The student group scored significantly higher on a measure of overall memory than did the DID group.  The DID group reported experiencing significantly more childhood trauma and more high-betrayal trauma than did the student group.  Effect sizes were moderate to high.  This preliminary study is unique in its broad conceptualization of memory functioning in DID.
Laura Kaehler

Kaehler, L. & Freyd, J.J., (November, 2008,).  Betrayal Trauma predicts Borderline Personality characteristics: Etiological underpinnings?  Poster presented at the International Society for the Study of Dissociation 25th International Fall Conference, Chicago, IL, November 15-17, 2008.

Full Poster:
Abstract
Borderline Personality Disorder has been associated with both trauma and insecure attachment styles. Betrayal Trauma Theory proposes survivors of interpersonal trauma may remain unaware of betrayal in order to maintain a necessary attachment. This preliminary study reports on the relationship between self-reports of betrayal trauma experiences and borderline personality characteristics in a college sample. Using multiple regression, betrayal was significantly associated with BPD characteristics. Trauma with high-betrayal was the largest contributor to borderline traits and trauma with medium betrayal was also a significant predictor. However, trauma low in betrayal was not associated with BPD features. These results stand even after controlling for gender. These findings suggest betrayal may be a key, and yet heretofore unaddressed, cause of borderline personality disorder.

Barton, J. Klest, B., & Freyd, J.J., (November, 2008).  Exploration of relational health and cognitive measures of dissociation.  Poster presented at the International Society for the Study of Dissociation 25th International Fall Conference, Chicago, IL, November 15-17, 2008.

Full Poster:

Abstract
This study uses an experimental design to examine links between betrayal trauma (BT), dissociation, memory, and relational health.  According to Betrayal Trauma Theory (Freyd, 1994), betrayal blindness allows victims to maintain attachment relationships, particularly when victims perceive attachments as necessary to survival. Dissociation is associated with BT exposure (Freyd, Klest & Allard, 2005). When attention is divided, memory for BT-related stimuli is poorer among high dissociators than among low dissociators (DePrince & Freyd, 2001 & 2004). Relational health has been linked to many positive indices (House, Landis & Umberson, 1988), and may decrease the need for betrayal blindness. The current study uses an auditory divided attention task to investigate dissociation, and also examines the influence of relational health on memory for traumatic stimuli. Participants listen to three types of spoken narratives (neutral, fear-related, and BT-related), and simultaneously complete an auditory word-discrimination task. After each narrative, memory for the story is measured. We expect to replicate previous findings, such that those high in dissociation will have shorter RTs and be more accurate in the word-discrimination task in the BT narrative condition. We also expect that relational health will influence these findings. We will discuss research and clinical implications of preliminary data.
Jennifer Freyd

Freyd, J.J., (November, 2008).  Betrayal trauma: Theory and research. In L. Kahn (Chair), Betrayal Trauma: Theory and treatment implications. Workshop conducted at the International Society for the Study of Dissociation 25th International Fall Conference, Chicago, IL, November 15-17, 2008.

Handouts: pdf icon
Workshop Abstract -- Betrayal trauma:  theory and treatment implications
Betrayal Trauma theory posits that when a parent or other powerful figure violates a fundamental ethic of human relationships, victims may need to remain unaware of the trauma not to reduce suffering but rather to promote survival. Amnesia enables the child to maintain an attachment with a figure vital to survival, development, and thriving. Betrayal trauma theory provides a critical  framework for the  understanding of  the impact of interpersonal traumas, explaining the centrality of a relationship for traumatic symptoms and dissociation. Jennifer Freyd will describe the theory of betrayal trauma predicated on her research,  highlighting the implications for the survivor's future well-being and ability to engage in trusting and intimate relationships.  Laurie Kahn will discuss treatment implications, including the crippling impact of betrayal trauma on relational blueprints highlighting the clinical challenges this presents for both clients and therapists. She will discuss the crucial role of the management  traumatic transference, counter transference and empathic breaks to help move clients from the ravages of betrayal blindness to the ability to perceive trustworthiness facilitating the creation of new paradigms for love and trust.
 
Jennifer Freyd

Freyd, J.J., (November, 2008). How to write an article for publication. Conversation Hour conducted at the International Society for the Study of Dissociation 25th International Fall Conference, Chicago, IL, November 15-17, 2008.


See: http://pages.uoregon.edu/dynamic/jjf/jtd/

Also see:

Betrayal Trauma Research
Our Full Text Articles on Trauma
Additional Lab Posters & Presentations

 

Jennifer Freyd Last update 19-Nov-2008 , jjf@dynamic.uoregon.edu
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