Dissociative disorders

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Risk factors

By Mayo Clinic staff

People who experience chronic physical, sexual or emotional abuse during childhood are at greatest risk of developing dissociative disorders. Children and adults who experience other traumatic events, including war, natural disasters, kidnapping, torture and invasive medical procedures, also may develop these conditions.

References
  1. Dissociative disorders. In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR. 4th ed. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Association; 2000. http://www.psychiatryonline.com. Accessed Jan. 20, 2009.
  2. Maldonado JR, et al. Dissociative disorders. In: Hales RE, et al., eds. The American Psychiatric Publishing Textbook of Psychiatry. 5th ed. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Publishing; 2008:665.
  3. Dissociation and dissociative disorders. National Mental Health Association. http://www.nmha.org/index.cfm?objectId=C7DF8D4E-1372-4D20-C86C22067E838DF0&CFID=306278&CFTOKEN=696f1d08c4d6ecd2-823F75DC-1372-4D20-C8B94665B1F8DBE7. Accessed Jan. 20, 2009.
  4. Frequently asked questions: Dissociation and dissociative disorders. International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation. http://www.isst-d.org/education/faq-dissociation.htm. Accessed Jan. 20, 2009.
  5. Turkus JA, et al. Therapeutic interventions in the treatment of dissociative disorders. Psychiatric Clinics of North America. 2006;29:245.
  6. Chu JA, et al. Guidelines for treating dissociative identity disorder in adults. Journal of Trauma & Dissociation. 2005;6:69.
  7. Silberg J, et al. Guidelines for treating dissociative identity disorder in children and adolescents. Journal of Trauma & Dissociation. 2004;5:119.
  8. Berkowitz CD. Child maltreatment. In: Marx JA, et al., eds. Marx: Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 6th ed. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby; 2006:968.
  9. Sar V, et al. Dissociative disorders in the psychiatric emergency ward. General Hospital Psychiatry. 2007;29:45.

DS00574

March 3, 2009

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