Dissociation, fantasy proneness, and suggestibility in participants with varying levels of trauma exposure

Psychologists have long assumed a connection between traumatic experience and a specific set of psychological symptoms often referred to as dissociation. This hypothesis is referred to as the Trauma model of Dissociation. In the last decade, a series of papers have been published that question the more traditional causal link between trauma and dissociation. In this research, the relationship among dissociation, suggestibility, and fantasy proneness were examined. Dissociation was measured by the Dissociative Continuum Scale (DES). Fantasy Proneness was measured by the Inventory of Childhood Memories and Imaginings (ICMI) and the Creative Experiences Scale (CEQ). Trauma History was assessed by the Trauma History Screen (THS), which was incorporated into the Demographics Questionnaire, and the Violence History Questionnaire (VHQ). Suggestibility was measured through the Gudjonsson Scale of Interrogative Suggestibility (GSS), as well as a autobiographically based version of this measure derived from the format of the original measure, which was created for the purpose of the current study and based on the events of September 11, 2001. Participants also completed the Response to Research Participation Questionnaire (RRPQ). Fantasy proneness and dissociation were correlated, but suggestibility and dissociation were not. Trauma history was associated with both fantasy proneness and dissociation. Dissociation correlated with trauma history controlling for fantasy proneness. The results support the trauma model of dissociation and fail to support the fantasy model of dissociation.