To date, only few studies have examined the predictive value of dissociative symptoms in the context of acute, single-event traumatic experiences in children. In a short-term follow-up study, we examined the relationship between peritraumatic dissociation and levels of posttraumatic stress in forty-five child and adolescent victims of road traffic accidents at one week and at three months after the event. Peritraumatic dissociative experiences were common, with 62% of children endorsing at least one symptom. In a final regression model, peritraumatic derealization accounted for thirty-three percent of variance of posttraumatic stress symptoms three months after the accident. The results suggest that peritraumatic dissociative experiences could also be valuable in identifying children and adolescents at risk for later symptomatology. (Author/publisher)
Samenvatting