Trauma and Dissociation Among Sexually Abusive Juveniles

Elevated levels of dissociative symptoms, e.g.,§amnesia and §depersonalization, have been found to be a predictor§of violent §behavior in some studies. Traumatic§dissociation-dissociation which §results from traumatic stress-has been understudied§among juvenile §offenders and sexually abusive youth, despite the§fact that high §numbers of incarcerated adolescents have been exposed§to multiple §types of trauma. This research offers theoretical and§clinical insights §into the relationships between different types of§childhood §victimization, dissociation and trauma related§disorders, including §posttraumatic stress disorders, and subsequent§offending behaviors §in a large sample of delinquent youth and adolescent§sex offenders. §Preliminary links are established between§dissociation and traumatic §stress in this population, and a model is advanced§that indicates a §significant relationship between dissociation and§adolescent sexual §offending. Additionally, the author reviews the§historical and §contemporary conceptualizations of dissociation and§offers a §discussion of the possible racial and ethnic§differences in §dissociative symptoms.