Psychophysiological correlates of peritraumatic dissociative responses in survivors of life-threatening XXXX .

@entity1 @entity427 @entity1005 @entity299
The psychophysiological @entity427 response pattern associated with peritraumatic dissociation (DISS) was studied in 103 survivors of a life-threatening @entity299 (mean age 61.0 years, SD 13.95). Mean time period since the @entity299 was 37 (79 IQD) months. All @entity1 underwent a psychodiagnostic evaluation (including the Peritraumatic Dissociative Experiences Questionnaire) and a psychophysiological @entity427 experience which comprised the delivery of 15 acoustic @entity427 trials. Magnitude and habituation to trials were measured by means of electromyogram (EMG) and skin conductance responses (SCR). Thirty-two (31%) subjects were indexed as @entity1 with a clinically significant level of DISS symptoms. High-level DISS was associated with a higher magnitude of SCR (ANOVA for repeated measures p = 0.017) and EMG (p = 0.055) and an impaired habituation (SCR slope p = 0.064; EMG slope p = 0.005) in comparison to subjects with no or low DISS. In a subgroup analysis, high-level DISS @entity1 with severe @entity1005 ( @entity1005 ; n = 11) in comparison to high-level DISS @entity1 without subsequent @entity1005 (n = 19) exhibited higher EMG amplitudes during all trials (repeated measures analysis of variance F = 5.511, p = 0.026). The results demonstrate exaggerated @entity427 responses in SCR and EMG measures - an abnormal defensive response to high-intensity stimuli which indicates a steady state of increased arousal. DISS @entity1 without @entity1005 exhibited balanced autonomic responses to the @entity427 trials. DISS may, therefore, unfold malignant properties only in combination with persistent physiological hyperarousability.
