Citation

Bracken KL, Berman ME, McCloskey MS, Bullock JS. J. Aggression Maltreat. Trauma 2008; 17(4): 520-532.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/10926770802463230

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to test the relation between deliberate self-harm (DSH) and state dissociation. Participants (N = 85) were randomly assigned to self-administer either a very mild electric shock below their pain threshold (a no-self-harm control condition) or an electric shock they were told could cause minor tissue damage that would heal quickly, but which was in fact equal to a predetermined pain threshold (a DSH condition). After task completion, 42 participants rated the extent of their dissociation before the shock and 43 rated the extent of their dissociation after the shock.

RESULTS indicated that women in the DSH group experienced more dissociation compared to men, but only after the shock. Potential reasons for this gender effect are discussed. © 2008 by The Haworth Press.

Language: en

Keywords

adult; human; gender; suicide; female; male; scoring system; Self-injury; article; controlled study; questionnaire; automutilation; electric shock; Dissociative experiences; pain threshold; tissue injury; Self-aggression; dissociative fugue