Childhood Abuse and Three Measures of Altered States of Consciousness (Dissociation, Absorption and Mysticism) in a Female Outpatient Sample

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This study examines the relationships between childhood and adolescent trauma and neglect and three types of altered states of consciousness (dissociative episodes, absorption, and mysticism) in an outpatient sample of women. Thirty-eight female outpatients receiving counseling at a community clinic completed three scales measuring the tendency to experience altered states of consciousness (Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES), Absorption Scale of the MPQ, and the Mysticism Scale), two measures of negative childhood experiences (Child Abuse and Trauma Scale (CAT) and the Self-Injury and Abuse Scale), and the Beck Depression Inventory. Twenty-one of 38 (55%) women reported childhood sexual abuse on the CAT. There was close agreement regarding childhood sexual abuse between the two abuse questionnaires (Kappa = .783, p >.001). Childhood sexual abuse was associated with more suicide attempts, but not with other self-injurious behaviors. Higher DES scores were associated with more negative overall home environment ratings and with histories of sexual abuse. The tendency to have negative or pathological (dissociative) altered states of consciousness was not correlated with the tendency to have positive (mystical) types of altered states. To the extent that there is an experiential or learned component underlying pathological dissociation, it does not appear to generalize to mystical-type experiences or even to the trait of absorption.