Dissociative phenomenon among sexually abused egyptian female participants with substance dependence

Abstract

Objective The purpose of this article is to study dissociative symptoms in female addicts exposed to sexual abuse in their childhood. Participants and methods This study included 44 Egyptian females who were recruited from a private psychiatric hospital and from a halfway center receiving treatment for substance abuse. Overall, 22 cases were sexually abused during their childhood (before age of 18 years), whereas 22 controls were not exposed to sexual abuse. Addiction severity index was used to assess history of addiction, age of starting smoking, and age of starting substance abuse. Addiction severity index was used to measure emotional abuse and physical abuse. Sexual abuse questionnaire was used to measure sexual abuse. Questionnaire of experience of dissociation was used to measure dissociative phenomena. Results There was a statistically significant difference regarding the age of starting smoking (P=0.03) and age of starting substance abuse (P=0.04). Moreover, there was a highly statistically significant difference between both groups regarding questionnaire of experience of dissociation scores (P=0.00). Conclusion Female participants with substance dependence who are sexually abused showed more pathological dissociative symptoms than those who were not. Female participants who are sexually abused during their childhood are more prone to start smoking and substance abuse at younger age than their peers. Physical abuse was higher in sexually abused female participants than those who were not.