The Relationship Between Dissociation and Object-Relations Impairment in Adult Female Incest Survivor Clients with and Without Personality Splitting
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Andrews University Digital Commons @ Andrews University Dissertations Graduate Research 1996 The Relationship Between Dissociation and Object-Relations Impairment in Adult Female Incest Survivor Clients with and without Personality Splitting Linda Jean Stuppy Andrews University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations Part of the Clinical Psychology Commons Recommended Citation Stuppy, Linda Jean, "The Relationship Between Dissociation and Object-Relations Impairment in Adult Female Incest Survivor Clients with and without Personality Splitting" (1996). Dissertations. 720. https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations/720 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Research at Digital Commons @ Andrews University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Andrews University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 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Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Andrews University Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DISSOCIATION AND OBJECT- RELATIONS IMPAIRMENT IN ADULT FEMALE INCEST SURVIVOR CLIENTS WITH AND WITHOUT PERSONALITY SPLITTING A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy by Linda Jean Stuppy March 1996 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number: 9630660 Copyright 1996 by Stuppy, Linda Jean All rights reserved. UMI Microform 9630660 Copyright 1996, by UMI Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. UMI 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, MI 48103 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. © Copyright by Linda Jean Stuppy All Rights Reserved Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DISSOCIATION AND OBJECT-RELATIONS IMPAIRMENT IN ADULT FEMALE INCEST SURVIVOR CLIENTS WITH AND WITHOUT PERSONALITY SPLITTING A dissertation presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy by Linda J Stuppy APPROVAL BY THE COMMITTEE: / s X s (.n * r . J Chair: Jimmy Kijai Jerome ,DJ Thayerir \ £/ IDirectdr1', Graduate Programs Member: Frederic!: A.Kosinski, Jr. Warren E Minder Dean, School of Education Member: Louise Forslef^y oa-Q?/7f& External^Mickey Kutzner Date Approved Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DISSOCIATION AND OBJECT- RELATIONS IMPAIRMENT IN ADULT FEMALE INCEST SURVIVOR CLIENTS WITH AND WITHOUT PERSONALITY SPLITTING by Linda Jean Stuppy Chair: Jimmy Kijai Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT OF GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH Dissertation Andrews University School of Education Title: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DISSOCIATION AND OBJECT- RELATIONS IMPAIRMENT IN ADULT FEMALE INCEST SURVIVOR CLIENTS WITH AND WITHOUT PERSONALITY SPLITTING Name of researcher: Linda J. Stuppy Name and degree of faculty chair: Jimmy Kijai. Ph.D. Date completed: December 1995 Problem Childhood incest appears to play a role in the formation of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) (formerly Multiple Personality Disorder). This study investigated whether a relationship exists between dissociation and object-relations impairment in incest survivors and whether DID incest survivors have higher levels of these characteristics than non-DID incest survivors. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Method The Dissociative Experience Scale, Bell Object Relations Reality Testing Inventory and Childhood Maltreatment Interview Schedule-Short Form were completed by a sample of 60 adult female incest survivor clients. 29 who met the diagnosis for DID and 31 who did not. The Results All three hypotheses were supported at a .05 level. A significant relationship between dissociation and object-relations impairment was found. The DID group reported significantly higher levels of dissociation and object-relations impairment than the non-DID group and higher incidences of childhood maltreatment and adult traumas. A discriminant analysis found that DID clients can be differentiated from non-DID clients based on dissociative experiences and object-relations scores. The DID group consistently reported higher incidences of childhood maltreatment, psychological abuse, and adult traumatization than the non-DID group. Conclusions The findings support an object-relations model for incest and suggest that personality splitting found in DID clients may be related to a developmental arrest in early-life intrapsychic splitting mechanisms described by Kemberg (1966. 1975, 1976) and others. It is possible that therapists may serve as "transitional objects” for incest survivors with object-relations deficits. Past research has viewed incest as leading to a variety of PTSD symptoms, however some effects, especially personality splitting, may originate even before the incest occurs when very young children are exposed to harsh or psychologically overwhelming situations. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. To The incest survivors who participated in this study, their therapists, and to Dr. Cornelia Wilbur, who inspired me in my early work with DID clients My doctoral committee for their mentoring and guidance, and my family and friends who provided emotional support along the way Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................... vii I. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................... 1 Rationale ........................................................................................ 5 Statement of the Problem ........................................................... 7 Purpose of Study ......................................................................... 8 Theoretical Framework ................................................................ 9 Hypotheses ..................................................................................... 14 Significance of the Study ............................................................. 15 Definition of Terms ....................................................................... 16 Delimitations ................................................................................ 18 Limitations ..................................................................................... 19 II. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ........................................................ 20 Long-Term Effects of Sexual Abuse ......................................... 20 Summary of Research ...................................................... 34 Sexual Abuse and DID ................................................................ 35 Summary of Research ...................................................... 43 Dissociation and Splitting in DID .............................................. 44 Early Theorists .................................................................. 44 Object-Relations Theorists .............................................. 47 Contemporary Theorists