Mangrioti, Elena (2025) The Role of Self-Concept Clarity in Linking Childhood Maltreatment to Dissociation: Evidence from an Interpersonal Eye-Gazing Task. Master thesis, Psychology.
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Abstract
Childhood maltreatment has been linked to dissociative symptoms, yet the pathways underlying this relationship remain understudied. Drawing on developmental models, this study tested whether self-concept clarity (SCC) mediates the relationship between early adversity and state dissociation elicited by sustained interpersonal gaze. We hypothesized that greater maltreatment severity would predict lower SCC, which in turn would predict larger pre-post increases in dissociative symptoms during a ten-minute, low-illumination eye-gazing induction. A sample of 151 healthy undergraduates (aged 17-31) completed questionnaires assessing childhood maltreatment, SCC, state dissociation (pre- and post-induction), perceptual distortion, and trait dissociation. Results showed that maltreatment severity was negatively associated with SCC and that lower SCC predicted greater increases in state dissociation change. Mediation analysis using 4,988 bootstrap samples confirmed a significant indirect-only effect of maltreatment on change in state dissociation via SCC, with no direct effect of maltreatment on dissociation. The gaze induction produced a large mean increase in dissociative symptoms and perceptual distortion scores were moderately high. These findings support an identity-centered framework in which SCC operates as a full mediator linking childhood maltreatment to situational dissociation. By identifying SCC as a malleable target, this work suggests promising avenues for interventions aimed at reducing dissociative vulnerability in trauma-exposed individuals. Keywords: childhood maltreatment, self-concept clarity, state dissociation, eye-gazing induction, mediation analysis
| Item Type: | Thesis (Master) |
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| Supervisor name: | Daniels, J.K. and Ostafin, B.D. |
| Degree programme: | Psychology |
| Differentiation route: | Clinical Forensic Psychology and Victimology (FP) [Master Psychology] |
| Date Deposited: | 08 Jul 2025 11:52 |
| Last Modified: | 08 Jul 2025 11:52 |
| URI: | http://gmwpublic.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/5359 |
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