Dissociation after traumatization in war

Sabina Gusic is a licensed Psychologist and currently a doctoral student at the Department of Psychology. Her research focuses on dissociation in children and adolescents who have suffered extreme victimization in war and/or by organized violence.

Dissociation and trauma in children and adolescents

The overall purpose of this research is to extend our knowledge about children and dissociation. This research project will involve children and adolescents who have suffered extreme victimization in war and/or by organized violence, in contrast to the normal functioning of the non-traumatized children / adolescents. In the clinical context a number of these children and adolescents show different psychiatric conditions characterized by symptoms of severe traumatic stress and pathological dissociation. Research related to traumatized children and dissociation is not as widespread as the one involving traumatized adults, especially regarding war-traumatized children. Research to this date has found evidence of dissociation symptoms in children and adolescents that have been exposed to sexual abuse, neglect and maltreatment. Hopefully the proposed research will broaden our knowledge about children and adolescents with war-related traumas and symptoms of dissociation, leading to better ways of discovering and understanding their needs as well as leading to better and more efficient treatments for those children in need of psychotherapy.