Trauma-Related Altered States of Consciousness (TRASC) and Functional Impairment I: Prospective Study in Acutely Traumatized Persons
Journal of Trauma & Dissociation September 17, 2015 P. Frewen, K. Hegadoren, N. Coupland et al.
A theoretical 4-D model distinguishes posttraumatic stress symptoms that occur in normal waking consciousness (NWC) from those that involve dissociative experiences, called trauma-related altered states of consciousness (TRASC). This prospective study of 180 people assessed in emergency departments after traumatic events found that both TRASC and NWC-distress symptoms measured at 6 weeks independently predicted social and occupational impairment at 12 weeks. The results largely supported the 4-D model, but contrary to hypotheses, childhood trauma history correlated more strongly with NWC-distress than with TRASC symptoms.