Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.)

School

Psychology

Advisor

Julie Lindahl

Abstract

Complex posttraumatic stress disorder is a very serious mental health condition with long-term side effects that impact a victim’s quality of life. Many studies have been conducted that explore various aspects of complex posttraumatic stress disorder. However, there is a gap in research exploring the role of attachment trauma in the development of self-concept for complex posttraumatic stress disorder victims. This gap is relevant because treatment of this population has been decisively limited and attachment trauma has been found to be a correlate among many psychiatric groups. By identifying how attachment trauma develops self-concept, researchers and clinicians can be better equipped to treat psychiatric populations plagued by the debilitating effects of psychological trauma. The theoretical foundations used in this study are based on the suppositions of attachment theory and posit that secure attachment is necessary for healthy functioning. This was an interpretative phenomenological study that included nine participants with a clinical diagnosis of complex posttraumatic stress disorder. The research question was to understand the lived experiences of C-PTSD victims, and the subquestion was to understand how attachment trauma shapes their self-concept. The findings revealed that participants experienced significant challenges in meta-cognitive skills and endured debilitating symptoms of distress that impacted their perception of self. Implications of this study indicated that attachment trauma has a decisive role in the development of self-concept and could lead to positive social change through impacting treatment modalities for mental health fields.

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