Complex PTSD & Dissociative Disorders Flashcards

In EMDR treatment of DID, 'final fusion' refers to which therapeutic milestone?

Answer: Integration of all identity states into a unified sense of self

Final fusion in DID treatment means all alternate identity states have integrated into a coherent, unified personality — though many clients achieve functional integration without complete fusion.

A complex trauma client reports no distressing memories but presents with chronic emptiness, identity confusion, and relational chaos. Which EMDR targeting approach is most appropriate?

Answer: Target emotional states and somatic sensations linked to unmet developmental needs

When explicit memories are absent or inaccessible, EMDR can target somatic sensations, emotional states, or 'feeder memories' linked to unmet developmental needs using affect and body bridges.

The ICD-11 requires which two components to be present alongside PTSD symptoms for a diagnosis of Complex PTSD?

Answer: Affect dysregulation and negative self-concept and relational disturbances (DSO cluster)

ICD-11 CPTSD = standard PTSD criteria PLUS the Disturbances in Self-Organization (DSO) triad: affect dysregulation, negative self-concept, and relational disturbances.

When processing trauma in a client with OSDD (Other Specified Dissociative Disorder), what distinguishes OSDD from full DID that affects the treatment approach?

Answer: OSDD typically involves less distinct identity states and less inter-state amnesia than full DID

OSDD (formerly DDNOS) involves dissociative identity disruption that does not meet full DID criteria, usually featuring less distinct identities or less marked amnesia, affecting the intensity of stabilization needed.

Which EMDR intervention involves the therapist briefly introducing a connecting thought or question when processing is blocked, without fully departing from the protocol?

Answer: Cognitive interweave

A cognitive interweave is a therapist-initiated statement or question designed to unblock stuck processing by introducing a new perspective, responsibility reattribution, or safety information.

Peritraumatic dissociation — dissociation occurring at the time of the traumatic event — is clinically significant in CPTSD because it:

Answer: Is a strong predictor of PTSD development and severity after trauma

Research consistently shows peritraumatic dissociation is one of the strongest predictors of subsequent PTSD, as fragmented encoding makes adaptive processing more difficult.

In EMDR work with complex trauma, 'somatic resourcing' involves which clinical activity?

Answer: Helping clients develop body-based awareness and regulation strategies to anchor safety

Somatic resourcing builds the client's capacity to notice and regulate body-based states, providing an anchor in present physical sensation that supports trauma processing without overwhelm.