Ellert R. S. Nijenhuis, Onno van der Hart, Karlien Kruger (2002)
The psychometric characteristics of the traumatic experiences checklist (TEC): first findings among psychiatric outpatients.
Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy Volume 9, Issue 3 , Pages 200 - 210
DOI: 10.1002/cpp.332

Abstract: The objective of the study was to assess the reliability and validity of a retrospective self-report measure of potential traumatic experiences among psychiatric outpatients. The range of evaluated experiences includes emotional neglect and abuse. Participants completed the Traumatic Experiences Checklist (TEC) (N = 153), a self-report trauma questionnaire of known psychometric qualities, i.e. the Stressful Life Experiences Questionnaire (SLESQ), and self-report measures of somatoform dissociation (SDQ-20), psychoform dissociation (DES). A majority (N = 115) completed the TEC twice, and also completed a measure of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSD-ss). The TEC's internal consistency and test-retest reliability were good, and the TEC strongly correlated with the SLESQ. Associations between the TEC and the PTSD-ss, DES, and SDQ-20 supported the criterion-related validity of the TEC. The internal consistency, test-retest reliability and criterion-related validity of TEC trauma area presence and severity scores were also satisfactory. Preliminary findings suggest that the psychometric characteristics of the TEC are good. Future study of the TEC should include larger samples of psychiatric patients, as well as non-clinical groups.

Ellert R. S. Nijenhuis, Onno van der Hart, Kathy Steele (2002)
The emerging psychobiology of trauma-related dissociation and dissociative disorders.
In: H. D’Haenen, J.A. Den Boer, H. Westenberg, & P. Willner (Eds.), Textbook of Biological Psychiatry, pp. 1079-1098. London: Wiley.(book)

Abstract: Traumatic experiences may hamper the integrative functions of the mind. This chapter discusses several key neuroendocrine systems and brain structures that seem to be involved in trauma-related dissociation. Clinical, empirical, and experimental evidence suggests that this dissociation, described in this chapter as structural dissociation of the personality, reflects a lack of integration among psychobiological emotional systems, e.g., reproduction, attachment, defense. The primary form of this structural dissociation involves failed integration between systems dedicated to daily life and systems dedicated to defense in the face of severe threat. Most research has largely overlooked the fact that psychobiological reactivity to threat cues may depend on the type of dissociative psychobiological system that dominates the functioning of the patient at the time of measurement. As predicted by the theory of structural dissociation, pioneering studies have found such differences between dissociative systems dedicated to daily life and to defense.