I can t tell whether it s my hand a pilot study of the neurophenomenology of body representation during the rubber hand illusion in trauma-related

Introduction

  • Study Title: "I can't tell whether it's my hand"

  • Authors: Daniela Rabellino, Sherain Harricharan, Paul A. Frewen, Dalila Burin, Margaret C. McKinnon, Ruth A. Lanius

  • Journal: European Journal of Psychotraumatology

  • Published: 21 Nov 2016

  • DOI: 10.3402/ejpt.v7.32918

  • Focus: Neurophenomenology of body representation in trauma-related disorders through the rubber hand illusion (RHI).

Background

  • Trauma and Dissociation:

    • Early traumatic experiences can lead to dissociation, such as depersonalization and derealization.

    • RHI is an experimental paradigm used to measure body ownership and integration.

    • Lack of research on RHI response in individuals with trauma-related disorders (TRD).

Objectives

  • To investigate how individuals with TRD respond to the RHI, specifically focusing on changes in body representation.

Methodology

  • Participants:

    • Involved three individuals diagnosed with the dissociative subtype of PTSD (D-PTSD).

  • RHI Procedure:

    • Participants viewed a rubber hand while their actual hand was concealed.

    • Synchronous vs. asynchronous brushing techniques were applied.

    • Subjective experiences, physiological responses, and behavior were measured.

Results

  • Experiences of RHI:

    • Participants reported complex and differentiated subjective experiences.

    • The RHI induced feelings of distress, depersonalization, derealization, tonic immobility, and increased physiological arousal.

    • Both brushing techniques impacted the perception of the body ownership and related experiences.

Conclusions

  • RHI serves as a powerful stimulus that can provoke distress and dissociative symptoms in individuals with TRD.

  • Highlights the complexity of bodily representation and suggests implications for psychological treatment of trauma.

Case Reports

Participant A: Stephanie

  • History: Suffered emotional and sexual abuse, PTSD, and displayed dissociative symptoms.

  • Observations: Reported increased dissociative experiences during the RHI, including anxiety and altered body ownership.

Participant B: Dawn

  • History: Experienced emotional abuse in childhood, and exhibited PTSD symptoms.

  • Observations: Observed disconnect in visual and tactile perception during RHI, experiencing tonic immobility.

Participant C: Michelle

  • History: Childhood physical and sexual abuse; long history of psychiatric treatment.

  • Observations: Anxiety on seeing the rubber hand; linked experiences to her mother, leading to flashbacks tied to past trauma.

Physiological Measurement

  • Physiological responses were assessed using heart rate variability and skin conductance:

    • Decreases in parasympathetic activity and increases in sympathetic arousal were noted during RHI presentations.

Implications

  • Findings emphasize the necessity of further research on RHI's impact within trauma contexts.

  • Supports the need for targeted interventions addressing trauma-related body misrepresentations and dissociative symptoms.

Future Research Directions

  • Recommended exploration of RHI in larger samples and comparison groups.

  • Importance of detailing physiological responses and psychological assessments in understanding trauma-related alterations in consciousness.