CHILDHOOD TRAUMA AND STRESSFUL LIFE EXPERIENCES AS PREDICTORS OF DISSOCIATIVE SYMPTOMS AND EMOTIONAL DISTRESS IN FUNCTIONAL NEUROLOGICAL SYMPTOM DISORDER

Abstract

Functional Neurological Symptom Disorder (FNSD) is a complex neuropsychiatric condition in which psychological, environmental, and interpersonal factors contribute to the development and severity of neurological symptoms. The present study examined the predictive contributions of childhood trauma, stressful life experiences, emotional distress, and psychosocial resources to dissociative symptom severity among patients with FNSD. A quantitative cross-sectional predictive research design was employed among 700 patients recruited from Psychiatry department of Mardan medical complex tertiary care teaching hospital in Mardan, Pakistan. Data were collected using standardized measures of childhood trauma, stressful life experiences, anxiety, depression, perceived social support, life satisfaction, and somatoform dissociation. Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to identify significant predictors of dissociative symptom severity. The regression model was statistically significant, F(6, 693) = 96.52, p < .001, explaining 46% of the variance in dissociative symptom severity (R² = .46, Adjusted R² = .45). Childhood trauma, stressful life experiences, anxiety, and depression significantly predicted higher dissociative symptom severity, whereas perceived social support and life satisfaction emerged as significant negative predictors. Among all predictors, life satisfaction demonstrated the strongest protective association, followed by perceived social support. The findings support a biopsychosocial understanding of FNSD, highlighting that dissociative symptom severity is influenced not only by exposure to adversity and emotional distress but also by the availability of protective psychosocial resources. These findings underscore the importance of trauma-informed and resilience-focused interventions that address both vulnerability factors and psychological strengths in individuals with FNSD.