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Full-Length Research Report

Trauma and Mentalization Ability in Older Patients

An Empirical Contribution to the Effect of Trauma in Old Age

Published Online:July 13, 2021https://doi.org/10.1024/1662-9647/a000267

Abstract

Abstract. The topic of trauma and aging has been studied more frequently in the recent past from the perspective of the consequences of early trauma experiences, especially in the context of war experiences. However, trauma can also occur later in life and have lasting consequences into older age. The study presented here assumed that these consequences can also manifest themselves in an impairment of mentalization ability. It examined a sample of patients between 40 and 80 years of age from a psychosomatic clinic (N = 150) was examined with the Essen Trauma Inventory (ETI) and two mentalization instruments. Results show that, as age increased, stressful events in adulthood correspond with impairment in mentalization ability in old age. Regarding posttraumatic symptomatology, the influence of intrusions increased as age increased. Finally, the results are discussed in a theoretical and therapeutic context.

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