Post-traumatic stress disorder, suggestibility, and dissociation related to alleged alien abductions.
José I Latorre, María Y Vellisca
Explore (New York, N.Y.) January 1, 2022 DOI: 10.1016/j.explore.2021.10.003 (opens in new tab) via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractPeople who report memories of alien abduction experience emotional reactions similar to those of genuinely traumatic events, though the memories may stem from dissociation rather than psychosis. In a comparison of 19 individuals claiming abduction memories and 32 controls, the abductee group scored higher on measures of post-traumatic stress disorder and dissociation but lower on suggestibility. Only the difference in suggestibility was statistically significant. The findings suggest that dissociation, not severe mental illness, may explain some cases, and that the emotional impact of implausible memories can mirror that of real trauma.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 51 |
| Population | Individuals who report memories of alien abduction and a control group |
| Topics | PTSD |
| Keywords | Alien abduction False memory Sleep paralysis Suggestibility |
| Key finding | The abductee group showed higher scores in post-traumatic stress disorder and dissociation but lower suggestibility compared to controls, with only the suggestibility difference being statistically significant. |
Abstract
Thousands of people throughout the world are convinced that they have been abducted by aliens. We aimed to assess the emotional reaction to such an implausible event and propose some explanations alternative to severe psychopathology. A total of 19 individuals who reported memories of having been abducted by aliens were compared to a control group of 32 participants. We employed a battery of tests measuring post-traumatic stress disorder, suggestibility, and dissociation within all participants. The abductee group showed higher scores in measures of post-traumatic stress disorders and dissociation, but lower in suggestibility. Nevertheless, these differences were statistically significant only in suggestibility. The emotional reaction to memories of an implausible experience can be similar to an individual's response to a genuinely traumatic event. Dissociation might be involved in the clarification of some cases. Explanations alternative to psychosis for these testimonies are proposed.