Post-traumatic stress disorder, suggestibility, and dissociation related to alleged alien abductions.
José I Latorre, María Y Vellisca
Explore 2022 DOI: 10.1016/j.explore.2021.10.003 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| 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 findings | 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.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on PTSD, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy Using Low Doses in a Small Sample of Women with Chronic Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Women with chronic PTSD secondary to sexual assault | 2008 | Observational cohort | n = 6 |
| An Ambulatory Polysomnography Study of the Post-traumatic Nightmares of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Treatment-seeking veterans, current serving military members, and emergency service... | 2017 | Observational study using ambulatory polysomnography | n = 35 |
| Increased Mastery Elements Associated With Imagery Rehearsal Treatment for Nightmares in Sexual Assault Survivors With PTSD. Female sexual assault survivors with chronic nightmares | 2004 | Observational cohort | n = 44 |
| Posttraumatic stress symptoms following near-death experiences. Persons who report near-death experiences and those who came close to death without NDEs | 2001 | Observational study | |
| Impact of oral ketamine augmentation on hospital admissions in treatment-resistant depression and PTSD: a retrospective study. Outpatients with treatment-resistant depression and PTSD | 2018 | Retrospective review | n = 37 |
Citations in the library
Cites 6
- Neuropharmacology of N,N-dimethyltryptamine Brain Research Bulletin April 30, 2016
- A systematic review of variables associated with sleep paralysis Sleep Medicine Reviews June 8, 2017
- Anomalous Experiences, Trauma, and Symbolization Processes at the Frontiers between Psychoanalysis and Cognitive Neurosciences Frontiers in Psychology December 21, 2015
- A clinician’s guide to recurrent isolated sleep paralysis Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment July 19, 2016
- Psychological aspects of the alien contact experience. Cortex 2008
and 1 more in the library