Childhood Abuse and Parental Acceptance-Rejection in Adolescents with Conversion Disorder

Present research focused on to explore childhood abuse in relation to parental acceptance-rejection in female adolescents with conversion disorder. Different types of childhood abuse were identified by using an indigenously developed Childhood Abuse Interview (CAI, Naz & Kausar, 2012). Parental acceptance-rejection was explored by using Parental Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire (PARQ; Rohner & Khaleaque, 2005). Somatoform Symptoms Scale (SSS; Naz & Kausar, 2012) was employed to measure conversion symptoms’ severity. The sample was comprised of 150 female adolescents (Mean age = 15.15, SD =1.66) diagnosed with conversion disorder. Sample was recruited from three hospitals of Lahore. Results revealed that parental rejection, childhood physical abuse, emotional abuse and neglect showed significant positive relationship with the severity of conversion symptoms. Coldness/lack of affection (father), discontinuation of education, childhood physical abuse and rejection (father) emerged as significant predictor of severity of conversion symptoms in female adolescents.