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Kids who experience betrayal trauma carry it into adulthood — and it shows. Two UK surveys found that childhood betrayal trauma is tied to higher levels of shame and dissociation, both of which are linked to a greater fear of forming connections with others. While the findings are compelling, the cross-sectional design means causal conclusions can't be drawn just yet.
Kids who experience betrayal trauma carry it into adulthood — and it shows. Two cross-sectional online surveys of UK adults found that childhood betrayal trauma — being harmed by someone close — is significantly associated with higher levels of shame and dissociation. Both of these, in turn, are linked to a greater fear of belonging, or difficulty forming connections with others.
In the second study, the perceived impact of the trauma emerged as a key mediator: trauma didn't directly predict shame or dissociation, but its perceived impact did. Shame proved to be the stronger driver of fear of belonging compared to dissociation across both studies.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: Understanding how childhood betrayal trauma shapes shame and social fear could help clinicians better target interventions for adults struggling with trust, isolation, and trauma-related disorders — though causal conclusions await longitudinal research.
