Childhood Trauma in People Navigating Divorce or Separation
| Key things to know | What the evidence shows |
|---|---|
| How common is it? | Not established among currently divorced adults |
| Is it more common among people navigating divorce or separation? | Relationship rupture can strongly activate childhood attachment/rejection trauma |
| Are people navigating divorce or separation at higher risk? | #N/A |
| How much higher is the risk? | Not established robust divorce-specific effect |
| How often can it be missed? | #N/A |
| Does it show up differently among people navigating divorce or separation? | Very Strong Yes |
| How might it look different? | Breakup can reactivate abandonment, rejection, betrayal, unsafe attachment, hypervigilance or self-blame rooted in childhood |
| What commonly occurs alongside it? | #N/A |
| What can it be confused with? | Normal breakup distress; PTSD/CPTSD; BPD; Adjustment Disorder |
| Common screening tool | ACE Questionnaire — Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire |
| Separate screening tool for people navigating divorce or separation | None |
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