Anja Söderberg, who recently completed her PhD in Nursing at Luleå University of Technology.
25 June 2026
Trauma-informed care can create safer psychiatric care
People living with severe dissociative states risk being harmed in psychiatric inpatient care if healthcare professionals lack knowledge about trauma and dissociation. New research from Luleå University of Technology shows how a better understanding of trauma and dissociation can make care safer and reduce the risk of further suffering.
In a new doctoral thesis, researcher Anja Söderberg at Luleå University of Technology has examined psychiatric inpatient care for people living with severe dissociative states. Dissociation can, for example, involve feeling detached from reality or experiencing a fragmented sense of self, and occurs across several psychiatric diagnoses.
"People who live with more severe dissociative states have often experienced some form of trauma. This is why I have been particularly interested in the importance of trauma-informed care," says Anja Söderberg, who recently completed her PhD in Nursing at Luleå University of Technology.
The research shows that a lack of knowledge about trauma and dissociation can have serious consequences for people living with severe dissociative states.
"People living with severe dissociative states may be offered support and safety, but they may also be exposed to harm through a lack of validation of who they are, having little authority over their own care, staff not being there for them, and care becoming unpredictable. These experiences, often resulting from insufficient understanding and knowledge, can be re-traumatising," says Anja Söderberg.
The importance of how patients are treated
Among other methods, Anja Söderberg interviewed people living with dissociative states as well as healthcare professionals. The research shows that the way healthcare professionals interact with patients plays a crucial role in patients’ experiences of safety and recovery.
"Important trauma-informed approaches in this context involve creating a sense of safety by validating people for who they are, sharing authority, being present and promoting predictability," says Anja Söderberg.
The research also indicates that people living with severe dissociative states are often particularly vulnerable in inpatient care due to a lack of knowledge, and that insufficient understanding can lead to increased insecurity and suffering. At the same time, healthcare professionals have significant opportunities to create safer care through their approach.
"Healthcare professionals in inpatient care can help move care closer to safety rather than harm through a trauma-informed approach," says Anja Söderberg.
In the long term, the findings may contribute to safer interactions and increased knowledge within psychiatric inpatient care for people living with severe dissociative states.
Contact
Anja Söderberg
- Lecturer, PhD Student
- 0920-491062
- anja.soderberg@ltu.se
- Anja Söderberg
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