Jennifer J Freyd
Biographic Data
| ID | 209092 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Jennifer J Freyd |
| GIVEN NAMES | Jennifer J |
| FAMILY NAME | Freyd |
| SIGNATURE | FREYD J J |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Oregon |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-9650-9199 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 41 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 79 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 41 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1983 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2024 |
| H-INDEX | 5 |
Institutional courage attenuates the association between institutional betrayal and trauma symptoms among campus sexual assault survivors
This finding suggests that institutional courage may attenuate the negative influence of institutional betrayal. Overall, institutional courage may be a helpful approach to combat the harms of both sexual violence and institutional betrayal. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved)
Assessment of attitudes toward Internet pornography in emerging adults using the Internet Pornography Questionnaire
Out-of-body experience: Sex-based harassment linked to general dissociation, sexual dissociation, and sexual communication
Purpose Although prior research has indicated that posttraumatic stress symptoms may result from sex-based harassment, limited research has targeted a key posttraumatic outcome – dissociation. Dissociation has been linked to experiences of betrayal trauma and institutional betrayal; sex-based harassment is very often a significant betrayal creating a bind for the target. The purpose of this paper is to extend existing research by investigating th…
Compelled disclosure of college sexual assault.
The Relationship of Acculturation to Historical Loss Awareness, Institutional Betrayal, and the Intergenerational Transmission of Trauma in the American Indian Experience
The terms historical trauma and intergenerational transmission of trauma have been used interchangeably in the literature, yet may be theoretically distinct. The confusion in nomenclature may mask different underlying mechanisms for understanding trauma. The current study applies institutional betrayal trauma theory as a means for understanding awareness of historical losses and examines the intergenerational transmission of trauma through family…
In the spirit of full disclosure: Maternal distress, emotion validation, and adolescent disclosure of distressing experiences
The purpose of the current study was to investigate the dynamic process of disclosure within the adolescent-mother relationship by examining how maternal personal distress and validation of adolescent negative affect would be related to adolescent disclosure of a distressing experience for the first time. A community sample of 66 mothers and their adolescent children (M = 14.31 years, 58% female) participated. The adolescents disclosed an emotion…
Psychological Outcomes of Within-Group Sexual Violence: Evidence of Cultural Betrayal
Behind closed doors: University employees as stakeholders in campus sexual violence
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine employees’ experiences of institutional betrayal after a campus sexual assault. Design/methodology/approach University employees completed online measures evaluating various attitudes toward the university. Findings The majority of participants reported institutional betrayal in the university’s response to the case. Employees who reported institutional betrayal indicated significantly lower attachm…
Still Second Class: Sexual Harassment of Graduate Students
We surveyed 525 graduate students (61.7% females and 38.3% males) regarding their exposure to sexual and gender-based harassing events. Thirty-eight percent of female and 23.4% of male participants self-reported that they had experienced sexual harassment from faculty or staff; 57.7% of female and 38.8% of male participants reported they had experienced sexual harassment from other students. We explored the relation between sexual harassment and …
Treating Military Sexual Trauma
Betray my trust, shame on me: Shame, dissociation, fear, and betrayal trauma
Recent research suggests that betrayal is a fundamental dimension of trauma that may be a major factor contributing to posttraumatic distress (Freyd & Birrell, 2013). In the current study using a college student sample of female trauma survivors, (N = 124; 79% Caucasian; mean age = 20.40, SD = 3.60), we examined the contribution of high- and low-betrayal trauma history to shame, dissociation, and fear responses to threat. We hypothesized that (a)…
Hypervigilance in college students: Associations with betrayal and dissociation and psychometric properties in a Brief Hypervigilance Scale
Betrayal trauma theory (Freyd, 1994, 1996) proposes that traumas high in social betrayal are expected to lead to psychological outcomes of dissociation, amnesia, and/or shame because these responses are adaptive to a survivor trying to preserve a necessary relationship in the face of mistreatment. Within the field of trauma studies more generally, there is substantial support for the proposition that traumas that cause intense fear should lead to…
Institutional betrayal.
Are hallucinations related to betrayal trauma exposure? A three-study exploration
Betrayal trauma theory proposes that one response to betrayal may be to keep knowledge of the trauma out of conscious awareness. Although this betrayal blindness may be beneficial for survival while the abuse is ongoing because it helps maintain crucial relationships, this distortion of reality can lead to subsequent psychological and behavioral problems. The current article presents three exploratory studies that examine the associations among e…
Dangerous Safe Havens: Institutional Betrayal Exacerbates Sexual Trauma
Research has documented the profound negative impact of betrayal within experiences of interpersonal trauma such as sexual assault (Freyd, 1994, 1996; Freyd, DePrince, & Gleaves, 2007). In the current study of college women ( N = 345, 79% Caucasian; mean age = 19.69 years, SD = 2.55), we examined whether institutional failure to prevent sexual assault or respond supportively when it occurs may similarly exacerbate posttraumatic symptomatology—wha…
The impact of asian values and victim−perpetrator closeness on the disclosure of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse
Prior research indicates that survivors of abuse characterized by very close victimperpetrator relation-ships (VC traumas) are significantly more likely to delay disclosure for 1 or more years, or never to disclose, than survivors of abuse characterized by not very close victimperpetrator relationships (NVC traumas) (M. M. Foynes, J. J. Freyd, & A. P. Deprince, 2009, Child abuse, betrayal and disclosure, Child Abuse & Neglect, 33, 209–217). Nondi…
The impact of betrayal trauma on the tendency to trust
Early experiences of violation perpetrated by close others, or betrayal traumas, may interfere with developing social capacities, including the ability to make healthy decisions about whom to trust. Betrayal trauma theory posits that survivors of trauma are at increased risk of making inaccurate trust decisions in interpersonal contexts, thus interfering with intimacy and elevating risk for revictimization. The current study examined the impact o…
Trauma exposure and posttraumatic symptoms in Hawaii: Gender, ethnicity, and social context
Eight-hundred thirty-three members of an ethnically diverse longitudinal cohort study in Hawaii were surveyed about their personal exposure to several types of traumatic events, socioeconomic resources, and mental health symptoms. Results replicated findings from prior research that while men and women are exposed to similar rates of trauma overall, women report more exposure to traumas high in betrayal (HB), while men report exposure to more tra…
An exploratory study evaluating responses to the disclosure of stressful life experiences as they occurred in real time
Comparison of normative and diagnosed dissociation on attachment to companion animals and stuffed animals
Companion animals can serve as sources of love and attachment during times of stress. Stuffed animals, too, can provide comfort and stability. However, little research has examined companion animal attachment in highly dissociative trauma survivors, and no studies have systematically assessed stuffed animal attachment in dissociative adults. College student samples with either high or low dissociation levels and a sample of women with dissociativ…
Trauma, socioeconomic resources, and self-rated health in an ethnically diverse adult cohort
These results suggest complex interrelations among trauma, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and physical health. Further understanding these relations may have implications for medical and behavioral interventions in vulnerable populations
The role of cumulative trauma, betrayal, and appraisals in understanding trauma symptomatology
Poor psychological outcomes are common among trauma survivors, yet not all survivors experience adverse sequelae. The current study examined links between cumulative trauma exposure as a function of the level of betrayal (measured by the relational closeness of the survivor and the perpetrator), trauma appraisals, gender, and trauma symptoms. Participants were 273 college students who reported experiencing at least one traumatic event on a trauma…
Trauma and negative underlying assumptions in feelings of shame: An exploratory study
Shame is a common, although understudied, reaction to trauma. It is associated with numerous negative outcomes after trauma including emotional distress and health problems. Using a mixed experimental and correlational design, this study explored the association between trauma exposure, negative underlying assumptions (NUAs; attitudes such as “If I make a mistake, it means I am a bad person”), and feelings of shame. Our objectives were (1) to exa…
Betrayal trauma and borderline personality characteristics: Gender differences
Borderline Personality Disorder has been linked to both trauma and insecure attachment styles. Betrayal Trauma Theory proposes those who have experienced interpersonal trauma may remain unaware of betrayal in order to maintain a necessary attachment. This study attempts to replicate the association between self-reported betrayal trauma experiences and borderline personality characteristics found by Kaehler and Freyd (2009); however, this project …
Betrayal trauma and gender differences in posttraumatic stress
The purpose of the current study was to examine the role of betrayal trauma in explaining why women report higher rates of posttraumatic stress than men. Betrayal trauma theory posits that cognitive dissociation is adaptive when trauma occurs at the hands of a caregiver (Freyd, 1996). Betrayal trauma has also been linked to poorer outcomes in mental health, including depression, anxiety, and posttrau-matic stress disorder (PTSD) (DePrince & Freyd…
Still Second Class: Sexual Harassment of Graduate Students
We surveyed 525 graduate students (61.7% females and 38.3% males) regarding their exposure to sexual and gender-based harassing events. Thirty-eight percent of female and 23.4% of male participants self-reported that they had experienced sexual harassment from faculty or staff; 57.7% of female and 38.8% of male participants reported they had experienced sexual harassment from other students. We explored the relation between sexual harassment and …
II. Violations of Power, Adaptive Blindness and Betrayal Trauma Theory
The Relationship of Acculturation to Historical Loss Awareness, Institutional Betrayal, and the Intergenerational Transmission of Trauma in the American Indian Experience
The terms historical trauma and intergenerational transmission of trauma have been used interchangeably in the literature, yet may be theoretically distinct. The confusion in nomenclature may mask different underlying mechanisms for understanding trauma. The current study applies institutional betrayal trauma theory as a means for understanding awareness of historical losses and examines the intergenerational transmission of trauma through family…
Shareability: The social psychology of epistemology
Psychologists and cognitive scientists interested in the nature of internal representations of human knowledge often use observable regularities or structures to infer what the innate constraints on those representations must be like. It is possible, however, that certain structures might come about only when a group of people share a knowledge domain. Furthermore, it is possible that there are analyzable constraints on knowledge structures that …
Trauma, socioeconomic resources, and self-rated health in an ethnically diverse adult cohort
These results suggest complex interrelations among trauma, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and physical health. Further understanding these relations may have implications for medical and behavioral interventions in vulnerable populations
"The ethics of asking about abuse and the harm of "don't ask, don't tell
Intergenerational Associations Between Trauma and Dissociation
What Influences Believing Child Sexual Abuse Disclosures? The Roles of Depicted Memory Persistence, Participant Gender, Trauma History, and Sexism
This vignette study investigated factors that influence believing child sexual abuse disclosures. College student participants ( N = 318) in a university human subject pool completed measures about their own trauma history and responded to questions about sexist attitudes. Participants then read vignettes in which an adult disclosed a history of child sexual abuse, rated disclosures for accuracy and believability, and judged the level of abusiven…
Behind closed doors: University employees as stakeholders in campus sexual violence
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine employees’ experiences of institutional betrayal after a campus sexual assault. Design/methodology/approach University employees completed online measures evaluating various attitudes toward the university. Findings The majority of participants reported institutional betrayal in the university’s response to the case. Employees who reported institutional betrayal indicated significantly lower attachm…
Shareability: The social psychology of epistemology
Psychologists and cognitive scientists interested in the nature of internal representations of human knowledge often use observable regularities or structures to infer what the innate constraints on those representations must be like. It is possible, however, that certain structures might come about only when a group of people share a knowledge domain. Furthermore, it is possible that there are analyzable constraints on knowledge structures that …
Betrayal Trauma: Traumatic Amnesia as an Adaptive Response to Childhood Abuse
Betrayal trauma theory suggests that psychogenic amnesia is an adaptive response to childhood abuse. When a parent or other powerful figure violates a fundamental ethic of human relationships, victims may need to remain unaware of the trauma not to reduce suffering but rather to promote survival. Amnesia enables the child to maintain an attachment with a figure vital to survival, development, and thriving. Analysis of evolutionary pressures, ment…
Questioning additional claims about the false memory syndrome epidemic
Questioning additional claims about the false memory syndrome epidemic
II. Violations of Power, Adaptive Blindness and Betrayal Trauma Theory
Momentous Events, Vivid Memories (review)
David B. Pillemer. Momentous Events, Vivid Memories. Cambridge: Harvard UP, 1998. 256 pp. ISBN 0-674-58205-5, $35.00
Evaluating the impact of betrayal for children exposed in photographs
Elements of betrayal trauma theory (Freyd, 1996 ) are used to evaluate potential negative and positive consequences for children who serve as artistic models, particularly those who model for their artist parents. Several dimensions are considered in evaluating the likelihood of harm: nudity, motives of the artist, consent, external vulnerability, and objectification. Recommendations to artists include appointing an advocate for the child, discus…
Research participants telling the truth about their lives: The ethics of asking and not asking about abuse.
Self-Reports of Potentially Traumatic Experiences in an Adult Community Sample: Gender Differences and Test-Retest Stabilities of the Items in a Brief Betrayal-Trauma Survey
A new survey of potentially traumatic events was administered to a large community sample on two occasions, three years apart. In contrast to previous surveys, this one included separate items for events that involve mistreatment by someone close, mistreatment by someone not so close, and non-interpersonal events. For both kinds of interpersonal events, separate items focused on physical, sexual, and emotional types of potential abuse. For each e…
What Influences Believing Child Sexual Abuse Disclosures? The Roles of Depicted Memory Persistence, Participant Gender, Trauma History, and Sexism
This vignette study investigated factors that influence believing child sexual abuse disclosures. College student participants ( N = 318) in a university human subject pool completed measures about their own trauma history and responded to questions about sexist attitudes. Participants then read vignettes in which an adult disclosed a history of child sexual abuse, rated disclosures for accuracy and believability, and judged the level of abusiven…
"The ethics of asking about abuse and the harm of "don't ask, don't tell
Dissociation and Posttraumatic Symptoms in Maltreated Preschool Children
Borderline personality characteristics: A betrayal trauma approach
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) has been associated with both trauma and insecure attachment styles. Betrayal Trauma Theory proposes survivors of interpersonal trauma may remain unaware of betrayal in order to maintain a necessary attachment. This preliminary study reports on the relations between self-reports of betrayal trauma experiences and borderline personality characteristics in a college sample. Using multiple regression, betrayal w…
Betrayal and revictimization: Preliminary findings
The link between childhood sexual abuse and subsequent sexual, emotional, and physical revictimization has been widely reported. The literature is limited, however, in its exploration of the extent to which the level of betrayal inherent in a given childhood traumatic experience affects the likelihood of experiencing similar revictimization in adolescence and adulthood. This study assessed revictimization within a betrayal trauma framework among …
Teachers’ Beliefs about Maltreatment Effects on Student Learning and Classroom Behavior
The role of cumulative trauma, betrayal, and appraisals in understanding trauma symptomatology
Poor psychological outcomes are common among trauma survivors, yet not all survivors experience adverse sequelae. The current study examined links between cumulative trauma exposure as a function of the level of betrayal (measured by the relational closeness of the survivor and the perpetrator), trauma appraisals, gender, and trauma symptoms. Participants were 273 college students who reported experiencing at least one traumatic event on a trauma…
Trauma and negative underlying assumptions in feelings of shame: An exploratory study
Shame is a common, although understudied, reaction to trauma. It is associated with numerous negative outcomes after trauma including emotional distress and health problems. Using a mixed experimental and correlational design, this study explored the association between trauma exposure, negative underlying assumptions (NUAs; attitudes such as “If I make a mistake, it means I am a bad person”), and feelings of shame. Our objectives were (1) to exa…
Betrayal trauma and borderline personality characteristics: Gender differences
Borderline Personality Disorder has been linked to both trauma and insecure attachment styles. Betrayal Trauma Theory proposes those who have experienced interpersonal trauma may remain unaware of betrayal in order to maintain a necessary attachment. This study attempts to replicate the association between self-reported betrayal trauma experiences and borderline personality characteristics found by Kaehler and Freyd (2009); however, this project …
Betrayal trauma and gender differences in posttraumatic stress
The purpose of the current study was to examine the role of betrayal trauma in explaining why women report higher rates of posttraumatic stress than men. Betrayal trauma theory posits that cognitive dissociation is adaptive when trauma occurs at the hands of a caregiver (Freyd, 1996). Betrayal trauma has also been linked to poorer outcomes in mental health, including depression, anxiety, and posttrau-matic stress disorder (PTSD) (DePrince & Freyd…
Intergenerational Associations Between Trauma and Dissociation
Trauma exposure and posttraumatic symptoms in Hawaii: Gender, ethnicity, and social context
Eight-hundred thirty-three members of an ethnically diverse longitudinal cohort study in Hawaii were surveyed about their personal exposure to several types of traumatic events, socioeconomic resources, and mental health symptoms. Results replicated findings from prior research that while men and women are exposed to similar rates of trauma overall, women report more exposure to traumas high in betrayal (HB), while men report exposure to more tra…
An exploratory study evaluating responses to the disclosure of stressful life experiences as they occurred in real time
Comparison of normative and diagnosed dissociation on attachment to companion animals and stuffed animals
Companion animals can serve as sources of love and attachment during times of stress. Stuffed animals, too, can provide comfort and stability. However, little research has examined companion animal attachment in highly dissociative trauma survivors, and no studies have systematically assessed stuffed animal attachment in dissociative adults. College student samples with either high or low dissociation levels and a sample of women with dissociativ…
Trauma, socioeconomic resources, and self-rated health in an ethnically diverse adult cohort
These results suggest complex interrelations among trauma, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and physical health. Further understanding these relations may have implications for medical and behavioral interventions in vulnerable populations
Dangerous Safe Havens: Institutional Betrayal Exacerbates Sexual Trauma
Research has documented the profound negative impact of betrayal within experiences of interpersonal trauma such as sexual assault (Freyd, 1994, 1996; Freyd, DePrince, & Gleaves, 2007). In the current study of college women ( N = 345, 79% Caucasian; mean age = 19.69 years, SD = 2.55), we examined whether institutional failure to prevent sexual assault or respond supportively when it occurs may similarly exacerbate posttraumatic symptomatology—wha…
Psychology (36 works) · Clinical Psychology (26 works) · Social Psychology (26 works) · Betrayal (23 works) · Social Psychology (18 works) · Child Abuse and Trauma (17 works) · Clinical Psychology (17 works) · Medicine (17 works) · Psychiatry (13 works) · Medical emergency (12 works)