From the oblivion of abuse to the prison of the present: when childhood trauma crystallizes trust and condemns to relational repetition

Edited by: Massimo Lattanzi and Tiziana Calzone Institutions: Italian Association of Psychology and Criminology (AIPC), Italian Center of Relational Psychotraumatology (CIPR), and National Observatory on Family Homicides (ONOF).

Abstract

The integration of recent scientific research by Porat-Butman et al. (2025) and the clinical model of Relational Psychotraumatology developed by CIPR reveals a devastating neurological and psychological mechanism: childhood maltreatment does not only destroy the past but alters the brain's ability to "update" social reality in the present, creating a true cognitive prison.

1. Porat-Butman's research: the belief updating deficit

The study highlights that adults with a history of maltreatment possess an intact ability to initially learn who is "good" or "bad." The deficit arises when reality changes:

• Rigidity towards the stranger: If a person initially perceived as negative proves to be reliable, the traumatized brain fails to "recalibrate" this information.
• Over-precision: Excessive "precision" is assigned to initial threat expectations, making mental models resistant to change even in the face of clear contrary evidence.
• PTSD as an outcome of rigidity: The research identifies a linear correlation: the greater the updating deficit, the more severe the PTSD symptoms developed after further trauma in adulthood. Conversely, flexibility in revising one’s opinions acts as a protective buffer.

2. Interpersonal traumatic resonance: feeling the past in the present

Interpersonal traumatic resonance represents the clinical manifestation of this updating deficit within a relationship. It is not just a misconception, but a distorted way of "vibrating" with the other:

• Perceptual distortion: Traumatic resonance acts as a lens that deforms signals sent by the partner. Instead of attuning to the other's current intentions, the subject resonates with somatic memories of past abuse.
• Dysfunctional emotional contagion: In a healthy relationship, resonance allows for empathy; in traumatic resonance, every sign of uncertainty from the partner activates an echo of childhood maltreatment, making it impossible to distinguish between a minor misunderstanding and a vital threat.
• Relational crystallization: This dynamic prevents the individual from "feeling" and integrating safety in current relationships. The person remains trapped in an emotional frequency of alert that forbids affective exchange, turning the relationship into a battlefield instead of a safe harbor.

Listen to the podcast on the AIPC Editore Channel on Spotify, MIND|CRIME|TRAUMA: “From the oblivion of abuse to the prison of the present: When childhood trauma crystallizes trust and condemns to relational repetition”, click the link:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5LDS3KK4kP88Z1QD2up0IG?si=ZxWfCavmQFyRFWBdRl-1lw

3. Emotional dysregulation and the window of tolerance in C-PTSD

While PTSD is often linked to single events, chronic maltreatment leads to C-PTSD (Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder). Here, traumatic resonance translates into a profound alteration of the Window of Tolerance:

• Narrowing of the window: Childhood trauma narrows the space in which a person can process emotions effectively.
• Permanent dysregulation: Every social stimulus pushes the subject toward hyper-arousal (anxiety, alert) or hypo-arousal (detachment), preventing the recalibration of trust because the nervous system is too busy surviving.
• Inability to integrate: Post-traumatic emotional dysregulation results in cognitive rigidity that prevents the "updating" of social maps, constantly confirming danger even where it does not exist.

4. The paradox of the dysfunctional partner

This inability to "update" trust maps explains the dramatic cycle of traumatic repetition:

• Familiarity of danger: A dysfunctional partner "confirms" rigid internal expectations. The brain prefers the "precision" of known pain over the anxiety of updating its map toward an unknown trust.
• The failure of safety: If a partner is reliable, emotional dysregulation and the updating deficit prevent the individual from "feeling" this safety, keeping the subject outside their window of tolerance and sabotaging the couple's stability.

5. Breaking the cycle: The CIPR approach

Scientific research now offers empirical support for the treatments practiced by CIPR, demonstrating that the ability to update social maps is the decisive turning point for healing.

• Biofeedback and SVITR: Through the Relational Traumatic Impact Assessment Scale (SVITR) and biofeedback, CIPR works to expand the window of tolerance and restore updating flexibility.

Clinical Objective: To intervene and finally allow the nervous system to recalibrate trust and escape the cycle of traumatic repetition.

If you feel that your relationships are influenced by traumatic resonance or constant emotional dysregulation, you are not alone. Change is possible.

Contacts and Resources:

• WhatsApp: 3924401930
• Email: aipcitalia@gmail.com / info@psicotraumatologia.com
• Website: www.associazioneitalianadipsicologiaecriminologia.it

Main Bibliographic Reference: Porat-Butman, S., et al. (2025). From maltreatment to mistrust: Impaired belief updating as a mechanism linking childhood maltreatment to interpersonal and clinical outcomes. Behaviour Research and Therapy.