Exploring the relationship between dissociative experiences and recovery in psychosis: cross-sectional study
Claudia Calciu, Rob Macpherson, Kerry Rees, S. Chen, Sarah Ruxton, Rhiannon White, Mazen Almaskati, Francesca Hill, Anca Vasilis-peter, Sebastian Desando, Oliver Pennell, Carolyn Nasubuga, Jackie Webb, Mark Walker, Camelia Soponaru
BJPsych Bulletin January 27, 2025 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1192/bjb.2024.113 via OpenAlex
Summary
The study examined the link between dissociative experiences and recovery from psychosis in 75 individuals with psychosis. It found that dissociative experiences, including compartmentalisation, detachment, and absorption, do not predict stages of recovery. This suggests a complex relationship between dissociative and psychotic symptoms, indicating that they should be assessed separately in clinical practice and may require distinct treatment approaches.
Study at a glance
| Design | cross-sectional study |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 75 |
| Population | individuals with psychosis recruited from recovery services |
| Key finding | Dissociative experiences do not predict stages of recovery from psychosis. |
Abstract
AIMS AND METHOD: This study explored the association among dissociative experiences, recovery from psychosis and a range of factors relevant to psychosis and analysed whether dissociative experiences (compartmentalisation, detachment and absorption) could be used to predict specific stages of recovery. A cross-sectional design was used, and 75 individuals with psychosis were recruited from the recovery services of the Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust. Five questionnaires were used - the Dissociative Experiences Scale - II (DES), Detachment and Compartmentalisation Inventory (DCI), Questionnaire about the Process of Recovery, Stages of Recovery Instrument (STORI), and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale - and a proforma was used to collect demographic data. RESULTS: Our findings indicated that compartmentalisation, detachment and absorption, as measured by DES and DCI, do not predict stages of recovery as measured by the STORI. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The results of this study suggest that there is no simple relationship between dissociative and psychotic symptoms. They also suggest a need to assess these symptoms separately in practice and indicate that special approaches to treatment of psychosis may be needed in cases where such symptoms have a significant role.