The experience and role of dissociation in psychosis following developmental trauma: A systematic review
Clinical Psychology Review February 26, 2025 Eirini Aikaterini Melegkovits, Rui Tang, Olivia Pounds et al. 8 citations
A systematic review of 40 studies with 6941 participants found a moderate association between developmental trauma (abuse or neglect before age 18) and dissociation in people with psychosis. Sexual and emotional abuse showed the strongest links to dissociation. Dissociation partially explained the connection between developmental trauma and positive psychotic symptoms, especially hallucinations, and also contributed to paranoia and delusional ideas. Individuals with psychosis and developmental trauma reported more dissociation than those without trauma. The review recommends screening for psychotic and dissociative symptoms in trauma survivors and managing dissociation, while calling for more longitudinal, qualitative, and experimental research.