No existing research directly links dissociation and recovery from psychosis. A systematic review of 2110 articles found only 19 that met inclusion criteria, and none of those conceptualized or hypothesized a relationship between dissociation and recovery from a psychotic episode. This gap indicates the topic remains unstudied. The review synthesizes international research on the phenomenology of dissociation, psychosis, and recovery separately, charting a direction for future investigation.
Dissociative experiences—compartmentalisation, detachment, and absorption—do not predict stages of recovery from psychosis. A cross-sectional study of 75 individuals with psychosis from recovery services in Gloucestershire used five questionnaires, including the Dissociative Experiences Scale and the Stages of Recovery Instrument. The results indicate no simple relationship between dissociative and psychotic symptoms, suggesting that clinicians should assess these symptoms separately and may need special treatment approaches when dissociative symptoms play a significant role.