Dissociative Symptoms Among Individuals Affected by Mass Psychogenic Illness: A Study on the Indonesian Island of Nias
Journal of Educational Health and Community Psychology March 22, 2024 Michael Seno Rahardanto, Jaka Santosa Sudagijono, Johannes Dicky Susilo et al.
Mass psychogenic illness in Indonesia, occurring mainly in schools and factories, is classified differently by two diagnostic manuals: the DSM-5 categorizes it as a dissociative disorder, while the Indonesian PPDGJ classifies it as a conversion disorder. This inconsistency may lead to less effective and humane interventions. An assessment of 55 individuals using the Dissociative Disorder Interview Schedule found that most fit criteria for somatization disorder (98.18%), with many also meeting criteria for major depression (49%), trance (69%), childhood physical abuse (35%), and borderline personality disorder (47.2%). Few met criteria for dissociative disorders such as dissociative amnesia (14.54%) or dissociative identity disorder (5%). The findings suggest mass psychogenic illness is likely a manifestation of distinct mental disorders—particularly somatization, trance, borderline personality disorder, and major depression—rather than dissociative disorders exclusively.