Levels of Childhood Traumatic Experiences and Dissociative Symptoms in Patients with Major Depression: Is Dissociative Depression Real?

Abstract

Background: A possible relationship between major depressive disorder (MDD) and, childhood traumatic experiences and dissociation has been proposed. This study assesses childhood traumatic experiences, the dissociative, depressive, and anxiety symptoms in patients with MDD, and aims to question the reality of dissociative depression Methods: The 99 psychotropic drug-naive patients participating in the study met the DSM-V criteria for MDD. Dissociation Questionnaire (DIS-Q), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) were applied. Results: The patients were divided into two groups using the DIS-Q (DIS-Q < 2.5 and DIS-Q ≥ 2.5) and the groups were compared. The study demonstrated that patients with high dissociative scores return significantly higher depression and anxiety scores than those with low dissociation and that the high dissociative group returned elevated emotional, sexual, and physical abuse scores compared to the low dissociative group. In the logistic regression analysis, the onset age of MDD (< 30 years), BDI, and BAI scores (scores ≥30) increased the participants’ likelihood of having DIS-Q ≥ 2.5. Conclusions: Results suggest that dissociative symptomatology in MDD may about early-onset age of MDD, childhood traumatic experiences, and severity level of both depression and anxiety. The clinician should carefully consider whether dissociation is a concomitant condition or a significant problem when working with patients with both depression and dissociation. However, clinicians should not neglect the underlying childhood traumatic experiences among these patients.