“Not Bad, Just hard:” A Mixed-Methods Investigation of Reactions to Research Participation Among Highly Dissociative Individuals

Abstract

ABSTRACT Some researchers express caution about investigating potentially challenging topics in research, including trauma, non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), and dissociation. While there have been studies that demonstrate people typically find participating in trauma- and NSSI-related research as more positive than negative, there have been no studies investigating how highly dissociative people react to trauma-, NSSI-, and dissociation-related research. Participants (n = 229) who self-reported dissociative symptoms and/or dissociative diagnoses completed an online survey about trauma, dissociation, and NSSI, followed by a quantitative questionnaire about their reactions to participation. Participants who endorsed unexpected emotional reactions were asked to explain their reactions and offer suggestions for improvement in a free-text qualitative question. Participants indicated the benefits of participating in the study outweighed the costs. Dissociation predicted emotional reactions but not other types of reactions (e.g. perceived drawbacks, personal benefits, global evaluation, and participation). However, when controlling for trauma history and NSSI, only trauma history predicted emotional reactions. Using codebook thematic analysis with the qualitative data, the following themes were developed to describe participants’ unexpected emotional reactions and suggestions for improvement: (1) Trauma-Related Reactions (69.91%), (2) Neutral-Positive Feedback About the Study (39.82%), (3) Insight (24.78%), (4) Logistical Research Design Considerations (23.01%), and (5) Incongruence between Research Design and Lived Experience (11.50%). Conclusions Research about trauma, dissociation, and NSSI was evaluated as more positive than negative and seemed to pose minimal risk to participants. It is important for researchers to not avoid studying these challenging topics yet strive to make their study design a safer and more validating experience for participants.