Recent research on the interventions for people with dissociation

Abstract

Dissociation is an important yet commonly unrecognized issue in the field of mental health. Research shows that dissociative symptoms and disorders are common and are associated with considerable individual suffering and social costs. Thus, it is important to understand how to support people with dissociation so as to reduce their suffering and improve their well-being. In this paper, we discuss recent studies on the interventions for people with dissociation, as well as the challenges of conducting evaluation studies for people with dissociation. Considering the prevalence of dissociation and the social costs associated with severe dissociation, it is disturbing that there is a lack of studies evaluating interventions for people with dissociation, whether or not dissociative disorders are the primary diagnosis. We argue that well-designed experimental studies should be funded and conducted to develop and evaluate interventions for people with dissociative symptoms and disorders and their families; in addition, dissociative symptoms require specific clinical attention when working with people with other mental disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Some unaddressed knowledge gaps are also discussed.