Exploring the relationship between dissociative experiences and recovery in psychosis: cross-sectional study
Claudia Calciu, Rob Macpherson, Kerry Rees, S. Chen, Sarah Ruxton, Rhiannon White, Mazen Almaskati, Francesca Hill, Anca Vasilis-Peter, Sebastian Desando, Oliver Pennell, Carolyn Nasubuga, Jackie Webb, Mark Walker, Camelia Soponaru
BJPsych Bulletin January 27, 2025 DOI: 10.1192/bjb.2024.113 via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractDissociative 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.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Cross-sectional study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 75 |
| Population | Individuals with psychosis from recovery services of the Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust |
| Keywords | Psychosis Dissociative experiences scale Psychiatry Cross-sectional study Clinical psychology |
| Key finding | Compartmentalisation, detachment, and absorption do not predict stages of recovery from psychosis as measured by the Stages of Recovery Instrument. |
Abstract
AIMS AND METHOD: This study explored the association among dissociative experiences, recovery from psychosis and a range of factors relevant to psychosis and analysed whether dissociative experiences (compartmentalisation, detachment and absorption) could be used to predict specific stages of recovery. A cross-sectional design was used, and 75 individuals with psychosis were recruited from the recovery services of the Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust. Five questionnaires were used - the Dissociative Experiences Scale - II (DES), Detachment and Compartmentalisation Inventory (DCI), Questionnaire about the Process of Recovery, Stages of Recovery Instrument (STORI), and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale - and a proforma was used to collect demographic data. RESULTS: Our findings indicated that compartmentalisation, detachment and absorption, as measured by DES and DCI, do not predict stages of recovery as measured by the STORI. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The results of this study suggest that there is no simple relationship between dissociative and psychotic symptoms. They also suggest a need to assess these symptoms separately in practice and indicate that special approaches to treatment of psychosis may be needed in cases where such symptoms have a significant role.