DISSOCIATIVE DETACHMENT RELATES TO PSYCHOTIC SYMPTOMS AND PERSONALITYDECOMPENSATION

Previous studies have addressed the prominence of psychotic symptoms i n conjunction with multiple personality disorder (now dissociative ide ntity disorder). The present study examines the relation between psych otic symptoms and a more pervasive form of dissociative disturbance, n amely dissociative detachment. Two hundred sixty-six women in inpatien t treatment for severe trauma-related disorders completed the Dissocia tive Experiences Scale (DES), and 102 of these patients also completed the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI-III), A factor analysi s of the DES yielded two dimensions of dissociative detachment: detach ment from one's own actions and detachment from the self and the envir onment. Each of these DES dimensions relates strongly to the thought d isorder and schizotypal personality disorder scales of the MCMI-III. W e propose that severe dissociative detachment, by virtue of loosening the moorings in inner and outer reality, is conducive to psychotic sym ptoms and personality decompensation. Copyright (C) 1997 by W.B. Saund ers Company.