PhD Candidate Teachers College, Columbia University New York, New York, United States
Abstract Background Dissociative experiences involve a disruption in the typical integration of consciousness, emotion, perception, memory, behavior and identity. Despite growing recognition of dissociative experiences as dimensional phenomena, research has largely focused on categorical diagnostic classifications rather than empirically derived symptom profiles. Furthermore, few studies have examined how different patterns of dissociative symptoms relate to specific domains of cognitive and emotional processing, which could aid objective dissociation assessment. This study aimed to identify distinct profiles of dissociative experiences, describe their demographic characteristics, and investigate their associations with cognitive-emotional processing patterns.
Method We collected international online data through TestMyBrain.org, a web-based digital research platform. Participants (N = 8,145; age range: 12-89 years) completed the Multiscale Dissociation Inventory (MDI) assessing six domains: Depersonalization, Derealization, Disengagement, Emotional Constriction, Identity Dissociation, and Memory Disturbance. Each MDI domain had a clinical cut-off score, indicating a clinical-level of severity. Participants also completed three behavioral tasks: the Cambridge Face Memory Test (CAMB) assessing face recognition abilities, Emotion Recognition Task (EMOR) measuring emotion perception accuracy and speed, and Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET) evaluating social-cognitive abilities.
Results Latent Profile Analysis identified five dissociative profiles as the optimal solution (BIC = 247,935.46, entropy = 0.892): (1) Non-pathological dissociation (51.7% of sample) characterized by generally low scores across dimensions; (2) Moderate dissociation (7.2%) showing consistent moderate clinical-level elevations across all dimensions; (3) Severe dissociation without identity disruption (8.7%) characterized by high clinical-level scores across all dimensions except identity dissociation; (4) Pervasively severe dissociation (3.2%) demonstrating the highest clinical-level scores across all dimensions; and (5) Selective dissociation (29.2%) showing moderate clinical-level elevations in disengagement, depersonalization, and memory disturbances. ANOVA and chi-square tests revealed significant differences across profiles in age (F(4, 8140) = 134.2, p < .001, η² = .062), gender (χ²(8) = 365.96, p < .001), and ethnicity (χ²(24) = 377.18, p < .001). The non-pathological group was significantly older (M = 32.8 years, SD = 15.9) and predominantly of European descent (64.9%), while clinical profiles showed younger mean ages (23.4-26.9 years) and greater ethnic and gender diversity. ANCOVAs controlling for age, gender, and ethnicity revealed significant profile differences across all cognitive measures (all ps < .001). The non-pathological profile demonstrated superior performance in face memory (M = 56.2, SE = 0.39, F(4, 8131) = 49.14), emotion recognition (M = 0.843, SE = 0.004, F(4, 8131) = 62.70), and social cognition (M = 0.635, SE = 0.005, F(4, 8128) = 121.48). In contrast, the pervasively severe dissociation profile showed the poorest performance across tasks, with particularly marked deficits in face memory (M = 51.0, SE = 0.68) and emotion recognition accuracy (M = 0.792, SE = 0.006).
Discussion These findings provide novel evidence for distinct naturalistic patterns of dissociative experiences linked to demographic and cognitive-emotional processing differences, emphasizing the need for culturally informed clinical approaches. These results also suggest potential behavioral markers that might aid in identifying and differentiating various presentations of dissociative experiences, contributing to more targeted and effective interventions.
Learning Objectives:
At the conclusion of this session participants will be able to:
Identify and distinguish between the five empirically-derived dissociative experience profiles (non-pathological, moderate, severe without identity disruption, pervasively severe, and selective dissociation) based on their characteristic symptom patterns across the six MDI domains of depersonalization, derealization, disengagement, emotional constriction, identity dissociation, and memory disturbance
Analyze demographic characteristics associated with each dissociative profile, including age differences, gender distribution, and ethnic diversity patterns to inform culturally responsive assessment and treatment approaches
Evaluate cognitive-emotional processing patterns across dissociative profiles, specifically comparing face memory performance, emotion recognition accuracy, and social cognition abilities between non-pathological and clinical presentations to identify potential behavioral markers
Apply dimensional assessment approaches to dissociation rather than relying solely on categorical diagnostic classifications, utilizing latent profile analysis methodology to understand the heterogeneity within dissociative experiences in clinical practice
Integrate findings on cognitive-emotional processing deficits (particularly in face memory and emotion recognition) into clinical decision-making for developing targeted interventions and objective assessment tools for individuals presenting with varying levels of dissociative symptoms
