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Aujoulat C, Vancappel A, Tapia G. [Effectiveness of psychotherapy on dissociative symptoms in adult populations: A PRISMA systematic review]. L'ENCEPHALE 2024:S0013-7006(24)00044-7. [PMID: 38523025 DOI: 10.1016/j.encep.2024.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Dissociation is a psychological process in reaction to threat which can be found in many psychiatric conditions. Dissociative symptoms can become very disabling, whether in daily life or in care. Nevertheless, few studies seem to have examined the efficacy of psychotherapy on the latter and its relevance as a therapeutic target. METHOD A systematic review of the literature (PRISMA) on the efficacy of psychotherapy on dissociative symptoms in adults with mental disorders was conducted. Effectiveness was considered in terms of reduction in dissociative symptomatology. The search was conducted on Scopus, PubMed and PsycInfo. Overall, 50 full-text articles were evaluated. RESULTS Fourteen studies were included in the review. In all, 711 adult subjects with post-traumatic stress disorder, borderline personality disorder or dissociative disorder were included. Overall, this systematic review reports a reduction in dissociative symptoms associated with a variety of psychotherapeutic interventions, without allowing any conclusions to be drawn on the superiority of one psychotherapy over another. DISCUSSION The conclusions of this work highlight three possible therapeutic orientations for reducing dissociative symptoms: (i) by reintegrating the dynamic subsystems, (ii) by treating the cognitive processes underlying dissociation, and (iii) by acting on the processes identified as common to the effectiveness of psychotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alexis Vancappel
- Laboratoire QualiPsy, EE 1901, université de Tours, Tours, France; Pôle Psychiatrie-addictologie, clinique psychiatrique universitaire - centre régional de psychotraumatologie-CVL, CHRU de Tours, Tours, France
| | - Géraldine Tapia
- Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France; Université de Bordeaux, LabPsy, UR 4139, 33000 Bordeaux, France.
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2
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Basso JC, Satyal MK, McKee KL, Lynn S, Gyamfi D, Bickel WK. Dissociation and other trauma symptomatology are linked to imbalance in the competing neurobehavioral decision systems. Front Psychol 2024; 14:1317088. [PMID: 38356995 PMCID: PMC10864435 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1317088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective Dissociation is a conscious state characterized by alterations in sensation and perception and is thought to arise from traumatic life experiences. Previous research has demonstrated that individuals with high levels of dissociation show impairments in cognitive-emotional processes. Therefore, using the Competing Neurobehavioral Decisions System (CNDS) theory, we used statistical modeling to examine whether dissociative experience and trauma symptoms are independently predicted by impulsivity, risk-seeking, affective state (i.e., anxiety, depression, stress, and negative affect), and trauma history. Method In this cross-sectional study design, data were collected via Amazon Mechanical Turk from a total of n = 557 English-speaking participants in the United States. Using Qualtrics, participants answered a series of self-reported questionnaires and completed several neurocognitive tasks. Three independent multiple linear regression models were conducted to assess whether impulsivity, risk seeking, affective state, and trauma history predict depersonalization, trauma symptoms, and PTSD symptoms. Results As hypothesized, we found that depersonalization and other trauma symptoms are associated with heightened impulsivity, increased risk-seeking, impaired affective states, and a history of traumatic experiences. Conclusion We demonstrate that an imbalanced CNDS (i.e., hyperimpulsive/hypoexecutive), as evidenced by decreased future valuation, increased risk seeking, and impaired affective states, predicts heightened depersonalization and other trauma and PTSD symptomatology. This is the first time that dissociation has been connected to delay discounting (i.e., the tendency to place more value on rewards received immediately compared to farther in the future). Interventions that positively impact areas of the CNDS, such as episodic future thinking or mindfulness meditation, may be a target to help decrease dissociative symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia C. Basso
- Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
- Center for Health Behaviors Research, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, VA, United States
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Medha K. Satyal
- Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Kevin L. McKee
- Center for Biostatistics and Health Data Science, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Sarah Lynn
- Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Daphne Gyamfi
- Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Warren K. Bickel
- Center for Health Behaviors Research, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, VA, United States
- Addiction Recovery Research Center, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, Roanoke, VA, United States
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3
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Morgan MA, Kelber MS, Bellanti DM, Beech EH, Boyd C, Galloway L, Ojha S, Garvey Wilson AL, Otto J, Belsher BE. Outcomes and prognosis of adjustment disorder in adults: A systematic review. J Psychiatr Res 2022; 156:498-510. [PMID: 36347110 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.10.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Adjustment disorder (AD) is one of the most commonly diagnosed mental health disorders and is generally conceptualized to be mild and short-lived. Despite the frequent use of AD in clinical settings, little is known about the prognosis of this condition. Our goal was to systematically review research on a range of AD outcomes in order to provide a broad characterization of AD prognosis. We conducted searches in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsycINFO. We included 31 cohort or randomized controlled trials with a total of 1,385,358 participants. Many patients maintained an AD diagnosis or were diagnosed with another mental health disorder months to years after initial diagnosis. Patients with AD tended to show symptom improvement at higher rates and to utilize less treatment than did patients with other disorders. AD-diagnosed groups experienced subsequent development of numerous physical conditions, such as infection, cancers, Parkinson's disease, and cardiovascular events, at higher rates than did control groups. Results were mixed regarding suicidality and occupational impairment. We rated most studies as having a moderate risk of bias. Based on limited findings, AD appears to progress as a milder disorder than do other disorders, but it not uncommonly transitions to more severe mental health states and may predict the development of future health issues, both mental and physical. Future prospective research that conforms to prognosis study guidelines is needed to better understand the course of this common disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria A Morgan
- Psychological Health Center of Excellence, Defense Health Agency, USA.
| | | | - Dawn M Bellanti
- Psychological Health Center of Excellence, Defense Health Agency, USA
| | - Erin H Beech
- Psychological Health Center of Excellence, Defense Health Agency, USA
| | - Courtney Boyd
- Psychological Health Center of Excellence, Defense Health Agency, USA
| | - Lindsay Galloway
- Psychological Health Center of Excellence, Defense Health Agency, USA
| | - Suman Ojha
- Psychological Health Center of Excellence, Defense Health Agency, USA
| | - Abigail L Garvey Wilson
- Psychological Health Center of Excellence, Defense Health Agency, USA; Department of Epidemiology, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Jean Otto
- Psychological Health Center of Excellence, Defense Health Agency, USA
| | - Bradley E Belsher
- Psychological Health Center of Excellence, Defense Health Agency, USA; Phoenix VA Health Care System, Carl T. Hayden Veterans Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ, USA
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4
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Ociskova M, Prasko J, Vanek J, Holubova M, Hodny F, Latalova K, Kantor K, Nesnidal V. Self-Stigma and Treatment Effectiveness in Patients with SSRI Non-Responsive Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Psychol Res Behav Manag 2021; 14:85-97. [PMID: 33574718 PMCID: PMC7873032 DOI: 10.2147/prbm.s287419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a debilitating mental disorder that often takes a chronic course. One of the factors influencing the treatment effectiveness in anxiety and depressive disorders is the self-stigma. This study focused on the relationship between the self-stigma, symptomatology, and therapeutic outcomes in patients with OCD. Patients and Methods Ninety-four inpatients with OCD, who did not sufficiently respond to at least one selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor trial, participated in the study. They attended a six-week therapeutic program consisting of exposure and response prevention, transdiagnostic group cognitive behavioral therapy, individual sessions, mental imagery, relaxation, sport, and ergotherapy. The participants completed several scales: the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale (ISMI), the self-report Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS-SR), Beck Anxiety Scale (BAI), Beck Depression Scale-II (BDI-II), and Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES). A senior psychiatrist filled in the Clinical Global Impression (CGI-S). Results The average scales' scores considerably declined in all measurements except for DES. The self-stigma positively correlated with all psychopathology scales. It was also higher in patients with a comorbid personality disorder (PD). The higher self-stigma predicted a lower change in compulsion, anxiety, and depressive symptoms but not the change of obsessions or the overall psychopathology. Conclusion The self-stigma presents an important factor connected to higher severity of OCD. It is also a minor predictor of a lower change in symptomatology after combined treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Ociskova
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University in Olomouc, University Hospital in Olomouc, Olomouc, The Czech Republic
| | - Jan Prasko
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University in Olomouc, University Hospital in Olomouc, Olomouc, The Czech Republic.,Department of Psychology Sciences, Faculty of Social Science and Health Care, Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, Nitra, The Slovak Republic.,Institute for Postgraduate Education in Health Care, Prague, The Czech Republic
| | - Jakub Vanek
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University in Olomouc, University Hospital in Olomouc, Olomouc, The Czech Republic
| | - Michaela Holubova
- Department of Psychiatry, Hospital Liberec, Prague, The Czech Republic
| | - Frantisek Hodny
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University in Olomouc, University Hospital in Olomouc, Olomouc, The Czech Republic
| | - Klara Latalova
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University in Olomouc, University Hospital in Olomouc, Olomouc, The Czech Republic
| | - Krystof Kantor
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University in Olomouc, University Hospital in Olomouc, Olomouc, The Czech Republic
| | - Vlastimil Nesnidal
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University in Olomouc, University Hospital in Olomouc, Olomouc, The Czech Republic
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5
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Iskanderova R, Vasilyev VV. Dissociation in Patients with Non-Psychotic Mental Disorders. PSYCHOLOGY IN RUSSIA: STATE OF ART 2021; 14:3-14. [PMID: 36967719 PMCID: PMC10038679 DOI: 10.11621/pir2021.0201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Dissociation is a generally recognized phenomenon in psychology and psychiatry; however, questions are still not fully resolved about the difference between pathological and normal dissociation, as well as the role of dissociation, depending on its aetiology, in the formation of clinical manifestations of mental disorders. Objective To complement the existing data about the significance of dissociation in non-psychotic mental disorders. Design Using the Dissociative Experience Scale (DES), we screened 62 patients (13 male and 49 female) from the Non-Psychotic Conditions Inpatient Department of the Udmurt Republican Clinical Psychiatric Hospital (Izhevsk, Russia). Nineteen of the patients had mental disorders of organic aetiology and 43 patients had mental disorders of psychogenic aetiology. Results Dissociation at the pathological level was detected in 12.9% of the patients, all of them female. Among patients with psychogenic disorders, the proportion of patients with pathological dissociation was more than three times that of patients with organic disorders. Among the particular dissociative phenomena, absorption had the highest average severity, both in the general sample and in each aetiological group of patients, while dissociative amnesia had the lowest average severity. The highest levels of dissociation were found in young female patients who had never been married. In patients with psychogenic disorders, the average dissociation severity was significantly higher than in the general population, while in patients with organic disorders it was significantly lower. Conclusion The dissociation phenomenon may play a significant symptom-forming role in young women suffering from non-psychotic mental disorders of psychogenic aetiology. In the case of organic mental disorders, the severity of dissociative manifestations decreases even below the conditionally normal level, which may indirectly indicate the destruction of dissociative physiological mechanisms by an organic brain process.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Valeriy V. Vasilyev
- Izhevsk State Medical Academy, Izhevsk, Russia
- * Corresponding author. E-mail:
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Hopelessness, Dissociative Symptoms, and Suicide Risk in Major Depressive Disorder: Clinical and Biological Correlates. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10080519. [PMID: 32764310 PMCID: PMC7465542 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10080519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2020] [Revised: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) has different clinical presentations and is associated with neurobiological alterations. Hopelessness, anhedonia, and dissociation represent some of the most pervasive psychopathological symptoms that often lead to suicidal thoughts, attempts, and actions. To further research on the concept of depression endophenotypes, this study aimed to assess the possible relationships between hopelessness and other clinical and biological correlates (i.e., striatal dopaminergic dysfunction) in depressed patients. Methods: We recruited 51 subjects with MDD. All subjects underwent 123I-FP-CIT SPECT to assess striatal dopamine transporter (DAT) availability and a psychometric evaluation using the psychometric scale to assess depressive, anxious, dissociative, and hopelessness symptoms aside from suicidal ideation. Result: An inverse correlation between the hopelessness score and dopamine transporter availability in all basal ganglia was bilaterally found. (Right Putamen, r = −0.445, p < 0.01; Left Putamen, r = −0.454, p < 0.01; Right Caudate, r = −0.398, p < 0.01; Left Caudate, r = −0.467, p < 0.01) Moreover, a positive correlation was also found between hopelessness and dissociative symptoms. Conclusions: These results provide important evidence on the neurobiological and clinical correlates of different psychopathological symptoms of depression with potential implications in terms of devising more effective treatment programs.
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7
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Reyno SM, Simmons M, Kinley J. A meta-analytic study examining the relationship between alexithymia and dissociation in psychiatric and nonclinical populations. RESEARCH IN PSYCHOTHERAPY (MILANO) 2020; 23:439. [PMID: 32913826 PMCID: PMC7451292 DOI: 10.4081/ripppo.2020.439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2019] [Accepted: 02/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Alexithymia and dissociation have been consistently linked in the literature, particularly in psychiatric populations. Both arise from a disconnection between conscious aspects of self-experiences and perceptions at both the mental self and bodily levels. This results in difficulty integrating thoughts, feelings and experiences into consciousness and memory, negatively impacting emotion awareness/regulation and reflective functioning. We conducted a meta-analysis to examine the strength of the relationship between alexithymia and dissociation in both clinical and non-clinical populations. Studies using two common measures of these constructs were included (i.e., the Toronto Alexithymia Scale - TAS, and the Dissociative Experiences Scale - DES). Analyzing the effect sizes derived from 19 studies (including a total of 4664 participants) revealed moderate to strong relationships between alexithymia and dissociation. The strength of the association was higher in clinical and younger aged non clinical populations. These findings are discussed in the context of treatment recommendations..
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maria Simmons
- Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre, Halifax NS
| | - Jackie Kinley
- Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax NS, Canada
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8
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Shah R, Temes CM, Frankenburg FR, Fitzmaurice GM, Zanarini MC. Levels of Depersonalization and Derealization Reported by Recovered and Non-recovered Borderline Patients Over 20 Years of Prospective Follow-up. J Trauma Dissociation 2020; 21:337-348. [PMID: 32000616 PMCID: PMC9423009 DOI: 10.1080/15299732.2020.1719259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a serious psychiatric illness, and it is often associated with dissociative symptoms. The purpose of this study was to assess the course of depersonalization and derealization symptoms in recovered and non-recovered borderline patients over 20 years of prospective follow-up. The Dysphoric Affect Scale (DAS) - a 50-item self-report measure was administered to 290 borderline inpatients at baseline, and the remaining participants (85%) at 10 follow-up interviews conducted over 20 years. The level of depersonalization and derealization experienced by borderline patients was assessed using three items (feeling unreal, feeling completely numb, and feeling like people and things aren't real) from the DAS. The patients who recovered from BPD reported significantly lower scores in all three inner states (62 - 63%) at baseline compared to those patients who did not recover. Furthermore, scores of recovered and non-recovered groups decreased significantly in all three inner states studied over 20 years of prospective follow-up. Overall, these results suggest that the severity of depersonalization and derealization symptoms decreased significantly over 20 years of prospective follow-up and had a strong association with BPD recovery status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ravi Shah
- Laboratory for the Study of Adult Development, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Christina M Temes
- Laboratory for the Study of Adult Development, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Frances R Frankenburg
- Laboratory for the Study of Adult Development, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Belmont, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Garrett M Fitzmaurice
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, Massachusetts, USA.,Laboratory for Psychiatric Biostatistics, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mary C Zanarini
- Laboratory for the Study of Adult Development, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, Massachusetts, USA
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9
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Daphna-Tekoah S, Lev-Wiesel R, Israeli D, Balla U. A Novel Screening Tool for Assessing Child Abuse: The Medical Somatic Dissociation Questionnaire-MSDQ. JOURNAL OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE 2019; 28:526-543. [PMID: 30893027 DOI: 10.1080/10538712.2019.1581868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2018] [Revised: 11/20/2018] [Accepted: 12/19/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Somatic dissociation is known to be associated with childhood abuse, particularly with childhood sexual abuse (CSA). Currently, the diagnosis of CSA is hampered by the lack of a validated questionnaire. While some questionnaires are excellent research tools, there is no suitable applied measure for the assessment of distress due to CSA. The current study's objective was to validate a novel questionnaire, designated the Medical Somatic Dissociation Questionnaire-MSDQ, for evaluating somatic dissociation in the healthcare system setting. A total of 541 adults, 160 (30%) male and 381 (70%) female, of average age 35 years were recruited from the general population via the Internet. The Life Events Checklist for DSM-5 (LEC-5) was used for screening subjects for reporting a history of CSA. Our examination of the MSDQ indicated powerful internal consistency, reliability, and convergent validity of the instrument, with high correlations between the MSDQ and the SDQ-20 and also between the MSDQ and psychological symptomatology. In addition, there was known-groups validity when differences between adults who experienced CSA and those who did not were compared. Importantly, the MSDQ can be easily integrated into the evaluation process performed by medical professionals in the diagnosis of adult patients with apparently unexplained symptomatology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shir Daphna-Tekoah
- a Kaplan Medical Center , Rehovot , Israel
- b Faculty of Social-Work , Ashkelon Academic College , Ashkelon, Israel
- c Emili Sagol Creative Arts Therapies Research Center , Mount Carmel , Haifa , Israel
| | - Rachel Lev-Wiesel
- c Emili Sagol Creative Arts Therapies Research Center , Mount Carmel , Haifa , Israel
| | - David Israeli
- a Kaplan Medical Center , Rehovot , Israel
- d Faculty of Medicine , The Hebrew University , Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Uri Balla
- a Kaplan Medical Center , Rehovot , Israel
- c Emili Sagol Creative Arts Therapies Research Center , Mount Carmel , Haifa , Israel
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10
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Farina B, Liotti M, Imperatori C. The Role of Attachment Trauma and Disintegrative Pathogenic Processes in the Traumatic-Dissociative Dimension. Front Psychol 2019; 10:933. [PMID: 31080430 PMCID: PMC6497769 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Epidemiological, clinical, and neurobiological studies of the last 30 years suggest that traumatic attachments during the early years of life are associated to specific psychopathological vulnerabilities based on dissociative pathogenic processes. It has been observed that the dissociative pathogenic processes caused by these traumatic attachments either may contribute to the genesis of well-defined mental disorders (e.g., dissociative disorders) or may variably occur in many other diagnostic categories, complicating their clinical pictures and worsening their prognosis. For this reason, we proposed to define the dimension of psychopathological outcomes linked to traumatic attachments and dissociative pathogenic processes as the "traumatic-dissociative" dimension (TDD). The clinical complexity of the TDD requires specific training to enable mental health professionals to recognize the signs of traumatic developments and to implement specific treatment strategies. The present article aims to review some crucial points about the clinical meaning and treatment strategies of the TDD, the dissociative pathogenic processes characterizing the TDD, as well as of the role of attachment trauma in the TDD. We also focused on the clinical and theoretical evidence suggesting that dissociation and dis-integration may be considered two different processes but highly correlated. The usefulness of clinical reasoning in terms of psychopathological dimensions, instead of distinct diagnostic categories, as well as several therapeutic implications of these issues was finally discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedetto Farina
- Department of Human Sciences, European University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Traumatic Treatment Unit, Centro Clinico De Sanctis, Rome, Italy
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11
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Ociskova M, Prasko J, Vrbova K, Kasalova P, Holubova M, Grambal A, Machu K. Self-stigma and treatment effectiveness in patients with anxiety disorders - a mediation analysis. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2018; 14:383-392. [PMID: 29416340 PMCID: PMC5790087 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s152208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
GOAL The goal of this study was to explore the impact of self-stigma on the treatment outcomes in patients with anxiety disorders and to find possible mediators of this relationship. METHOD Two hundred and nine patients with anxiety disorders, who were hospitalized in a psychotherapeutic department, attended the study. The average age was 39.2±12.4 years; two-thirds were women. Most of the patients used a long-term medication. The participants underwent either cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or short psychodynamic therapy. The selection to the psychotherapy was not randomized. All individuals completed several scales - Beck Depression Inventory, the second edition (BDI-II), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Dissociative Experience Scale (DES), Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS), subjective Clinical Global Impression (subjCGI), and The Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale (ISMI). A senior psychiatrist filled out the objective CGI (objCGI). RESULTS The patients significantly improved in the severity of anxiety (BAI), depression (BDI-II), and overall severity of the mental disorder (objCGI). The self-stigma predicted a lower change of the objCGI, but not a change of the anxiety and depressive symptoms severity. Anxiety, depressive symptoms, dissociation, and disability were assessed as possible mediators of the relationship between the self-stigma and the treatment change. None of them were significant. CONCLUSION Self-stigma lowers the effectiveness of the combined treatment of anxiety disorders. Future research should explore other possible mediators influencing this relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Ociskova
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University, University Hospital, Olomouc
| | - Jan Prasko
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University, University Hospital, Olomouc
| | - Kristyna Vrbova
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University, University Hospital, Olomouc
| | - Petra Kasalova
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University, University Hospital, Olomouc
| | - Michaela Holubova
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University, University Hospital, Olomouc
| | - Ales Grambal
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University, University Hospital, Olomouc
| | - Klara Machu
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, The Czech Republic
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