title: Gender differences in dissociation. A dimensional approach.
abstract: Considering that epidemiological research on dissociative disorders has suggested a 9 to 1 predominance of female cases, this study investigated the relationship between gender and dissociation using a dimensional approach. A total of 2,153 participants from different diagnostic groups completed the Dissociative Experience Scale. In order to control for the confounding effect of current psychopathology a subgroup 790 subjects additionally completed the SCL-90. We did not find any differences in the general or pathological dissociation scores. Hypothetical gender differences in dissociative psychopathology were not a function of diagnostic categories. There were no significant sex differences in the distribution of high dissociators. Our findings suggest that men and women do not generally differ in dissociative psychopathology. The implications for future investigations on the epidemiology, etiology, and psychobiology of dissociative symptoms are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ernst Moritz Arndt University, Rostocker Chaussee 70, D-18437 Greifswald/Stralsund, Germany. spitzer@mail.uni-greifswald.de
authors.forename: Carsten
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Spitzer
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Klauer
authors.forename: Hans-Joergen
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Grabe
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lucht
authors.forename: Rolf-Dieter
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Stieglitz
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: Harald J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Freyberger
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004213:Dissociative Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires