Replication of dissociation-psychosis link in New Zealand students and inmates.
To assess the relationship between dissociative and psychotic experiences, New Zealand university students (N = 119) and prison inmates (N = 42) were administered the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES) and Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R). Strong correlations were found between DES scores and the psychoticism and paranoid ideation subscales of the SCL-90-R (students: r = .520, .517, respectively; inmates: r = .637, .649, respectively). While other correlations were also significant (but smaller), these results are consistent with previous studies that have used a range of measures of psychosis or schizotypy with a variety of clinical and nonclinical populations. Such consistent findings in the face of methodological diversity offer strong support for the validity of a link between the concepts of dissociation and psychosis. While this relationship has previously been interpreted indirectly, as dissociative experiences predisposing to psychotic symptoms, we suggest a direct route: that dissociative experiences of various forms may underlie some (or even all) psychotic symptoms.
Moskowitz
Andrew K
AK
Department of Psychology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Barker-Collo
Suzanne
S
Ellson
Lynsey
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004213:Dissociative Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D010259:Paranoid Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012569:Schizotypal Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data