title: Sleep normalization and decrease in dissociative experiences: evaluation in an inpatient sample.
abstract: We conducted a longitudinal study to investigate the relation between sleep experiences and dissociative symptoms in a mixed inpatient sample at a private clinic evaluated on arrival and at discharge 6 to 8 weeks later. Using hierarchical regression analyses and structural equation modeling, we found a link between sleep experiences and dissociative symptoms and determined that specifically decreases in narcoleptic experiences rather than insomnia accompany a reduction in dissociative symptoms. Although sleep improvements were associated with a general reduction in psychopathology, this reduction could not fully account for the substantial and specific effect that we found for dissociation. Our findings are consistent with Watson's (2001) hypothesis that disruptions in the sleep-wake cycle lead to intrusions of sleep phenomena into waking consciousness, resulting in dissociative experiences. Accordingly, sleep hygiene may contribute to the treatment or prevention of dissociative symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands. Dalena.vanderkloet@maastrichtuniversity.nl
authors.forename: Dalena
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: van der Kloet
authors.forename: Timo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Giesbrecht
authors.forename: Steven Jay
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lynn
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Merckelbach
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Zutter
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D004213:Dissociative Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult