title: Dissociative symptoms in female patients with mood and anxiety disorders: a psychopathological and temperamental investigation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Dissociative symptoms are frequent among psychiatric patients and may considerably affect patients' psychopathological condition and treatment outcomes. The objectives of the study are to assess the presence of dissociative symptoms in female patients with mood and anxiety disorders, to investigate their correlation with the clinical severity of the disorders and to investigate those personality traits that are more frequent in patients with high levels of dissociation.
  
  
  METHODS
  50 Caucasian females were enrolled in the study. Patients were assessed through the Self-Report Symptom Check-List, the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES) and rating scales for Depression and Anxiety.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean DES score in the overall sample was 16.6. 32% of patients had a DES score > 20. Depressive symptoms positively correlated with the DES total scores. Dissociator patients presented some significantly different temperamental characteristics in comparison with non dissociator patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dissociative symptoms are highly present in patients with mood and anxiety disorders and correlate with the severity of depressive symptoms. Specific personality traits more frequently observed in dissociator people may represent predisposing factors; their early identification could be clinically relevant.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy. bersani.fs@gmail.com.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bersani
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Moscariello
authors.forename: F S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Bersani
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Colletti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Anastasia
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Prinzivalli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Valeriani
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salviati
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D004213:Dissociative Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult