Personality factors associated with dissociation: temperament, defenses, and cognitive schemata.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to investigate temperamental, psychodynamic, and cognitive factors associated with dissociation. METHOD Fifty-three subjects with DSM-IV-defined depersonalization disorder and 22 healthy comparison subjects were administered the Dissociative Experiences Scale, the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire, the Defense Style Questionnaire, and the Schema Questionnaire. RESULTS Subjects with depersonalization disorder demonstrated significantly greater harm-avoidant temperament, immature defenses, and over-connection and disconnection cognitive schemata than comparison subjects. Within the group of subjects with depersonalization disorder, dissociation scores significantly correlated with the same variables. CONCLUSIONS Particular personality factors may render individuals more vulnerable to dissociative symptoms. Risk factors associated with dissociative disorders merit further study.