How-to study dissociative symptoms: A methodological primer

Dissociation constitutes a transdiagnostic phenomenon not only characterizing dissociative disorders but also occurring across a broad range of psychiatric disorders like posttraumatic stress disorder, borderline personality disorder, depression, and psychosis. In the latter disorders, moderate types of dissociative symptomatology like depersonalization, derealization, or gaps in awareness significantly burden patients’ wellbeing and functioning. Many efforts have been undertaken to better understand these debilitating symptoms. However, empirical findings have not yet converged in many areas (e.g., considering neurobiological correlates or effects of dissociative psychopathology on treatment outcome), which might partially be due to the heterogeneity and limitations of employed methodology. Here, we critically review the current state-of-the-art methodology in dissociation research, comparing methods to assess dissociation, provoke dissociation in the laboratory, select the participant sample, and consider critical sample characteristics. Discussing the informative value and limits of various standard and novel methodological approaches, we aim to provide information and nuanced guidance for future research. By these means we aim to raise and harmonize standards in dissociation research and enable researchers of all career stages to enter, navigate, and make a significant and lasting contribution to dissociation research, ultimately contributing to a better understanding of dissociative psychopathology.