Dissociative deep dive

Dissociative Disorder-- Diversity between Male and Female

What is Dissociative Disorder

Dissociative in the female population

Dissociative in the male population

Comparing Populations

My conclusions

Quiz

• Colizzi, M., Costa, R., & Todarello, O. (2015, January 23). Dissociative symptoms in individuals with gender dysphoria: Is the elevated prevalence real?. ClinicalKey. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165178115000050
• Johnson, D. M., Pike, J. L., & Chard, K. M. (2001). Factors predicting PTSD, depression, and dissociative severity in female treatment-seeking childhood sexual abuse survivors. Child Abuse & Neglect, 25(1), 179–198. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0145-2134(00)00225-8
• Spitzer, C., & Freyberger, H. J. (2008). Geschlechtsunterschiede bei dissoziativen Störungen [Gender differences in dissociative disorders]. Bundesgesundheitsblatt, Gesundheitsforschung, Gesundheitsschutz, 51(1), 46–52. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00103-008-0418-8
• Zeligman, M., Greene, J. H., Hundley, G., Graham, J. M., Spann, S., Bickley, E., & Bloom, Z. (2017). Lived experiences of men with dissociative identity disorder. Adultspan Journal, 16(2), 65–79. https://doi.org/10.1002/adsp.12036

There is not as much research on males, but an article showed that there was a high prevalence of Dissociative Identity Disorder with males that have experienced past sexual abuse (Zeligman et al., 2017). The symptoms are also congruent with female symptoms such as: Losing time, memory loss, fragmented time, shame, isolation, etc.

Dissociative disorder in males

Comparing Populations

Gender dysphoria seems to be a common factor of both male and females that have dissociative disorder symptoms. 30% of Gender Dysphoria patients have a lifetime diagnosis of dissociative disorder (Colizzi et al., 2015). Altough some sources state female prevelance is greater in diagnoses rates, more research has shown that there is no difference and the male population is more likely to me misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all (Spitzer & Freyberger 2008).

What are Dissociative Disorders?

There are multiple dissociative disorders, and they all coincide with the symprtoms of a loss of connection between thoughts, memories, feelings, behavior and identity.

My conclusions

Dissociative Disorders are caused by mental, emotional, or physical trauma (typically when in childhood). There is no immediate successor of the prevelence in males vs females. The best way to mitigate symptoms is psycotherapy or medicine. Many different tests to understand this disorder are still being researched to this day.

Dissociative in the female population

Dissociative Disorder in the female population is largely related to prior abuse or trauma. These symptoms can range from memory blanks to loss of identity. It is also linked to depression, PTSD, and anxiety (Johnson et al., 2001). Dissociative Identity Disorder is one of the most severe forms and is one of the most studied, is is prevelent especially in female.