Dissociative disorders among adults in the community, impaired functioning, and axis I and II comorbidity

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the association of dissociative disorder (DD) with impaired functioning and co-occurring Axis I and personality disorders among adults in the community.

Method: Psychiatric interviews were administered to a sample of 658 adult participants in the Children in the Community Study, a community-based longitudinal study.

Results: Depersonalization disorder (prevalence: 0.8%), dissociative amnesia (prevalence: 1.8%), dissociative identity disorder (prevalence: 1.5%), and dissociative disorder not otherwise specified (prevalence: 4.4%), evident within the past year, were each associated with impaired functioning, as assessed by the clinician-administered Global Assessment of Functioning Scale. These associations remained significant after controlling for age, sex, and co-occurring disorders. Individuals with anxiety, mood, and personality disorders were significantly more likely than individuals without these disorders were to have DD, after the covariates were controlled. Individuals with Cluster A (DD prevalence: 58%), B (DD prevalence: 68%), and C (DD prevalence: 37%) personality disorders were substantially more likely than those without personality disorders were to have DD.

Conclusions: DD is associated with clinically significant impairment among adults in the community. DD may be particularly prevalent among individuals with personality disorders.