Group Dissociation-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (DF-CBT) in Patients Suffering from a Dissociative Subtype of PTSD: An Exploratory Study

Dissociation is a widespread difficulty among patients suffering from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). However, there is no gold standard treatment for dissociative symptoms. Recent studies propose a cognitive and behavioral conceptualization for dissociation. The aim of this study was to explore the efficacy of a group program of Dissociation-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy (DF-CBT) on dissociative symptoms. We recruited 27 patients suffering from a dissociative subtype of PTSD in a university hospital trauma center. Participants completed questionnaires evaluating dissociation, PTSD, mindfulness abilities, beliefs about emotions, beliefs about dissociation, emotion regulation difficulties, anxiety and depression. Following an initial evaluation, participants undertook 7 sessions of DF-CBT, and were reevaluated after the last session using the same questionnaires. We found a significant reduction of dissociative, PTSD, anxiety, and depression symptoms following DF-CBT. The effect size was noticeable for all variables (.61<d < 1.1). We found an association between the reduction of dissociation and the decrease of negative beliefs about emotions and dissociation, mindfulness difficulties and emotion regulation difficulties. This study provided the first empirical evidence of the efficacy of DF-CBT. The active mechanisms involved in the program seem congruent with proposed models of dissociation. A controlled randomized trial is required for further demonstration.