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Dissociative symptoms in kleptomania.

Jon E Grant1

  • 1Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Butler Hospital/Brown Medical School, 345 Blackstone Blvd., Providence, RI 02906, USA. Jon_Grant@Brown.edu

Psychological Reports
|April 14, 2004
PubMed
Summary

Patients with kleptomania, an impulse control disorder, frequently experience altered consciousness. This study found a significant link between kleptomania and dissociation, suggesting a potential area for future research and treatment development.

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Area of Science:

  • Psychiatry
  • Psychology
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Kleptomania is a disabling disorder characterized by recurrent, irresistible urges to steal.
  • Patients often report altered states of consciousness during theft, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood.
  • Dissociation, a disruption in consciousness, memory, identity, or perception, is a potential factor.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between dissociation and kleptomania.
  • To clarify the phenomenological aspects of kleptomania.
  • To compare dissociative experiences in patients with kleptomania to healthy controls.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 26 adult outpatients diagnosed with kleptomania (per DSM-IV criteria) was assessed.
  • The Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES) was administered to kleptomania patients.
  • Patient scores were compared to those of 22 healthy controls.

Main Results:

  • Patients with kleptomania exhibited significantly higher scores on the Dissociative Experiences Scale compared to normal controls.
  • No significant gender-based differences in dissociative experiences were observed.
  • These findings suggest a notable association between kleptomania and dissociative phenomena.

Conclusions:

  • Dissociation may play a significant role in the experience of kleptomania.
  • Further research is warranted to explore this link, particularly in patient groups seeking pharmacological treatment.
  • Understanding the connection between dissociation and kleptomania could inform novel therapeutic strategies.

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