Dissociation and Personality: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Decades of research have explored dissociation and personality, but findings remain unclear due to methodological limitations.
• Previous studies suffered from sampling errors, small sample sizes, and varied methodologies, preventing precise estimation of dissociation-personality relationships.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and meta-analyze the relationships between dissociation and the Five-Factor Model (FFM) personality domains.
• To provide a clearer understanding of how dissociation relates to broad personality constructs.

Main Methods:

• Conducted a systematic review and 20 meta-analyses of 23 primary studies on dissociation and FFM personality.
• Coded effect size data, moderator information, and methodological quality for included studies.
• Examined relationships between dissociation total scores and FFM domains, and investigated moderating effects.

Main Results:

• Identified 19 statistically significant relationships between dissociation and FFM personality domains.
• Found significant correlations between dissociation and neuroticism (r=.24), extraversion (r=-.07), openness (r=.10), agreeableness (r=-.15), and conscientiousness (r=-.21).
• Clinical status, gender, and measurement tools moderated some dissociation-personality relationships.

Conclusions:

• Dissociation appears relatively independent of trait-model personality, particularly the FFM.
• Despite significant correlations, the overall independence suggests dissociation is a distinct construct.
• This meta-analysis provides a more precise estimation of dissociation-personality links, clarifying previous ambiguities.