Persona-mediated dissociation: a new framework for understanding the work/self-split in sex workers

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Sociology
• Sexuality Studies

Background:

• Dissociation research in sex work is limited and often trauma-focused.
• Existing studies overlook the occupational functions of dissociative processes.
• Qualitative research highlights intentional work persona construction in sex work, often described using dissociative terms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a new theoretical framework, persona-mediated dissociation.
• To describe context-specific, identity-mediated psychological distancing in sexual labor.
• To differentiate occupational regulation from clinically significant dissociation.

Main Methods:

• Theoretical framework development based on existing qualitative and ethnographic scholarship.
• Conceptual analysis of persona construction and dissociative processes in sex work.
• Hypothesis generation for future empirical research.

Main Results:

• Proposes persona-mediated dissociation: a deliberately constructed work persona mediates self-demand interactions.
• Identifies core dimensions: voluntariness, contextual specificity, reversibility, preserved executive functioning.
• Predicts persona activation co-varies with dissociative phenomenology and maintained functioning.

Conclusions:

• Persona-mediated dissociation offers a novel lens for understanding psychological distancing in sex work.
• Distress arises from prolonged use, impaired role exit, or limited support, not the persona itself.
• Framework distinguishes occupational regulation from clinical dissociation and guides future research.