Effects of an online psychoeducational program for people with dissociative symptoms : a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Purpose: This study evaluated an online psychoeducational program for people with dissociative symptoms. Methods: A total of 101 Hong Kong Chinese adults with dissociative symptoms were randomly assigned to the intervention group (n = 51) or the waitlist control group (n = 50). Results: The attrition rate was 15.8% at post-intervention. Over 90% participants were satisfied with the program. Within-subjects analyses showed that the intervention group had significant improvements in active coping, cognitive reappraisal, self-efficacy, and dissociative symptoms from baseline to 2-month follow-up, while the control group did not have such changes. Between-subjects analyses further showed that the intervention group had greater improvements in cognitive reappraisal than the control group with a medium effect (ηp2 =.101). Conclusion: This study contributes to the limited literature on interventions for dissociation. It provides preliminary evidence for an easily-accessible educational intervention for people with dissociative symptoms. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov—NCT05519748.