Relationship of Dissociation to Temperament and Character in Men and Women

OBJECTIVE: This study approaches the question of nature and nurture of dissociative phenomena. Within Cloninger’s concept of personality, character traits are thought to develop in response to environmental stimuli and conditions during childhood and adolescence, whereas temperament traits are considered to be genetically predisposed. The hypothesis is tested that dissociative symptoms are associated with distinct character traits but not with temperament dimensions. METHOD: Psychiatric patients (N=191) and healthy subjects (N=41) were evaluated for dissociative symptoms (Dissociative Experience Scale), temperament and character (Temperament and Character Inventory), and current psychopathology (SCL-90-R). Regression analyses for women and men were calculated separately. RESULTS: For both genders, the character traits of self-transcendence and self-directedness were significant and independent predictors for dissociation. CONCLUSIONS: These results support the hypothesis that dissociative symptoms are caused by environmental factors and point against a genetic predisposition in the development of dissociative symptoms.