Naturalistic Treatment Study

Thanks to the generous sharing of time and treatment experiences by our TOP DD participants, the naturalistic treatment study was very successful. It was the first international study of dissociative disorders.

We were able to recruit approximately 290 therapists and their patients from 19 countries around the world. The consistent reports of patients and therapists in the naturalistic study demonstrated that DD treatment is associated with decreased symptoms and improved functioning. 

Data collected at four time points across 30 months revealed that over the course of this period, DD patients in treatment exhibited less depression, dissociation, PTSD, and general distress as well as decreases in suicide attempts, self-injurious behaviors, and hospitalizations. In addition, therapist ratings indicated that patients had also improved in adaptive functioning.