This month’s Publications of Interest column highlights three recent articles about dissociative disorders in India. Adithy and colleagues (2025) discuss education about dissociation for mental health professionals in India. Next, Ram and Mathew (2025) review the clinical presentations of dissociation in India. Finally, Jayan and colleagues (2024) outline considerations for understanding and treating dissociation through a culturally-sensitive lens.
Adithy, A., de Wit, E. E., Bhatt, G., & Bunders-Aelen, J. G. F. (2025). Evaluation of an online study group on trauma and dissociation for psychotherapists in India. Evaluation and Program Planning, 112, 102659. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2025.102659
*Note from the authors: This article is free to access until September 15, 2025, through this link: https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1lVqWY2idLq8i
Highlights:
- Psychotherapists have knowledge gap in working with trauma and dissociation.
- Collaborative learning can be facilitated through online study group for psychotherapists.
- Evaluation using qualitative methods captured the nuances.
- Simple models and practical tools were useful for therapists and their clients.
- Experiential learning was valuable in low and middle income countries.
Abstract:
Background: Mental health professionals (MHPs) in India are generally not adequately educated in the treatment of trauma. Educational programs can help to disseminate knowledge and skills about effective treatment for trauma, to ensure mental health care for clients. This study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of an educational program on trauma and dissociation (T&D) for psychotherapists in India.
Methods: An online study group for psychotherapists was led by a psychotherapist, experienced in trauma. The program included didactic presentations, discussions and case presentations, with topics including definitions and types of T&D, assessments, best practices, models and therapeutic methods. Three questionnaires, 14 semi-structured interviews, and a follow-up FGD, were used to evaluate the program.
Findings: The online study group was found to be beneficial for psychotherapists to learn about T&D. Evaluation using participants’ reports revealed that they learned to understand clients’ symptoms and conceptualize treatment with a lens of T&D, and they became more confident in working with clients. These reports also indicated that the clients were benefiting.
Conclusions: An online study group for psychotherapists, which also formed a supportive learning community, was effective for learning about T&D for participants from varied backgrounds. Such programs could bridge the knowledge gap about treatment for T&D among MHPs, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
Jayan, P., Kashyap, H., & Thippeswamy, H. (2024). Dissociative disorders in India: Cultural influence on psychopathology and treatment. Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine, 47(2), 183-186. https://doi.org/10.1177/02537176231220554
No abstract available. However, this viewpoint article discusses the cultural contexts influencing clinical presentations of dissociation and dissociative disorders in India, as well as cultural challenges in their treatment. Case descriptions are provided to illustrate these concepts. The authors provide suggestions for culturally-sensitive interventions.
Ram, D., & Mathew, A. (2025). A scoping review of studies on dissociative and conversion disorders in India. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 67(6), 574-590. https://doi.org/10.4103/indianjpsychiatry_876_24
Abstract:
Background: Psychological, social, and cultural factors influence the development of dissociative and conversion disorders. India, with its diverse cultural beliefs and socioeconomic disparities, provides a unique setting for studying the clinical presentations of these disorders.
Aim: This scoping review synthesizes literature on dissociative and conversion disorders in India, focusing on their sociodemographic and clinical features, etiological factors, and key findings.
Methods: An extensive literature search was conducted in the PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science databases for studies conducted in India between 2000 and 2024.
Results: Ninety-eight studies that met the selection criteria were included in this review. Most studies included in this review were cross-sectional, from North India, and involved adults with fewer than 50 participants, with an overrepresentation of females. The prevalence of dissociative and conversion disorders is higher among young married women of rural domicile belonging to a low socioeconomic status. The common clinical presentations were pseudoseizures, paralysis, and trance. The key etiological factors identified were childhood trauma, family dysfunction, and psychosocial stress. Psychiatric comorbidities included depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and personality issues. Cultural and religious beliefs strongly influence both symptom presentation and treatment-seeking behaviors. Sociodemographic, cultural, and psychosocial factors substantially influence the clinical presentation of dissociative and conversion disorders.
Conclusion: These findings underscore the need for a culturally sensitive, multidisciplinary approach to address these factors. Future prospective research is needed to assess long-term outcomes and explore the neuropathophysiological mechanisms underlying these disorders.