Neurobiological Research with Dissociative Populations: Multifaceted Perspectives

This session is available for 1.50 APA and ASWB credits.

Abstract
Despite gaining increasing media attention over the years, dissociative symptoms and disorders are infrequently the focus of research. Misinformation and skepticism surround dissociative phenomena, which has led to the exclusion of dissociative features and populations from neurobiological research. In this panel, a group of clinical researchers will discuss ways in which they have incorporated dissociation in their program of research, from cross-sectional to longitudinal/intervention studies. Panelists will describe their approaches to increasing acceptance of dissociation in various research contexts, and will explain the different ways in which they have included dissociative populations in various research contexts. They will discuss insights they have gained throughout the years, as well as ethical considerations for the conduct of neurobiological research with dissociative populations. Dr. Janine Thome will discuss her unique program of research on dissociative trauma-exposed individuals, which focuses on the role of arousal and related brain circuitry on the development of dissociative symptoms. She will discuss her focus on often-neglected brain regions, the midbrain and brainstem, and their roles in dissociative symptoms in people with posttraumatic stress disorder. Dr. Negar Fani will describe her program of cross-sectional and interventional research in trauma-exposed Black American individuals over the past 15 years, discussing ways in which she has incorporated neuropsychological, psychophysiology and neuroimaging techniques to investigate dissociative phenomena. Dr. Sherain Harricharan will discuss how emotion dysregulation among individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can affect sensory signaling pathways in the brain. She will introduce a theoretical hierarchy of sensory transmission in the aftermath of trauma and discuss its clinical impact on the distinct PTSD and dissociative subtype symptom profiles. Discussants (Drs. Lebois and Kaufman) will provide a synthesis of these studies, including strengths and limitations of existing methods, moderating discussion with the audience on ways to incorporate research methods across varied settings.