Dissociation is a complex phenomena that can be hardly manipulated in experimental psychology. There is a limited number of protocols that induce dissociation without creating strong negative emotions, such as dissociative memory recall or dissociative induction (recall memories for times when feeling disconnected from a situation). However, dissociative induction has received poor experimental validation. The first aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of this protocol. The second aim was to explore strategies used by participants to reduce dissociation.

We recruited 226 participants (178 women) online and randomly assigned them to three conditions: bringing to mind a memory of experiencing dissociation (dissociative induction), hypnotic listening induction, and neutral listening induction. Before induction, all participants completed the DES-T to assess dissociative symptoms. After induction, state dissociation was evaluated through the SADSS and the PDEQ. Finally, participants were asked to describe the strategies they used to reduce dissociation.

Dissociative induction, hypnosis and neutral listening induction had a significant effect on the SADSS and PDEQ scores. We found a significant contrast between the neutral listening and the recall of a dissociative memory. Several strategies to reduce dissociation were identified through thematic analysis: sensory stimulation, focalization and concentration, and anchoring in reality.

Recall of a dissociative memory is a promising way to induce dissociation, and listening to a neutral text is an appropriate control condition for further research. Dissociative induction could also be used in therapy to teach patients how to manage dissociation.