Using an ecologically generalizable virtual reality (VR) paradigm for studying state dissociation and etiological models of clinically-significant dissociation

Few studies have directly compared variables implicated in the etiology of dissociation within an experimental paradigm. Virtual reality (VR) has recently received empirical support as a vehicle for experimentally manipulating state dissociation to test these etiological models. We conducted a study to induce state dissociation to examine key variables in the etiology of dissociation (e.g., trauma experiences). First, participants completed demographic information and baseline measures of state and trait dissociation, positive and negative affect, and a set of theoretically important variables within the transdiagnostic and transtheoretical model (TTM; e.g., emotional dysregulation). Next, they were randomized to a VR or personal computer (PC) condition, in which they navigated a virtual cityscape for 15 minutes, followed by another set of questionnaires to capture change in state dissociation and positive and negative affect. We evaluated (a) residualized change scores for state dissociation and positive and negative affect; and (b) explored associations between variables in the TTM and these outcomes. Findings revealed that (a) VR did significantly increase state dissociation when controlling for trait dissociation; (b) positive but not negative affect increased in the VR condition from pre-to post-induction; and (c) variables in the TTM were correlated with pre- and post-induction scores of state dissociation, but these associations were not stronger in the VR condition compared to the PC condition. Combined, these findings suggest that VR is an effective laboratory paradigm for increasing state dissociation and positive affect. Furthermore, several proposed etiological variables in the TTM do relate to and explain state dissociation as hypothesized.