Online Psychoeducational Program for Dissociative Symptoms: A Randomized Controlled Trial
People with dissociative symptoms and disorders are often underserved in the health and social service systems. Over the decades, experts like Frank Putnam, Richard Kluft, Richard J. Loewenstein., Vedat Sar, Colin Ross, and Bethany Brand have contributed many important treatment studies and case reports. However, no controlled trials had ever been conducted in the field of dissociation—until recently.
In 2022, Harald Bækkelund published the first-ever RCT in dissociation. Bethany Brand has also led the TOP DD trial and published their important RCT findings.
Meanwhile, researchers from Hong Kong have been testing whether a web-based psychoeducation program for pathological dissociation (WPDD) could be feasible, acceptable, and beneficial to people with dissociative symptoms and disorders. Building on two pilot feasibility studies, Andy H.W. Fung and his colleagues recently published their RCT results as well.
Many trauma survivors with dissociative symptoms/disorders suffer for years and cannot receive proper assessment and treatments. We believed that early interventions, such as psychoeducation—teaching them to understand, recognize, and manage post-traumatic and dissociative symptoms, cope with triggers, and stay safe—could make a significant difference, especially before they can access and receive specialized treatments.
This new RCT provides evidence showing that psychoeducation program ("Be a Teammate with Yourself" - co-developed by Andy Fung and Colin Ross) is well-accepted by Hong Kong adults with dissociative symptoms (>50% met the diagnostic criteria for a dissociative disorder on the Dissociative Disorders Interview Schedule). More importantly, the intervention group showed significant improvements in active coping, cognitive reappraisal, self-efficacy, and dissociative symptoms from baseline to the two-month follow-up, while the control group did not. Between-subjects analyses further revealed that the intervention group had greater improvements in cognitive reappraisal than the control group, with a medium effect size.
These groundbreaking results demonstrate that low-cost, scalable approaches can potentially support those in need. While not a replacement for specialized interventions, this psychoeducation is a vital step, especially for individuals who cannot yet receive dissociation-specific treatments.
References:
Fung, H. W.*, Chan, C., & Ross, C. A. (2020). A web-based psychoeducation program for people with pathological dissociation: Development and pilot testing. Journal of Evidence-Based Social Work. https://doi.org/10.1080/26408066.2020.1760990
Fung, H. W.*, Chan, C., Chien, W. T., Chong, Y. Y., & Ross, C. A. (2022). The acceptability and potential benefits of a web-based psychoeducation program for people with pathological dissociation: A pilot evaluation study. Journal of Trauma & Dissociation. https://doi.org/10.1080/15299732.2022.2119457
Lam, S. K. K., Cheung, C. T. Y., Chien, W. T., Chiu, C.-D., van Emmerik, A. A., Ross, C. A., & Fung, H. W.* (2025). Effects of an online psychoeducational program for people with dissociative symptoms: A randomized controlled trial. Research on Social Work Practice. https://doi.org/10.1177/10497315251340902