The Frequency of Dissociative Disorders Among Women Who Experienced Physical Domestic Violence and  Were Referred to the Mashhad Department of  Forensic Medicine In 2024

Zeinab  Bahrami; Ali  Naghsh; Ali  Saghebi

doi:10.18502/jfrh.v19i4.21076

Zeinab Bahrami Student Research Committee, Mashhad Medical Sciences Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran
Ali Naghsh Legal Medicine Research Center, Iranian Legal Medicine Organization, Tehran, Iran
Ali Saghebi Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/jfrh.v19i4.21076

Keywords: Dissociative Disorders; Domestic Violence; Forensic Medicine

Abstract

Objective: Dissociative disorders are a range of conditions characterized by a sudden, temporary disruption in a person's consciousness, memory, identity, or perception. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of dissociative disorders among women who had experienced physical domestic violence and were referred to the Department of Forensic Medicine.

Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Mashhad Department of Forensic Medicine in 2024. The primary objectives were to determine the prevalence of dissociative amnesia, dissociative fugue, dissociative identity disorder, and depersonalization /derealization disorder in this population. Data were collected using two instruments: the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES) and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM Dissociative Disorders (SCID-D).

Results: Among the participants, 22.6% were diagnosed with a dissociative disorder. The prevalence rates for specific disorders were 21.7% for dissociative amnesia, 5.7% for dissociative fugue, 9.9% for dissociative identity disorder, and 12.7% for depersonalization/derealization disorder. A lower level of education (non-university) was significantly associated with a higher prevalence of overall dissociative experiences, dissociative amnesia, and depersonalization/derealization.

Conclusion: The findings indicate a relatively high frequency of dissociative disorders among women who experienced physical domestic violence and were referred to the Mashhad Department of Forensic Medicine in 2024.