Fantasy proneness, dissociation, and personality disorders: A psychometric investigation
Abstract
The present research investigated the nature of the relationships among three hypothetically related constructs: fantasy proneness, dissociation, and personality disorders. Fantasy-prone subjects identified on the basis of high scores on the Inventory of Childhood Memories and Imaginings (ICMI) were compared with low-scoring normal control subjects using a measure of dissociative experiences (the Dissociative Experiences Scale, DES) and a structured personality-disorder interview (Structured Interview For DSM-IV Personality Disorders, SIDP-IV), as well as the MMPII. As predicted, fantasy-prone subjects were more likely than controls to meet formal diagnostic criteria for a DSM-IV Cluster A personality disorder at the clinical level, to meet significantly more overall diagnostic criteria across personality disorder clusters, and to produce significantly higher scores on the DES. Gender analyses failed to show any gender differences between fantasy-prone and control subjects. Examination of MMPI data revealed that the mean code type for the fantasy-prone group was an 8–9 profile. In addition, six DSM-IV personality disorder criteria theorized to be related to dissociative experiences were evaluated for group differences. Again, fantasy-prone subjects met significantly more of these criteria than controls. Additionally, subjects assigned to a high-DES score group met significantly more of the six DSM-IV dissociative criteria than subjects assigned to a corresponding low-DES score group. These results are discussed in the context of other studies examining the relationship between fantasy proneness, personality disorders, and dissociation. Finally, a principal components analysis of the ICMI was conducted. Although some support was found for the construct validity of the measure, no factor solution could account for more than a small percentage of the total variance, and a clear factor structure failed to emerge. Implications for the ICMI as a measure of global psychopathology are discussed, and it is proposed that fantasy proneness be reevaluated to include a dimension encompassing maladaptive functioning in addition to its more benign aspects.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Merritt, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Psychotherapy|Psychological tests
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