Abstract
Objective: Dissociative disorders (DD) are trauma-related conditions marked by disruptions in memory, identity, and consciousness. Despite high prevalence, DDs are underdiagnosed and undertreated. This study explores the experiences of adults with DD participating in a 31-week Finding Solid Ground (FSG) psychoeducational group. Method: Participants (N=72) were mostly women (81%), who experienced a DD or PTSD dissociative subtype, along with multiple mental health comorbidities. Eight groups (seven virtual, one in-person) completed 31 weekly 90-minute sessions based on the FSG curriculum as adjunctive to individual psychotherapy. Thematic qualitative analysis was used to analyze participants’ hopes, challenges, helpful and unhelpful aspects, and perceived changes in self during group participation. Results: Participants noted improved self-awareness, internal system communication, self-compassion, emotion regulation, hope, and overall functioning, as well as reductions in isolation, shame and self-blame, dissociative symptoms, and trauma symptoms. Conclusions: These findings emphasize the potential benefits of FSG and suggest that trauma-informed group interventions should be further researched, as they could be a scalable method of providing treatment for this underserved population.
Keywords
dissociative disorders, psychoeducation, posttraumatic stress disorder, group therapy, trauma recovery
Date of this Version
2026
Recommended Citation
Hawkins, Laura; Chipps, Sarah; Foreman, Kim; Johnson, Stephanie; McCann, Aimee; Braughton, Rebecca; Ajuwon, Abidemi Mary; and Xu, Dongjuan, "“It feels like a safe container”: Experiences of finding solid ground groups for adults with dissociative disorders." (2026). School of Nursing Faculty Publications. Paper 63.
https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/nursingpubs/63
Comments
This is the author-accepted manuscript version of Hawkins, L., Chipps, S., Foreman, K., Johnson, S., McCann, A., Braughton, R., Ajuwon, A. M., & Xu, D. (2026). “It feels like a safe container”: Experiences of finding solid ground groups for adults with dissociative disorders. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy. ©American Psychological Association, 2026. This paper is not the copy of record and may not exactly replicate the authoritative document published in the APA journal. The version of record and final article is available, upon publication, at DOI: 10.1037/tra0002115.