A clinician’s quick guide of evidence-based approaches: dissociative disorders

Evidence-based treatment for dissociative disorders remains an area of significant unmet need in mental healthcare, and clinicians report a lack of accessible guidance for practice. This article provides a concise clinical overview of dissociative disorders to support clinical decision-making. We synthesised existing treatment guidelines, clinical textbooks, self-help resources, and assessment tools for children and adults, alongside recent literature on diagnostic conceptualisation, prevalence, and emerging developments in the field. No interventions for children have been established as evidence-based through clinical trials, and only one adult intervention has been evaluated via randomised controlled trial, highlighting substantial gaps in the evidence base. Further progress is hampered by conceptual inconsistency and insufficient consumer involvement in research. Addressing these gaps will require greater investment in treatment trials and consumer involvement. Emerging theoretical work reframing dissociation as an emotion regulation strategy offers a promising direction for strengthening case conceptualisation.