Relationship Among the Dissociation, Ways of Coping Style, and Hypnotizability in Undergraduate Students

Lee, Jung Sik; Lee, Woo Kyeong; Lee, Sang Baik; Park, Sang Jun; Oh, Hong Seok

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
: Presently there exist conflicting results in terms of the relationship between hypnotic susceptibility and the dissociation experience in college-aged populations. The present investigation sought to explore the relationship among dissociation, coping style and hypnotizability using structural equation modeling (SEM).
METHODS
: 288 Korean undergraduates completed the Dissociation Experience Scale-Korean version (DES-K), Coping style assessment, and assessment of the eye roll sign which is a suggested biological marker of hypnotizability according to Spiegel. We divided the students into two groups (DES> or = 20, N=81; DES <20, N=207) to evaluate differences in these variables. The Pearson correlation test was used to investigate the relationship among the variables. We used SEM to investigate the mediating process in the relationship among hypnotizability coping style and dissociation.
RESULTS
: In the high DES-K group, scores of passive coping strategies (emotionally focused and wishful thinking) were higher than low DES-K group. There were statistically significant but weak correlations between hypnotizability and wishful thinking and between passive coping strategies and dissociation. The mediating role of passive coping style between hypnotizability and dissociation was confirmed in university students.
CONCLUSION
: These results suggested there was no direct relationship between hypnotizability and dissociation and passive coping strategies mediating the relationship between hypnotizability and dissociation. This study cautions against equating dissociative capacity with hypnotizability.