According to Pervin (1988), the psychiatric term "dissociation" refers to the segregation or separation of certain mental events (thoughts, beliefs, etc.) from conscious awareness. For example, Silon (1992) discussed the symptom of dissociation as a mechanism used by some children of incest as a survival strategy. In this regard, Silon noted that after the immediate use of dissociation for means of emotionally surviving the experience, and also in later years, those who have been sexually violated in childhood may manifest a dissociative state when they are unable to deal with life's demands.
Additionally, Silon stated that the coping mechanisms that accompany dissociation (e.g., splitting, detachment, denial) are integrated into the personality and may lead to the development of additional symptoms or avoidance strategies in adulthood. In other words, Silon (1992) is stating that dissociation, at least in relation to the trauma of incest and childhood sexual abuse, can lead to certain psychopathological disorders in later life.
The idea that dissociation is a component of certain psychopathological states has long been recognized in psychology/psychiatry; and in general, these conditions are referred to as forms of dissociative disorder which can be defined as a short and sudden loss of memory or alteration in identity (Barocs, Reichman & Schwebel, 1983). In dissociative disorder, a person becomes dissociated from his usual self and feels for a time "unreal". He can forget important facts about himself and even adopt a new identity. Types of dissociative disorder include amnesia, fugue, and multiple personality.
Dissociative processes have also been observed in hypnotized subjects. In this regard, Evans (1990) has stated that both current and past studies of hypnosis and pain suggest that pain is being registered at some level but being ignored by the conscious mind.
For example, in studies of cold pressor p...