Mindfulness and Body Awareness in Depersonalization Disorder

Anomalous bodily experiences and automaton-like feelings constitute some of the core symptoms of depersonalization disorder (DP), features which may be considered antithetical to mindfulness. We thus investigated traits in a random sample of 22 stable patients with DP using the 14-item Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory (FMI) and predicted an overall negative correlation to their symptomatology as measured by the Cambridge Depersonalization Scale (CDS). We also conducted a regression analysis in order to elucidate the contribution of depression and anxiety measures on the above-mentioned correlation. Overall, the FMI and CDS were strongly negatively correlated (Pearson’s r = −.64, p < .001) as predicted, driven particularly by FMI items 1–4 and 7. The correlation withstood adjustment for depression and anxiety symptoms using regression analysis (R ² _adj = 33 %; F (1, 19) = 10.83, p < .005). In sum, our results suggest a possible impairment of mindfulness abilities in DP. Future research should explore the links between DP and psychopathology and seek to devise therapeutic interventions for DP based on mindfulness.