Dissociative Disorders in Pediatric Males from Industrial Worker Families: Clinical Presentation and Treatment Challenges - A Case Series
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https://doi.org/10.54169/ijocp.v6i01.09Keywords:
Dissociative disorders, Worker families, Pediatric malesDimensions Badge
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Copyright (c) 2026 Kudrat Jain, Aashmeen Kaur, Manoj Kumar

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Dissociative disorders disrupt consciousness, emotions, and behavior integration. Sociocultural factors, childhood experiences, and socioeconomic stressors influence their development in children and adolescents, especially in industrial and labor sectors. Dissociative disorders are more common in females, but boys may show atypical/externalizing symptoms, causing diagnostic delays and misattribution to other disorders. We present a case series of four male patients (9–12 years) at a tertiary psychiatric service in an industrial area. All cases showed mixed dissociative symptoms, complex stressors, and delayed psychiatric evaluation. Treatment was impacted by gender-role-based emotional suppression, mental health stigma, and limited family awareness. Findings highlight the need for culturally informed, developmentally appropriate, and gender-responsive strategies for pediatric males with dissociative presentations.Abstract
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