What does dissociative amnesia primarily involve?

Dissociative amnesia primarily involves the inability to recall important personal events. This condition is characterized by a significant loss of memory that is more extensive than ordinary forgetfulness and is usually associated with a traumatic or stressful event. Unlike other types of amnesia, such as those resulting from physical injury or neurodegenerative conditions, dissociative amnesia is rooted in psychological factors. It may manifest as selective amnesia, where only specific memories are affected, or as a more generalized loss of personal history.

The other options address symptoms or experiences that are not central to dissociative amnesia. Experiencing hallucinations pertains more to psychotic disorders rather than dissociative conditions. Mood swings are associated with mood disorders like bipolar disorder, while experiencing profound joy without cause is often seen in conditions such as mania. Thus, they do not align with the key characteristics of dissociative amnesia.