Dissociative Identity Disorder Test

What are dissociative disorders?

Dissociative disorders are a group of mental disorders characterized by disruptions or breakdowns in different areas of psychological functioning. This affects memory, identity, consciousness, and perception of the self and the environment (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).

The main dissociative disorders include:

Dissociative identity disorder (DID)

This mental illness, formerly known as Multiple Personality Disorder, involves the presence of two or more distinct personality states or separate identities that recurrently take control of the individual's behaviors through everyday events.

Dissociative amnesia

This form of dissociative disorder is characterized by memory loss. Dissociative amnesia involves an inability to recall important personal information, usually associated with a highly stressful or traumatic past event that is inconsistent with ordinary forgetting.

Depersonalization/derealization disorder

This mental health condition involves persistent or recurrent experiences of feeling detached or disconnected from one's mind, self, body, or reality.

Dissociative symptoms can also occur in other mental health conditions, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and as a result of certain medical conditions or substance use (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).

What is dissociative identity disorder (DID)?

Dissociative Identity Disorder is a complex condition where a person develops two or more distinct identities or personality states. These identities are often referred to as alters and can have their own:

• Voice: Tone, pitch, and even accent can vary between alters.
• Memories: Some alters may have access to memories that others don't.
• Behaviors: Alters may exhibit different preferences, mannerisms, and even different genders or ages.
• Emotions: Alters can experience various emotions independently of each other.

Individuals with DID experience recurrent gaps in memory and may have difficulty recalling important events or personal information in their everyday lives. They might also experience a range of physical symptoms, including severe headaches, aches, and pains, which can be a manifestation of the dissociation process. Some individuals may even ignore pain, which can be more harmful.

All these can cause distress and impairment in one's daily functioning. As individuals may not often be aware of this identity disruption, family members may often point out these transitions into distinct personalities.

How does a mental health professional diagnose DID?

Diagnosing dissociative identity disorder can be a complex and challenging process due to the nature of the disorder and the potential for other conditions to present with similar symptoms. However, mental health professionals follow specific diagnostic criteria and procedures to determine if an individual meets the criteria for DID.

The diagnostic process typically involves a comprehensive evaluation by a qualified mental health professional, such as a clinical psychologist, psychiatrist, or licensed clinical social worker. This evaluation may include:

• Detailed clinical interviews: The mental health professional will conduct in-depth interviews to gather information about the individual's symptoms, personal history, such as childhood trauma, and current functioning. This may involve interviewing another family member or significant others to obtain additional perspectives.
• Psychological testing: Various psychological tests and assessments may be used to evaluate the individual's cognitive functioning, personality traits, and the presence of dissociative symptoms. These could include the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES-II) or another screening tool.
• Observation: Mental health professionals may observe the individual's behavior and interactions over multiple sessions to assess for the presence of distinct identities or personality states.
• Ruling out other conditions: It is important to rule out other potential causes of the individual's symptoms, such as substance abuse, medical conditions, or other mental health disorders that may present with similar symptoms.

How does a Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) Test work?

Here is a step-by-step guide for healthcare practitioners on how to use this DID test in their practice:

Step 1: Gather Patient Information

Collect the patient's name, date of birth, and assessment date. This information is required at the beginning of the self-assessment.

Step 2: Administer the self-assessment

Provide the patient with the self-assessment form and instruct them to read each of the 15 questions carefully. The patient should select the response (Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Often, Always) that best describes their experience for each question.

Step 3: Review responses

After the patient has completed the self-assessment, review their responses to the 15 questions. Pay particular attention to questions the patient has answered with "Often" or "Always," as these may indicate the presence of dissociative symptoms.

Step 4: Interpret results and determine the next steps

If the patient's responses indicate potential dissociative symptoms, further professional evaluation is necessary to confirm a diagnosis of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) or other dissociative disorders. This screening tool should not replace a full evaluation by a mental health professional.

Treatment of dissociative identity disorder (DID)

Treating DID can be a complex and long-term process, often requiring a multidisciplinary approach and collaboration among healthcare professionals. Several evidence-based therapeutic approaches are effective in managing DID symptoms and improving overall functioning.

1. Trauma-focused therapy: This type of therapy, such as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) or Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), aims to address a person's behavior and process the underlying past trauma that may have contributed to the development of DID (Brand et al., 2014).
2. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT can help individuals with DID identify and modify maladaptive thought patterns and behaviors associated with their dissociative symptoms.
3. Hypnotherapy: Hypnosis can facilitate communication between different identities or alternate personalities and promote integration to navigate one's everyday life (Kluft, 2012).
4. Family therapy: Involving family members or significant others in the therapeutic process can help them understand DID and provide support during the treatment journey.
5. Medication: While there are no specific medications for treating DID, certain medications may be prescribed to manage other symptoms, such as anxiety and depression. Healthcare providers may prescribe antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, or mood stabilizers (International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation, 2011).
6. Support groups: Participating in support groups can provide a sense of community, validation, and shared understanding among individuals with DID.

It is important to note that the right treatment for DID is often a long-term process that includes processing traumatic events. Progress may be gradual. Consistency, patience, and a supportive therapeutic environment are essential for successful treatment outcomes.

You can enhance your practice by using the Clinical Evaluation Template. The template supports a thorough assessment of overall patient health.

References

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Pearson.

Brand, B. L., Loewenstein, R. J., & Spiegel, D. (2014). Dispelling myths about dissociative identity disorder treatment: an empirically based approach. Psychiatry, 77(2), 169–189. https://doi.org/10.1521/psyc.2014.77.2.169

Kluft, R. P. (2012). Hypnosis in the treatment of dissociative identity disorder and allied states: An overview and case study. South African Journal of Psychology, 42(2), 146–155. https://doi.org/10.1177/008124631204200202

International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation. (2011). Guidelines for treating dissociative identity disorder in adults, third revision. Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 12(2), 115–187. https://doi.org/10.1080/15299732.2011.537247