title: Distinguishing between multiple personality disorder (dissociative identity disorder) and schizophrenia using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Dissociative Disorders.
abstract: The authors describe the systematic assessment of dissociative symptoms using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Dissociative Disorders (SCID-D) in 50 psychiatric outpatients with a referring DSM-III-R diagnosis of either schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (N = 31) and subjects with multiple personality disorder (MPD [DSM-IV name change: dissociative identity disorder]; N = 19). Results indicate that patients with MPD experience significantly higher scores for five specific dissociative symptoms than patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. The range, severity, and nature of the five dissociative symptom areas evaluated by the SCID-D distinguish MPD from the occasional occurrence of dissociative symptoms which may be seen in schizophrenia. Systematic assessment of dissociative symptoms using the SCID-D can assist in accurate differential diagnosis of MPD and schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Steinberg
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cicchetti
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Buchanan
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rakfeldt
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rounsaville
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004213:Dissociative Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D009105:Dissociative Identity Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index