Testing the diagnosis of dissociative identity disorder through measures of dissociation, absorption, hypnotizability and PTSD: a Norwegian pilot study.
A total of 14 women meeting criteria for dissociative identity disorder (DID) based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed. [DSM-IV]) were compared to a group of women (n = 10) with other dissociative diagnoses and a group of normal controls (n = 14) with regard to dissociativity, absorption, trauma related symptoms and hypnotizability. Both of the clinical groups reported histories of childhood trauma and attained high PTSD scores. The DID group differed significantly from the group with other dissociative diagnoses and the non-diagnosed comparison group with regard to hypnotizability, the variety of dissociative symptomatology, and the magnitude of dissociative symptomatology. However, no significant differences between the two clinical groups were detected with regard to absorption, general dissociative level, or symptoms related to traumatic stress. Results support the notion that DID can be regarded as a clinical entity which is separable from other dissociative disorders. Results also indicated that hypnotizability is the most important clinical feature of DID.
Dale
Karl Yngvar
KY
Department of Psychology, University of Tromsø, Norway. kayngv-d@online.no
Berg
Renate
R
Elden
Ake
A
Ødegård
Atle
A
Holte
Arne
A
D000328:Adult; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D004213:Dissociative Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D006990:Hypnosis; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D009664:Norway; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D013404:Suggestion