How Is Multiple Personality Disorder Diagnosed?

Multiple personality disorder is a mental disorder that has been renamed dissociative identity disorder. The name change took place because there is a high degree of dissociative behavior attached to this disorder. There is no definitive test for this disorder. It is diagnosed after a number of specialized and specific screening tools are used.

Trained mental health specialists conduct specialized tests to rule out any other mental disorder that could explain the symptoms or signs that the patient is experiencing. This diagnosis takes time. Most people who are eventually diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder (DID) have usually been seeking treatment in the mental health system for a several years.

Dissociative identity disorder usually co-exists with other emotional conditions, including post traumatic stress disorder, borderline personality disorder as well as other personality disorders.

Often times a person will feign having a multiple personality disorder because of involvement in the criminal justice system, and it would be to their advantage to have this diagnosis.

A structured interview tool is often the best way to find the person who actually does suffer from this condition. Most people diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder are usually between the age of 20 and 40. They are likely to have been hospitalized several times as well as diagnosed with manic depression or schizophrenia.

There are a number of criteria that must be met before diagnosis.

Two or more distinct identities must present themselves, each with its own pattern of interpreting and thinking about the environment and self.
At least two of these identities recurrently take control of the person's behavior.
The person is unable to recall important personal information that is too important and extensive for regular forgetfulness.
The symptoms are not due to the direct effect of a substance, legal or illegal, or to a general medical condition such as epilepsy.

The assessment process includes a detailed history of the person's childhood and other mental conditions. The tester will also ask for a complete physical examination by a medical doctor to rule out any physical disorders.

After elimination of any physical illness the doctor next rules out psychotic disturbances. If the doctor still suspects DID, a screening test called the Dissociative Experiences Scale is used followed by specific additional testing.

It takes an expert to diagnose this disorder. The diagnosis takes time because of the extensive history and testing involved. There still is much controversy over whether this disorder actually exists.

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