http://ritualabuse.

us/research/did/

D.I.D. - M.P.D.
Basic Information on Dissociative Identity Disorder with sections on Basic
Information on DID from the DSM-IV-TR, The History of DID/MPD, Diagnosing DID,
Responses to those that state that DID is iatrogenic or a social construct,
MPD/DID connection to severe abuse, Recent information and DID resources -
http://ritualabuse.us/research/did/basic-information-on-didmpd/

From the DSM-IV-TR (American Psychological Association (2000). Diagnostic and

statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed. text revision).Washington, D. C .)

DID is defined in the DSM-IV-TR as the presence of two or more personality states
or distinct identities that repeatedly take control of one’s behavior. The patient
has an inability to recall personal information. The extent of this lack of recall
is too great to be explained by normal forgetfulness. The disorder cannot be due
to the direct physical effects of a general medical condition or substance.

DID entails a failure to integrate certain aspects of memory, consciousness and

identity. Patients experience frequent gaps in their memory for their personal
history, past and present. Patients with DID report having severe physical and
sexual abuse, especially during childhood. There is controversy around these
reports, because childhood memories may be exposed to distortion and some patients
with DID are highly hypnotizable and vulnerable to suggestive influences. But, the
reports of patients with DID are often validated by objective evidence. People
that are responsible for acts of sexual and physical abuse may be prone to
distorting or denying their behavior.

Physical evidence may include variations in physiological functions in different

identity states, including differences in vision, levels of pain tolerance,
symptoms of asthma, the response of blood glucose to insulin and sensitivity to
allergens. Other physical findings may include scars from physical abuse or self-
inflicted injuries, headaches or migraines, asthma and irritable bowel syndrome.

DID is found in a variety of cultures around the world. It is diagnosed three to

nine times more often in adult females than males. Females average 15 or more
identities, males eight identities. The sharp rise in the reported cases of DID in
the U.S. may be due the greater awareness of DID’s diagnosis, which has caused an
increased identification of those that were previously undiagnosed. Others believe
it has been overdiagnosed in those that are highly suggestible.

The average time period from DID’s first presentation of symptoms to its diagnosis
is six to seven years. DID may become less manifest as patients reach past their
late 40’s, but it can reemerge during stress, trauma or substance abuse. It is
suggested in several studies that DID is more likely to occur with first-degree
biological relatives of people that already have DID, than in the regular
population.

for responses to those that state that DID is iatrogenic or a social construct
see http://ritualabuse.us/research/did/basic-information-on-didmpd/

Delineates the etiological antecedents of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) and

enumerates upon the scientific evidence proving the existence of DID. This paper
explains the diagnostic criteria of DID, its incidence rates and cross-cultural
characteristics, present arguments to counter the idea that suggestibility may be
a factor in its misdiagnosis and delineate the data that shows a clear connection
between traumatic wartime experiences and dissociation and trauma and DID. It
considers the historical development of the debate surrounding DID, including its
increased diagnosis around the turn of the last century, reasons for its decline
in diagnosis in the mid part of the last century and reasons for its increased
diagnosis toward the end of the 20th century. It deliberates upon the claims made
by several researchers that DID can be created in the laboratory as well as the
critiques surrounding those claims. It discusses the neurobiological evidence
proving the connection between DID and certain neurobiological indicators.
Included is a discussion of the modern theory of iatrogenic DID and a critique of
this theory. A debate about the creation of DID as a social construction and
critiques of this theory are presented as well. It concludes, by presenting the
argument that the research on DID shows it to be a valid psychiatric diagnosis
which robustly meets all the necessary validity requirements.
http://ritualabuse.us/research/did/the-etymological-antecedents-of-and-scientific-
evidence-for-the-existence-of-dissociative-identity-disorder/

Describes the methods and criteria used for diagnosing and assessing Dissociative
Identity Disorder (DID). The symptoms and etiology of DID are discussed. The use
of client histories, different psychological tests and the test results of
different test items are discussed in terms of their applicability to a diagnosis,
as well as their validity and reliability. Differential diagnoses and their
effect on the diagnosis of DID are enumerated upon. The dissociative spectrum and
ritual abuse are discussed briefly, in order to help clarify the symptomology and
etiology of DID.
http://ritualabuse.us/research/did/the-diagnosis-and-assessment-of-dissociative-
identity-disorder/

Dissociation and Trauma Archives - Full text searchable articles and case studies
published in the 1800s and early 1900s.
http://boundless.uoregon.edu/digcol/diss/index.html

An examination of the diagnostic validity of dissociative identity disorder.

Gleaves DH, May MC, Cardeña E
We review the empirical evidence for the validity of the Dissociative Identity
Disorder (DID) diagnosis, the vast majority of which has come from research
conducted within the last 10 years. After reviewing three different guidelines to
establish diagnostic validity, we conclude that considerable converging evidence
supports the inclusion of DID in the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for
Mental Disorders. For instance, DID appears to meet all of the guidelines for
inclusion and none of the exclusion guidelines; proposed by Blashfield et
al.[Comprehensive Psychiatry 31 (1990) 15-19], and it is one of the few disorders
currently supported by taxometric research. However, we also discuss possible
problems with the current diagnostic criteria and offer recommendations, based on
recent research, for possible revisions to these criteria. Clin Psychol Rev. 2001
Jun;21(4):577-608. “In conclusion, despite its long and controversial past, there
has been a wealth of research accumulate over the past 10 to 15 years on the DID
diagnosis. This research seems to establish the validity of the DID diagnosis.”

http://leadershipcouncil.org/docs/gleaves2001.pdf
pubmed abstract http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11413868

Goettmann, B. A.; Greaves, B. G., Coons M. P. (1994). Multiple personality and

dissociation, 1791-1992: a complete bibliography. Lutherville, MD: The Sidran
Press, 85. ISBN 0-9629164-5-5. is a bibliography. It contains the 1st edition as
well as updates through November 30, 1993. Article errors have been corrected when
possible. The bibliography is divided up into the following areas: Multiple
personalities, Dissociation and Amnesia, Depersonalization and Derealization,
Fugue States, and Medico-legal Aspects. Sidran Press. 2nd Edition. - University of
Oregon Libraries -
http://boundless.uoregon.edu/cgi-bin/showfile.exe?CISOROOT=/diss&CISOPTR=38&filena
me=39.pdf

International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation http://www.isst-

d.org