Dissociation : Vol. 7, No. 2, p. 117-128 : Systematic assessment of dissociative identity disorder in an adolescent who is blind
Date
1994-06
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Ridgeview Institute and the International Society for the Study of Dissociation
Abstract
Although the connection between abuse in childhood and later development of multiple personality disorder is increasingly well-documented, few studies exist of dissociative identity disorder (DID) patients drawn from a subpopulation at high risk for child abuse, namely individuals with disabilities. This paper presents the diagnostic assessment of DID in an adolescent who is blind, using the Structural Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Dissociative Disorders (SCID-D), an extensively field-tested semi-structured interview for the detection of dissociative symptoms and disorders. The case study includes a description and analysis of the patient's SCID-D interview and its findings, with emphasis on the similarity of the patient's symptoms to those reported by adult patients without disabilities who suffer from DID. The article concludes with remarks about the need for further research regarding the prevalence of dissociative disorders in a) the adolescent population; and b) the population of individuals with physical or developmental disabilities. In addition, new studies utilizing the SCID-D should facilitate systematic investigation of dissociative symptoms and disorders in the adolescent population.
Description
p. 117-128