Child Abuse and Dissociative Identity Disorder/Multiple Personality Disorder: The Documentation of Childhood Maltreatment and the Corroboration of Symptoms

Swica, Yael; Lewis, Dorothy Otnow; Lewis, Melvin

doi:10.1016/s1056-4993(18)30374-2

Cited by 16 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…Another complexity is that corroboration or disproval of a (part of a) traumatic memory does not necessarily verify or falsify other recollections (Kluft, 1996). In spite of these and related obstacles, independent corroboration of dissociative patients' traumatic memories, including formerly dissociated memories, has been found (Coons, 1994;Hornstein & Putnam, 1992;Kluft, 1995;Martinez-Taboas, 1996;Swica, Lewis, & Lewis, 1996). Memory distortion may yield false positive and false negative recall.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Degree of somatoform and psychological dissociation in dissociative disorder is correlated with reported trauma

Nijenhuis

Spinhoven

Dyck

et al. 1998

Journal of Traumatic Stress

187

121

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In this study, the prevalence and severity of traumatic experiences as reported by patients with dissociative disorders and with other DSM-IV psychiatric diagnoses were compared. Furthermore, the predictive value of emotional, physical, and sexual trauma with respect to somatoform and psychological dissociation was analyzed. In contrast with comparison patients, dissociative disorder patients reported severe and multifaceted traumatization. Physical and sexual trauma predicted somatoform dissociation, sexual trauma predicted psychological dissociation as well. According to the memories of the dissociative disorder patients, this abuse occurred in an emotionally neglectful and abusive social context. Pathological dissociation was best predicted by early onset of reported intense, chronic and multiple traumatization. Methodological limitations restricting causal inferences between reported trauma and dissociation are discussed.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Degree of somatoform and psychological dissociation in dissociative disorder is correlated with reported trauma

Nijenhuis

Spinhoven

Dyck

et al. 1998

Journal of Traumatic Stress

187

121

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Researchers have found documented evidence of dissociative symptoms in childhood and adolescence in individuals who were not assessed or treated for DID until later in life (thus reducing the risk that these symptoms could have been suggested). 11 , 13 , 119 Numerous studies have also found documentation of severe child abuse in adult patients diagnosed with DID. 10 , 13 , 120 , 121 For example, in their review of the clinical records of 12 convicted murderers diagnosed with DID, Lewis and colleagues 11 found objective documentation of child abuse (e.g., child protection agency reports, police reports) in 11 of the 12, and long-standing, marked dissociation in all of them.…”

Section: Myth 4: Did Is An Iatrogenic Disorder Ratmentioning

confidence: 99%

“… 11 , 13 , 119 Numerous studies have also found documentation of severe child abuse in adult patients diagnosed with DID. 10 , 13 , 120 , 121 For example, in their review of the clinical records of 12 convicted murderers diagnosed with DID, Lewis and colleagues 11 found objective documentation of child abuse (e.g., child protection agency reports, police reports) in 11 of the 12, and long-standing, marked dissociation in all of them. Further, Lewis and colleagues 11(p 1709) noted that “contrary to the popular belief that probing questions will either instill false memories or encourage lying, especially in dissociative patients, of our 12 subjects, not one produced false memories or lied after inquiries regarding maltreatment.…”

Section: Myth 4: Did Is An Iatrogenic Disorder Ratmentioning

confidence: 99%

Separating Fact from Fiction: An Empirical Examination of Six Myths About Dissociative Identity Disorder

Brand

Şar

Stavropoulos

et al. 2016

Harv Rev Psychiatry

111

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Dissociative identity disorder (DID) is a complex, posttraumatic, developmental disorder for which we now, after four decades of research, have an authoritative research base, but a number of misconceptualizations and myths about the disorder remain, compromising both patient care and research. This article examines the empirical literature pertaining to recurrently expressed beliefs regarding DID: (1) belief that DID is a fad, (2) belief that DID is primarily diagnosed in North America by DID experts who overdiagnose the disorder, (3) belief that DID is rare, (4) belief that DID is an iatrogenic, rather than trauma-based, disorder, (5) belief that DID is the same entity as borderline personality disorder, and (6) belief that DID treatment is harmful to patients. The absence of research to substantiate these beliefs, as well as the existence of a body of research that refutes them, confirms their mythical status. Clinicians who accept these myths as facts are unlikely to carefully assess for dissociation. Accurate diagnoses are critical for appropriate treatment planning. If DID is not targeted in treatment, it does not appear to resolve. The myths we have highlighted may also impede research about DID. The cost of ignorance about DID is high not only for individual patients but for the whole support system in which they reside. Empirically derived knowledge about DID has replaced outdated myths. Vigorous dissemination of the knowledge base about this complex disorder is warranted.

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“…Thus, the sole reference cited by the authors to document the association between dissociation and childhood trauma is a paper on false memories of childhood sexual abuse said to be produced iatrogenically by misguided therapeutic practices (Wakefield & Underwager, 1992). Such a presumption, if indeed it did inspire Johnson and colleagues, would seem to overlook data on the level of corroboration of dissociative-disordered people's reports of childhood abuse (e.g., Coons, 1994;Hornstein & Putnam, 1992;Swica, Lewis, & Lewis, 1996;Yeager & Lewis, 1996), as well as the data cited earlier concerning the relationship between dissociation and childhood trauma in the nonclinical population. On the other hand, Johnson et al (1995) did refer to their Bad Things Scale as an index of the experience of negative events, as well as of the inclination to report such events, so the possible role of fantasy might not have been a primary consideration in their advocacy of the significance of neuroticism.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Dissociative tendencies and the sitting duck: Are self-reports of dissociation and victimization symptomatic of neuroticism?

Irwin

1998

J. Clin. Psychol.

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Previous research has shown dissociative tendencies are related to a reported history of childhood abuse. A recent study by Johnson, Edman, and Danko (1995) suggested, however, that dissociation may be associated with a more general tendency to recall and report negative life experiences. Johnson and colleagues hypothesized that the relationship between dissociation and self-reported victimization stems from their shared origin as neurotic symptoms. In a test of this hypothesis, Australian adults (N = 92) were administered the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, the Dissociative Experiences Scale, the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire-Brief, the Bad Things Scale, and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed a significant relationship between dissociation and self-reported victimization even after the contribution of neuroticism had been removed. Schizotypy also was found to be a predictor of dissociative tendencies. The hypothesis of Johnson and colleagues was rejected. The findings are discussed in relation to traumagenic models of dissociation.

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Child Abuse and Dissociative Identity Disorder/Multiple Personality Disorder: The Documentation of Childhood Maltreatment and the Corroboration of Symptoms

Cited by 16 publications

References 15 publications

Degree of somatoform and psychological dissociation in dissociative disorder is correlated with reported trauma

Degree of somatoform and psychological dissociation in dissociative disorder is correlated with reported trauma

Separating Fact from Fiction: An Empirical Examination of Six Myths About Dissociative Identity Disorder

Dissociative tendencies and the sitting duck: Are self-reports of dissociation and victimization symptomatic of neuroticism?

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