Dissociative Disorders

Question 1

What is the general definition of a dissociative disorder?

Answer 1

loss of memory, identity, or sense of self

Question 2

How does the memory loss of a dissociative disorder differ from that of a dementia?

Answer 2

dissociative amnesia usually involves an inability to recall common personal information, but they can remember obscure details

this is opposite to the memory loss of dementia

Question 3

What are the criteria for dissociative amnesia?

Answer 3

at least one episode of inability to recall important personal information, usually involving a traumatic or stressful event

the amnesia can’t be explained by ordinary forgetfulness

symptoms cause significant distress or impairment in functioning and can’t be explained by a TBI, medical condition, or substance abuse

Question 4

What’s the general course/prognosis for dissociative amnesia?

Answer 4

acute cases usually abruptly return to normal after minutes to days, but recurrences are common

Question 5

What’s the treatment for dissociative amnesia?

Answer 5

psychotherapy

Question 6

Probably not going to ask about this, but….

what are the diagnostic criteria for dissociative identity disorder?

Answer 6

presence of 2+ identities

at least two of the identities recurrently take control of the person’s behavior

inability to recall personal information of one personality when the other is dominant

not due to effects of substance or medical condition

Question 7

What are the diagnostic criteria for depersonalization disorder?

Answer 7

persistent or recurrent experiences of being detached from one’s body or mental processes

reality testing remains intact during the episode

causes social/occupational impairment and cannot be accounted for by another mental or physical disorder

Question 8

Who typically gets depersonalization disorder?

Answer 8

more women than men

more young adults than old adults

usually in response to severe stress