Differences between Multiple Personality Disorder and Other Diagnostic Groups on Structured Interview

Abstract

The Dissociative Disorders Interview Schedule was administered to 20 subjects with multiple personality disorder, 20 with schizophrenia, 20 with panic disorder, and 20 with eating disorders. The findings showed that multiple personality can be differentiated from the other groups on variables such as history of physical abuse, sexual abuse, substance abuse, sleepwalking, childhood imaginary playmates, secondary features of multiple personality and extrasensory and supernatural experiences. Those with multiple personality also differ from the other groups on DSM-III criteria for multiple personality, psychogenic amnesia, and psychogenic fugue. The groups did not differ on the number of subjects who had had a major depressive episode.