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Related Experiment Videos

Memory fragmentation in dissociative identity disorder.

Onno van der Hart1, Hilde Bolt, Bessel A van der Kolk

  • 1Department of Clinical Psychology, Utrecht University, The Netherlands. o.vanderhart@fss.uu.nl

Journal of Trauma & Dissociation : the Official Journal of the International Society for the Study of Dissociation (ISSD)
|September 10, 2005
PubMed
Summary

Individuals with dissociative identity disorder (DID) recall traumatic memories as somatosensory flashbacks. Surprisingly, even non-traumatic events are recalled with somatosensory components, indicating memory processing abnormalities in DID.

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Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Neuroscience
  • Trauma Studies

Background:

  • Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is characterized by memory disturbances.
  • Understanding memory recall in DID is crucial for diagnosis and treatment.
  • Previous research suggests trauma recall in DID may differ from narrative memory.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the nature of self-reported memories in DID patients.
  • To compare memory quality for traumatic versus non-traumatic experiences in DID.
  • To explore the role of somatosensory flashbacks in memory retrieval for DID.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic interviews conducted with 30 participants diagnosed with DID.
  • Data collected on recall of traumatic and emotionally significant non-traumatic life events.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Analysis of memory characteristics, including narrative recall and somatosensory components.

    • Main Results:

    • All DID participants reported childhood abuse; most experienced amnesia for trauma.
    • Amnestic trauma recall in DID patients initially manifested as somatosensory flashbacks.
    • DID participants also recalled non-traumatic events with significant somatosensory components, a novel finding.

    Conclusions:

    • DID patients, similar to PTSD patients, may initially recall trauma as re-experiencing rather than narrative.
    • The recall of non-traumatic events with somatosensory components in DID suggests broader memory processing abnormalities.
    • Findings highlight the need for further research into the neurobiological underpinnings of memory in DID.