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Inter-identity amnesia in dissociative identity disorder: a simulated memory impairment?
Rafaële J C Huntjens1, Madelon L Peters, Liesbeth Woertman
1Department of Clinical Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands. R.J.C.Huntjens@fss.uu.nl
Psychological Medicine
|January 28, 2006
Summary
This study found that dissociative identity disorder (DID) patients did not show genuine memory retrieval inability. Instead, DID may involve meta-memory issues and false beliefs about memory function.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Dissociative identity disorder (DID) lacks consensus on diagnostic status and scientific validity.
- This study investigated the simulation of inter-identity amnesia in DID.
Purpose of the Study:
- To detect the simulation of inter-identity amnesia in dissociative identity disorder (DID).
- To differentiate between genuine memory deficits and simulated amnesia in DID patients.
Main Methods:
- Included 22 DID patients, simulated amnesia controls, guessor controls, and normal controls.
- Administered a multiple-choice recognition test to assess incorrect answer rates.
- Analyzed simulation strategies by examining the selection of plausible vs. implausible answer alternatives.
Main Results:
- DID patients selected incorrect answers above chance, similar to simulators.
- Patients appeared to use knowledge of correct answers, not genuine memory retrieval inability.
- DID patients' simulation strategies differed from those of genuine simulators.
Conclusions:
- DID patients do not exhibit actual memory retrieval inability, contrary to subjective reports.
- Dissociative identity disorder may be characterized by meta-memory problems.
- Incorrect beliefs about memory functioning may be central to DID.
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01:30Dissociative Identity Disorder
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01:13Amnesia
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