Dissociative Disorders Lecture Notes

These flashcards cover key concepts, symptoms, and treatment methods related to dissociative disorders as discussed in the lecture.

What are the core features of dissociative disorders?

Disruption in one or more areas: consciousness, memory, identity, or perception.

What are the symptoms of depersonalization?

Feeling detached from oneself.

What does derealization involve?

Experiencing a sense of unreality or feeling unreal.

What characterizes dissociative amnesia?

Loss of autobiographical memory, typically related to a traumatic event.

How do most cases of dissociative amnesia resolve?

They typically remit abruptly and most get better without treatment.

What is a dissociative fugue?

A disorder involving sudden unexpected travel, amnesia, and confusion or a new identity.

What is the definition of amnesia?

The inability to recall important information, usually occurring after an event or medical condition.

What characterizes dissociative identity disorder (DID)?

Presence of two or more distinct personality states or identities.

What common features are found in the alters of DID?

Differences in name, age, sex, race, sexual orientation, personality traits, abilities, and preferences.

What is the mean number of alters in DID?

Approximately 13.

What is the prevalence of DID?

It's generally unknown but believed to be 3-9 times more common in women.

What model suggests a direct link between trauma and dissociation?

The posttraumatic model.

What does the sociocognitive model emphasize in relation to dissociation?

The interaction of social and cognitive factors influencing dissociative symptoms.

What is localized amnesia?

Failure to recall events during a specific period of time.

What is generalized amnesia?

Total inability to recall any aspect of one's life.

What is selective amnesia?

Ability to not recall certain aspects of an event while recalling other parts.

What is the role of therapy in treating dissociative disorders?

Goals include building a therapeutic relationship, recovering memory gaps, and integrating personalities.

What does the psychodynamic model suggest regarding dissociation?

Dissociation is viewed as extreme repression.

What role does negative reinforcement play in dissociation according to behavioral models?

It maintains the dissociative state.

How does treatment for dissociative disorders generally focus?

Medications are prescribed to treat comorbid symptoms instead of the dissociative symptoms.

What are the empirical challenges in treating dissociative disorders?

Lack of empirically validated treatments.

What does DID stand for?

Dissociative Identity Disorder.

What is the relationship between childhood trauma and the onset of DID?

DID often has a childhood onset associated with a history of abuse.

What types of memory gaps are characteristic of DID?

Memory gaps regarding personal information and experiences.

What is the prevalence of depersonalization/derealization disorder?

Estimated prevalence is between 0.8-2.8%.

Which gender is more affected by dissociative disorders?

Women are more commonly diagnosed with dissociative disorders.

When does the average onset of depersonalization/derealization disorder typically occur?

Around age 16.

What is the term for being mutually amnesic in DID?

When alters are unaware of each other.

What is a feature of mutually cognizant alters in DID?

Alters are aware of each other.

What does one-way amnesic mean in DID?

One alter is aware of another, but the other is not aware of the first.

What is the effect of therapy and media influences in DID treatment?

They may influence the development or presentation of symptoms.

What is the distinction between trauma and dissociation in the sociocognitive model?

The model acknowledges the role of trauma but emphasizes cognitive and social contexts.

What percentage of clinical samples report higher prevalence of dissociative symptoms compared to community samples?

Clinical samples typically report higher prevalence.

In the treatment of dissociative disorders, what types of comorbid symptoms are commonly addressed?

Anxiety, depression, and sleep problems.