The Proposed Etiologies of Dissociative Identity Disorder

Authors

Jillian Blueford, University of Central FloridaFollow

Mentor

Dr. Gulnora Hundley

Abstract

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) evolves after suffering consecutive, traumatizing forms of abuse during an individual's early years. Repetitive abuse can lead an individual to develop two or more personalities, and then experience memory loss or other cognitive gaps in his or her early childhood that continue to the present day. This can have devastating effects on millions of people because a significant percentage of affected individuals do not recognize the symptoms or choose to believe that DID does not exist. By analyzing the literature currently available, this article creates a central base of popular and emerging models that clinicians use to diagnose DID. With a more informed understanding of what prompts the diagnosis, researchers can pinpoint the factors that lead to DID, which will allow for earlier recognition. This review alerts researchers and clinicians that DID is a legitimate disorder. This review also highlights the fact that effective treatments are available, but that more research is needed to grasp the nature of the mechanisms that drive the development of DID.

About the Author

Jillian Blueford is a recent graduate of the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology. She is continuing her education at Rollins College and obtaining her Master's Degree in Mental Health Counseling. She hopes to help adolescents who have experienced trauma, and apply preventive measures to assist in a healthy growth of her clients. By continuing research in Dissociative Identity Disorder, she hopes to share her findings with other researchers.

Recommended Citation

Blueford, Jillian (2013) "The Proposed Etiologies of Dissociative Identity Disorder," The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal: Vol. 6: Iss. 2, Article 5.
Available at: https://stars.library.ucf.edu/urj/vol6/iss2/5