DSM-5: Order of Diagnostic Criteria for Dissociative Identity Disorder (multiple personality) prevents most clinicians from making this diagnosis.

Every condition in the psychiatric diagnostic manual (DSM-5) has “diagnostic criteria,” which is a list of symptoms that define it.

In DSM-5, the two main diagnostic criteria for multiple personality are listed in the following order:

Criterion A is about having more than one personality.

Criterion B is about having memory gaps.

The above order suggests, incorrectly, that:

First, you will see that a person has more than personality.

Second, you will discover that one personality has a memory gap for the period of time that another personality was in control.

But in the typical case, a clinician discovers memory gaps first.

The diagnosis of multiple personality is typically made by screening all patients for memory gaps: Have you ever had memory gaps? Do you ever lose time?

If the person has had memory gaps (not due to another medical condition), the presence of alternate personalities will be discovered in the course of accounting for the memory gaps.

Proposed order of the diagnostic criteria:

Criterion A should be about having memory gaps.

Criterion B should be about having more than one personality.

For previous, related posts, search “diagnostic criteria” and “mental status.”