EXPLOration of Processes Involved in Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)

Condition(s) studied

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

Questionnaire and Physical Exam: 5 standardized assessment tools measuring, respectively, dissociation (sDIS-Q; Vancappel, Chkili, et al., 2025), beliefs about dissociation (DSB; Vancappel et al., 2023), knowledge and skills related to dissociation (KADS; Vancappel, Chami, et al., 2025), psychotrauma (Ashbaugh et al., 2016), and dissociation simulation.

Interview: qualitative interview with the therapist they are already seeing

Study summary

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is a psychological condition in which a person may feel as though they have multiple distinct personalities or identities. Today, this disorder is being discussed more and more, particularly among young people, partly due to its visibility on social media. However, researchers have observed that some individuals may mimic or exaggerate the symptoms, which makes it more difficult to understand the disorder.

The goal of this study is therefore to better understand:

* in which situations these identity shifts occur
* what people feel at that moment
* and what happens next To do this, researchers will interview approximately 60 people, some with a diagnosed DID and others exhibiting simulated symptoms.

Participants will complete questionnaires and take part in an interview. The researchers will analyze:

* the situations that trigger the changes
* the associated thoughts and emotions
* the behaviors
* the consequences of these episodes

The ultimate goal is to better understand this disorder in order to:

* improve care
* and better distinguish between genuine cases and feigned ones

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• Dissociative symptoms — baseline
  Questionnaire
• Beliefs about dissociation — baseline
  Questionnaire
• Skills and knowledge regarding dissociation — baseline
  Questionnaire
• Psychotraumatic symptoms — baseline
  Questionnaire
• How the TDI Works — baseline
  Qualitative interview
• Simulation — baseline
  Qualitative interview
• Dissociative symptoms — baseline
  Qualitative interview

Trial sites (4)

More Lille University trials in France