STRUCTURED INTERVIEW DATA ON 35 CASES OF DISSOCIATIVE IDENTITY DISORDER IN TURKEY

Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the clinical features of dissociative identity disorder in a group of Turkish patients as a ssessed with a structured interview. Method: Thirty-five consecutive p atients at the dissociative disorders program of a university psychiat ric clinic who met the DSM-IV criteria for dissociative identity disor der were included in this study. The subjects were assessed with the T urkish versions of the Dissociative Disorders Interview Schedule and t he Dissociative Experiences Scale. A descriptive analysis of the clini cal features was carried out. Results: Most (88.6%) of the patients we re women. The mean age of the group was 22.8 years. Childhood physical or sexual abuse was reported by 77.1% of the patients. The mean Disso ciative Experiences Scale score was 49.1. The patients reported an ave rage of 12.5 somatic symptoms, 6.2 Schneiderian symptoms, 10.0 seconda ry features of the disorder, 3.8 borderline personality disorder crite ria, and 4.1 extrasensory experiences. Conclusions: Dissociative ident ity disorder has a stable, consistent set of features throughout North America, in the Netherlands, and in Turkey. Cross-cultural research u sing standardized assessment measures will be invaluable in further il lumination of the validity of this widely neglected psychiatric catego ry.