Clinical phenomenology of 25 children and adolescents with dissociative disorders

Of 25 consecutive children and adolescents referred for evaluation to a dissociative disorders clinic, there were 11 with multiple personality disorder, 13 with dissociative disorder not otherwise specified, and one with psychogenic amnesia. Data are presented on the psychiatric history, clinical phenomenology, DSM-IVR diagnoses, psychological testing, and dissociation measures in the four children and 21 adolescents with dissociative disorders. Four case vignettes are described. Severe dissociative disorders appear to be related to childhood trauma and develop increasing complexity as the child matures.