EXPLOration of Processes Involved in Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)

Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot listed
Trial typeObservational
Biological sexAll
Age18+
SponsorLille University

About this trial

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 criteria

This trial does not accept healthy volunteers

Qualifiers

Individuals who report having Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)

At least 18 years old

Currently receiving treatment from a therapist (psychologist or psychiatrist)

Disqualifiers

Individuals under guardianship or court-ordered protection

Trial population

People who report suffering from Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID).

Trial design

Design model

Case-control

Time perspective

Cross-sectional

Treatments tested in this trial

  • Questionnaire and Physical Exam

    Other intervention

    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

    Other intervention

    qualitative interview with the therapist they are already seeing

Treatment groups

60 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groups
Group A: Patients2 interventions
Group B: Patients' families and loved ones2 interventions

Trial outcomes

Primary outcomes

1

Dissociative symptoms

Questionnaire

Time frame
baseline
2

Beliefs about dissociation

Questionnaire

Time frame
baseline
3

Skills and knowledge regarding dissociation

Questionnaire

Time frame
baseline
4

Psychotraumatic symptoms

Questionnaire

Time frame
baseline

Secondary outcomes

Other outcomes

Sponsors and contacts

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