Multiple personality disorder: scientific and medicolegal issues.
S. H. Dinwiddie, C. S. North and S. H. Yutzy,
Bull. Amer. Acad. Psychiatry & the Law
21(1): 69-79, 1993.
Despite the intense study it has received since its inclusion in DSM-III, multiple personality disorder
(MPD) largely remains an unvalidated construct. Definitional problems remain (there is not even
agreement in the field as to whether a diagnosis of MPD truly means the existence of more than one
personality), while the vagueness and liberality of existing criteria give the clinician little guidance
in diagnosis. In forensic settings, diagnosis of MPD is even more problematic, since there is
substantial evidence that the disorder cannot currently be phenomenologically distinguished from
malingering. It also remains to be demonstrated that evaluators can determine whether alter
personalities, if they exist, are truly unaware of each other, lack control over other alters' behavior,
or are unable to know right from wrong. [References: 49]