A person moves away and assumes a new identity, forgetting their old identity; this is a feature of:

Appeared in: DSSSB 14 August 2024

Explanation

The defining features of dissociative fugue are sudden, unexpected, and purposeful travel away from home.
This travel is accompanied by amnesia for one's past identity and personal information.
During the fugue state, the individual may assume a new, often more uninhibited, identity.
The onset is typically linked to severe stress or trauma, and the person appears normal to others during the episode.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

Option A: Dissociative amnesia involves memory loss for important personal information, but it does not include purposeful travel or the assumption of a new identity.
Option B: Derealisation is a perceptual disturbance where the external world feels unreal or strange. It does not involve memory loss, travel, or a change in identity.
Option D: Depersonalisation is a feeling of detachment from one's own self, thoughts, or body, like being an outside observer. It does not involve amnesia for one's identity or purposeful travel.

Related Visual

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Features of Dissociative Disorders as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses must prioritize the safety of a patient in a fugue state, as they may be vulnerable due to their amnesia and disorientation to their past.
A thorough assessment is crucial to rule out organic causes of amnesia, such as substance abuse, seizure disorders, or head trauma, before concluding a psychiatric diagnosis.
What if? If the person only experienced memory loss for a specific traumatic event without any travel or identity change, the most likely diagnosis would be localized dissociative amnesia, not dissociative fugue.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key elements presented in the question stem: 1) moving away (travel), 2) assuming a new identity, and 3) forgetting the old identity.
Next, review the definitions of each option provided.
Compare the elements from the stem to the definitions. Dissociative amnesia involves memory loss but not travel or a new identity.
Derealisation and depersonalisation are perceptual disturbances, not disorders of memory or identity in this context.
Recognize that the combination of travel, amnesia for identity, and assumption of a new identity perfectly matches the clinical description of dissociative fugue.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Features of Dissociative Disorders
Stem keywords: moves away, new identity, forgetting old identity
Lead-in keywords: feature of

Question ID

Q-XolfPSbYtClgl1qDHWTd

Reference Book

E6 Robert Boland, Marcia L. Verduin - Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Text of Psychiatry-Wolters Kluwer Health (2024) (pp 1-16525 of 16525) pp. 3839-3841, 6418-6420

E6 Kaplan Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry-2022 (pp 1-3768 of 3768) p. 1408-1410

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