JODHPUR AIIMS SNO-2018
Mental Health Nursing
Easy
A rare condition in which separate personalities exist in the same person is called?
Appeared in: JODHPUR AIIMS SNO-2018
Explanation
- Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is defined by the presence of two or more distinct identities or personality states that recurrently take control of an individual's behavior.
- This disruption in identity is accompanied by significant memory gaps for personal information, beyond what would be considered normal forgetfulness.
- The condition was previously known as Multiple Personality Disorder, and the change in name reflects a better understanding of the disorder as a fragmentation of identity rather than a proliferation of separate personalities.
- It is often associated with severe and repeated trauma experienced during early childhood.
Why Other Options Were Wrong
- Option B: A delusion is a single, fixed false belief, not a complete, separate personality. For example, a person might believe they are a historical figure, but their entire personality structure does not change.
- Option C: Schizophrenia involves psychosis (like hallucinations or delusions) and disorganized thought, but it does not involve the presence of multiple, distinct personalities. The term 'schizophrenia' means 'split mind,' but it refers to a split from reality, not a split in identity.
- Option D: Somatoform disorder (now more commonly referred to as Somatic Symptom Disorder) involves physical symptoms (like pain or fatigue) that cause significant distress but have no clear medical cause. It does not involve changes in personality.
Related Visual
Clinical Relevance
- Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Dissociative Disorders as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
- Accurate diagnosis is critical. Misdiagnosing DID as schizophrenia can lead to inappropriate treatment with antipsychotic medications, which are generally not effective for DID and can have significant side effects.
- Nurses should be aware that patients with DID often have a history of severe trauma and may also present with symptoms of PTSD, depression, and anxiety. A trauma-informed approach to care is essential.
- What if? If the patient described having auditory hallucinations and disorganized thoughts but maintained a single, consistent sense of self, the most likely diagnosis would shift from DID to Schizophrenia. The core of DID is the identity disruption, not just psychosis.
How to Approach the Question
- First, identify the core concept in the question stem. The key phrase here is 'separate personalities exist in the same person.'
- Next, systematically review each option and define it based on your knowledge of psychiatric disorders.
- Option A, Dissociative Identity Disorder, directly matches the description of having multiple personalities.
- Option B, Delusion, is a false belief, not a separate personality.
- Option C, Schizophrenia, is a thought disorder involving a split from reality, not a split of identity.
- Option D, Somatoform Disorder, involves physical symptoms without a medical cause.
Concept Tested & Keywords
- Concept Tested: Dissociative Disorders
- Stem keywords: rare condition, separate personalities, same person
- Lead-in keywords: is called
- Negative lead-in flag: false
Question ID
Q5N4rzKOUmFzru-QY2Reef
Reference Book
E6 Kaplan Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry-2022 (pp 1-3768 of 3768) p. 1412-1414
E6 Robert Boland, Marcia L. Verduin - Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Text of Psychiatry-Wolters Kluwer Health (2024) (pp 1-16525 of 16525) pp. 3840-3842, 15602-15604
Practise the full JODHPUR AIIMS SNO-2018
Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.
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