Vulnerable children usually develop Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) resulting from repeated child sexual or physical abuse. More on the causes of Dissociative Identity Disorder below.

What Causes Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)?

Dissociative Identity Disorder appears to be caused by the interaction of several factors. These include:

• overwhelming stress
• an ability to separate one's memories, perceptions, or identity from conscious awareness abnormal psychological development
• insufficient protection and nurture during childhood

Human development requires that children be able to integrate complicated and different types of information and experiences. As children learn to achieve a cohesive, complex identity, they go through phases in which different perceptions and emotions of themselves and others are kept segregated. These different perceptions and emotions become involved in the generation of different selves, but not every child who suffers abuse or a major loss or trauma has the capacity to develop multiple personalities. Those who do have the capacity also have normal ways of coping, and most of these vulnerable children are sufficiently protected and soothed by adults, so Dissociative Identity Disorder does not develop.

Sources:
Merck Manual
Sidran Foundation
NAMI

next: Treatment of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)