JOHN DOE: A 20-YEAR-OLD KOREAN MALE: CASE STUDY
University of Mindanao Digos College
College of Arts and Science
Psychology Program
Roxas Ave., Digos City
PSY 222
A Case of 20-Year-Old Korean Male
With Dissociative Identity Disorder 300.14 (F44.81)
STEVEN DAVE T. DURADO
April, 2021
JOHN DOE: A 20-YEAR-OLD KOREAN MALE: CASE STUDY
John Doe: A Case of 20-Year-Old Korean Male
With Dissociative Identity Disorder 300.14 (F44.81)
Diagnostic Profile
I.
Introduction
A. Client’s Profile
John Doe, an unnamed subject of the case, was a 20-year-old Korean national
man. John Doe was reportedly enlisting in the military as an accord to his
country's mandatory military service.
John Doe was mentioned to be given the opportunity pursue his academic
voyage overseas, for six (6) years in time frame. The case, however, did not
put into details the field of study the subject was taking.
The subject’s parents, as reported in the case, expressed and provided a
description of him – that is, shy and timid. The case, unfortunately, mentioned
limited information about the subject’s parents as well as the subject, himself,
and the kind of relationship both parties have.
The subject was mentioned to come across with horrendous childhood
experiences such as sustained and frequent abuse both physical and
emotional. Additionally, the subject was reported to be neglected and
disregarded with his own parents.
JOHN DOE: A 20-YEAR-OLD KOREAN MALE: CASE STUDY
B. Reasons for Referral
John Doe, the unnamed 20-year-old Korean male national subject of the case,
as indicated, was referred to a psychiatric facility due to demonstration of
violent behavior and frequent shift in personality. The matter of the complaint
was told to begin two months prior to the start of his military service.
The manifestations of the subject, specifically, change in personality, was firstly
reported by his parents after his returned in Korea. The parents further that
from being shy and timid, the subject, came back as confident, enthusiastic,
outgoing, and passionate. Moreover, incidents of forgetfulness of the subjected
was also mentioned.
A month of hospitalization, over the course, the subject was observed to
manifest seven alters. One of his alters was John, an English speaking,
arrogant, and uncooperative alter. There was also an alter named Cho, a
Korean and English speaking alter that claimed to be the subject’s story
watcher and teller. There is also an unnamed alter who is characterized as the
“violent” alter. Additionally, three other alters were discovered, including a fiveyear-old boy, a mother-like personality, and a "metro-sexual swagger" alter.
Through several test such as drug use screening and brain imaging, computed
tomography, revealed a normal indication of the host’s ego. However, when
switched with his alter Cho the Electrocardiogram (ECG) indicated a “right
bundle branch block” which signifies that the electrical impulse from the heart
isn't being spread evenly through the ventricles.
The subject, after a structured clinical interview for DSM – IV dissociative
disorder
(SCID-D),
was
classified
as
having
extreme
amnesia,
depersonalization, derealization, identity confusion, and identity modification,
as well as mood shifts, age regression, and internal expression. According to
the case, each alter took full control of the patient's actions, causing him to
wander around in odd ways, lose or find things in places other than where he
recalled leaving them, and even speak English.
Lastly, the case mentioned that subject experienced abuse in both physical and
mental, and was omitted by his parents. His treatment was focused on his
stabilization with hopes of decreasing the frequency of alter emergence.
JOHN DOE: A 20-YEAR-OLD KOREAN MALE: CASE STUDY
II.
Justifications
This psychologist in training was able to come up with a diagnosis on Dissociative
Identity Disorder 300.14 (44.81). This is due to the fact that diagnostic criteria for
this disorder have been fully satisfied and met. The diagnostic criteria were
presented below.
Dissociative Identity Disorder 300.14 (F44.81)
DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA
GIVEN FACTS
CRITERION A
CRITERION A
Disruption of identity characterized by two or The 20-year-old Korean male national was
more distinct personality states, which may referred into a psychiatric facility to emergent
be described in some cultures as an psychiatric
problems
that
include
experience of possession. The disruption in manifestations of violent behavior and shift in
identity involves marked discontinuity in personality.
sense
of
self
and sense
of
agency,
accompanied by related alterations in affect, A month of hospitalization, over the course,
behavior,
consciousness,
memory, the subject was observed to manifest seven
perception, cognition, and/or sensory-motor alters. One of his alters was John, an English
functioning. These signs and symptoms may speaking, arrogant, and uncooperative alter.
be observed by others or reported by the There was also an alter named Cho, a
individual.
Korean and English speaking alter that
claimed to be the subject’s story watcher and
teller. There is also an unnamed alter who is
characterized
as
the
Additionally,
three
other
“violent”
alter.
alters
were
discovered, including a five-year-old boy, a
mother-like personality, and a "metro-sexual
swagger" alter.
Furthermore, the mentioned disruption and
shifts in personality great affect the host’s
consciousness, memory, behavior, cognition,
JOHN DOE: A 20-YEAR-OLD KOREAN MALE: CASE STUDY
and sensory-motor functioning. This was
reported in the case through the parents’
narratives and other spectators that observes
the subject’s symptoms.
CRITERION B
CRITERION B
Recurrent gaps in the recall of everyday The case reported through the accounts of
events, important personal information, and/ the subject’s parents that, the subject had
or traumatic events that are inconsistent with been experiencing forgetfulness when he
ordinary forgetting.
returned to Korea. Additionally, on an
occasion, the subject was found by a police
officer in an alley far from his house, the
subject expressed no knowledge how he got
there.
The
subject,
furthermore,
was
observed to speak in English which was not
his native language on several occasion.
CRITERION C
CRITERION C
The symptoms cause clinically significant The subject was noted to manifest violent
distress
or
impairment
in
social, behavior which caused injury to his fellow.
occupational, or other important areas of With this reason, along with the shift of
functioning
personality, the subject can be terminated
from his military service considering that the
subject is becoming a threat to himself and to
people around him. With this, potential social
and occupational function were clearly
bruised and affected due to his distress.
CRITERION D
CRITERION D
The disturbance is not a normal part of a The demonstrated behavior of the subject, in
broadly
practice.
accepted
cultural
or
religious most social, cultural, and religious norms and
standard, summoned a clear defiance and
abnormality to what is considered as
JOHN DOE: A 20-YEAR-OLD KOREAN MALE: CASE STUDY
acceptable. Particularly the manifestation of
violent behavior which becomes a threat to
himself and other people.
CRITERION E
CRITERION E
The symptoms are not attributable to the The case did not provide any information
physiological effects of a substance (e.g., about the subject that could explained better
blackouts or chaotic behavior during alcohol or cause an attribution to his distress. The
intoxication) or another medical condition case did not mention any instance that the
(e.g., complex partial seizures).
subject was under a substance abuse, or
ongoing side effect of certain medication. As
well, the subject was not reported to have
vices that could result to withdrawal distress.
JOHN DOE: A 20-YEAR-OLD KOREAN MALE: CASE STUDY
III.
Treatment Recommendation
The psychiatric and medical community had expressed that there is not yet
available definite cure for Dissociative Identity Disorder, however, there are
effective treatments available (Matulewicz, 2018).
First, psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy, is a form of treatment that seeks
to resolve whatever has caused and continues to cause DID. The goal is to "fuse"
the various personality traits into a unified personality capable of controlling the
triggers. Family members are often involved in this form of counseling (Mayo Clinic,
2019).
As well, hypnotherapy is a form of hypnosis that is used to help. Clinical hypnosis
can be used in combination with psychotherapy to help access repressed
memories, monitor some of the dysfunctional habits associated with DID, and
merge the identities into one (Kluft, 2020).
Moreover, adjunctive therapy is a form of treatment that is used in conjunction with
other treatments. Art and movement therapy, for example, have been shown to
assist individuals in reconnecting with areas of their minds that they have shut off
in order to deal with trauma (Subramanyam, et al., 2020).
Lastly, DBT (dialectic-behavioral therapy) is a form of psychotherapy for people
who have serious personality disorders, which may involve dissociative symptoms
that often arise after violence or trauma. Additionally, there is no drug that can be
used to treat dissociative disorders. People with dissociative disorders, especially
those who have depression or anxiety, may benefit from antidepressant or antianxiety medication treatment (Cleveland Clinic, 2019).
JOHN DOE: A 20-YEAR-OLD KOREAN MALE: CASE STUDY
IV.
Comorbidity
The case reported after a through psychological examination administered to the
subject, it showed that the subject had no psychiatric comorbidities.
V.
References
Cleveland Clinic. (2019). Dissociative Identity Disorder (Multiple Personality
Disorder). Retrieved from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/disease
s/9792-dissociative-identity-disorder-multiple-personality-disorder
Kluft, R. (2020). Hypnosis in the Treatment of Dissociative Identity Disorder and
Allied
States:
An
Overview
and
Case
Study.
Retrieved
from
DOI: 10.1177/008124631204200202
Matulewicz, C. (2018). There's No Cure for Dissociative Identity Disorder.
Retrieved
from
https://www.healthyplace.com/blogs/dissociativeliving/
2018/03/dissociative-identity-disorder-cannot-be-cured
Mayo
Clinic.
(2019).
Dissociative
disorders.
Retrieved
from
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dissociativedisorders/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20355221
Subramanyam, A., et al. (2020). Psychological Interventions for Dissociative
disorders. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/P
MC7001344/