Recognizing multiple personality disorder.

1. It currently takes an average of 5 to 7 years and repeated hospitalizations for a person with multiple personality disorder (MPD) to be accurately diagnosed. 2. Reasons for misdiagnosis include the assumption that MPD is rare, the complex polysymptomatic presentation of the disorder, and failure of standard psychiatric histories to elicit pertinent diagnostic information. 3. Nurses are often the first to observe the behavioral, clinical, and physiological symptoms associated with MPD. 4. It is important to include questions that will elicit pertinent diagnostic information in the nursing history and assessment. As nurses become more adept at recognizing this disorder, individuals with MPD will receive more prompt and appropriate treatment.