Early identiï¬cation of patients who suffer from dissociative symptoms and disorders is essential for successful treatment, because these disorders do not resolve spontaneously. In addition, dissociative disorders are not alleviated by treatment directed toward an intercurrent disorder. <br />However, because the dissociative disorders are among the few psychiatric syndromes that appear to respond favorably to appropriate treatment (Spiegel, 1993), improved accuracy in differential diagnosis is critical.