DSM-5 Case Studies Practice Test

Dissociative amnesia is characterized by an inability to recall important autobiographical information, usually after a traumatic or stressful event, that is not due to ordinary forgetting. The memory gap is limited to personal life events and can range from a localized period to a more generalized loss of identity, while other cognitive functions remain intact. This memory disturbance causes clinically significant distress or impairment and cannot be explained by a substance or another medical condition. The memory loss is specifically about personal experiences, not about general knowledge or skills, which helps distinguish it from other disorders. In some cases, dissociative amnesia can occur with dissociative fugue, where travel or sudden change of location accompanies the memory gap.