In 1974, a book came out to inform the masses about a rare disorder. The name of the book was Sybil and the disorder was Multiple Personality, now known as Dissociative Identity. By definition, dissociative identity disorder occurs when a patient has two or more distinct identities that change as they take control of their behavior. (Butcher 241). Even though dissociative identity disorder is classified as a mental disorder in the third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), it has not been fully accepted by the psychology world as a whole. Sybil was a very important person and one of the most popular stories about dissociative identity. The book details the suffering Sybil endured and the efforts her therapist made to try to validate her claims and treat her personality, checking in with family members and visiting her childhood doctor. (Putnam). This account not only gave therapists a basis for comparing their dissociative patients, but also re-opened the public's eyes to this disorder. (Putnam 35). It was classified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 1980, just six years after the book's release. (Kihlstrom). Today, there are some concerns about the validity of this narrative, which only fuels further controversy. There are still other studies on dissociative identity disorder, such as The Five of Me (1977), The Three Faces of Eve (1957), and many other real-life case studies. The Three Faces of Eve was also a book made into a film which, so far, has proven to be a valid case. This case study was not as detailed as the Sybil case study, but is nonetheless a true study of this disorder. (“Multiple personality”) A person with dissociative identity disorder has...... middle of article ......classified as a disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Works Cited “A case of multiple personality”. AS Psychology Holah.co.uk. 2000. Internet. November 12, 2011. Butcher, James Neal, Susan Mineka and Jill M. Hooley. Abnormal Psychology: CoreConcepts. 2nd ed. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon, 2011. Print.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 3rd ed. American Psychiatric Association, 1981. Print. DSM-III. Kihlstrom, John F. “Dissociative Disorders.” Socrates.berkeley.edu. University of California, Berkeley, 2005. Web. November 13, 2011. Putnam, Frank W. Diagnosis and treatment of multiple personality disorder. New York: Guilford, 1989. Print. Schreiber, Flora Rheta. Sybil. Chicago: Regnery, 1973. Print. Thigpen, Corbett H. and Hervey M. Cleckley. The three faces of Eve. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1957. Print.