Excuse me for copying part of your posting, MYSELF, but it helps to clarify what I'm directly referring to, ok?

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A person being diagnosed for Dissociative Identity Disorder is seen by a psychiatrist and or psychologist. (which is my experience with being diagnosed as having Dissociative Identity Disorder)

If the psychiatrist or psychologist suspects Dissociative Identity Disorder (or any mental health disorder for that matter) the psychiatrist/psychologist sets up a Comprehensive Psychological Evaluation.

These tests are done over a space of 8-10 hours and or more. Some professionals do them all on the same day and others (especially if DID is suspceted) these tests are spaced out over a period of daily for two weeks or more.

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I certainly believe that this is the way YOU were diagnosed. However, it is not necessarily the pattern for diagnosing for DID, as you strongly suggest. If you could please begin to state such items as personal rather than global, I wouldn't have as much trouble with your statements. Someone who is unassuming would believe that your posts set in concrete how things are done. Unfortunately, this is not always true.

As you know the ISSD developed general guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of DID. It states that an MSE which focuses on dissociation is the foundation for diagnosis. It also suggests using the DES, the DDIS and the structured clincial interview for DSM-IV disorders.

The foundational components related to this diagnostic procedure include a thorough history, direct observaton, differential diagnosis to rule out specific disorders, and a tool (such as the DES) to screen for dissociation.