#ah so this explains a lot DKFJSLKSFDJ

[qlikestoyell]

tysm!! this rly helped thank u

hey!! just saw u mention the age where did develops can be pushed back a lil by neurological or developmental disorders? dyou have a source on that + im assuming but asking anyways does it include autism? bc if it does that,, explains a lot lmao -q

Sources for this are scarce-- it’s more like jumping through hoops and following a logical progression of information. There’s no one easy to find paper or article that discusses this in-depth (that I can find, at least). 

Before I get into this, let me preface this by saying that this logical progression of information is different from what the endogenics are doing-- they’re taking a LACK of information as proof that something is real, and applying theories to nonscientific and unproven concepts. 

What I’m doing here is taking several studied and recognized concepts to create a cohesive narrative across a single point.

First--  What causes DID? “DID is understood as a chronic complex post-traumatic developmental disorder where adverse experiences usually begin in early childhood and in which the dissociative identities result from the child’s inability to develop and maintain a unified sense of self across various discrete behavioral states.”

Second-- When does a child create a unified sense of self under normal circumstances? There are so many different theories and ideas about how and when the sense of self is created. Some put the cap at 5 years old, but others say that the sense of self is still developing in a social aspect until 8, and some say it’s still developing until the age of 12. It really depends on what theory you follow and if you agree with the evidence behind it. It’s generally accepted that the sense of self is completed between 5-8-- at least in any way that could be disrupted by early childhood trauma.  

Third-- What could affect/delay a child forming a unified sense of self?  “Various neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, developmental language disorders, and schizophrenia, as well as acquired disorders of the right brain (and traumatic brain injury) impair ToM (Theory of Mind). ToM is a composite function, which involves memory, joint attention, complex perceptual recognition (such as face and gaze processing), language, executive functions (such as tracking of intentions and goals and moral reasoning), emotion processing-recognition, empathy, and imitation. Hence, ToM development is dependent on the maturation of several brain systems and is shaped by parenting, social relations, training, and education; thus, it is an example of the dense interaction that occurs between brain development and (social) environment.”  

The takeaway from this article is that some neurodevelopmental disorders can put children “behind the curve”. “Normal children will pass this test by 3–4 y of age. Children with autism typically do not pass; those who do, pass the tests a later age than children without autism.”

This is just one link for each point, but there’s so much research out there about all of this.