Clinical Perspectives on Multiple Personality Disorder

Book excerpt: The diagnosis of multiple personality disorder (MPD) entered the clinical mainstream with a rapidity and in a manner atypical for new descriptions of psychiatric illness. This book contains the most up-to-date information on MPD available written by experts in this field. The first section is a memorial to Cornelia B. Wilbur, M.D., a pioneer in MPD treatment. It is full of personal accounts from people who knew her well. The second section deals with general issues in the treatment of MPD. It discusses basic principles in conducting the psychotherapy of MPD, posttraumatic and dissociative phenomena in transference and countertransference, and treatment of MPD as a posttraumatic condition. The third section goes on to give case studies that illustrate the application of techniques, approaches, and insights that are considered important in the treatment of MPD patients but are difficult to learn because they have not been documented in detail in the literature. Methods discussed include the use of Amytal interviews, play therapy, egoûstate therapy, and the use of sand trays. The last section of the book discusses some of the contemporary concerns in the field (including consultation in the public psychiatric sector and the incidence of eating disorders in MPD patients), and on the recent history of the study of MPD.