The Diagnosis and Treatment of Dissociative Identity Disorder

A Case Study and Contemporary Perspective

By (author) Ronald A. Moline

Publication date:

04 October 2012

Length of book:

216 pages

Publisher

Jason Aronson, Inc.

Dimensions:

234x158mm
6x9"

ISBN-13: 9780765709431

The diagnosis of dissociative identity disorder, formerly known as multiple personality disorder, remains controversial, despite its inclusion as an established diagnosis in psychiatry’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV). This book consists, first, of the detailed description of the treatment of a patient whose syndrome of DID emerged in the course of therapy, by a psychoanalyst who entered into the therapy as a complete skeptic. The therapist’s willingness to explore the meaning and reality of the dramatic and at times bizarre presentation of this disorder in a prolonged and difficult treatment was accompanied by an eventual successful outcome. Using this case as a reference point, the author then provides a contemporary exploration of the literature about the authenticity of this diagnosis and approaches to its treatment.

Acknowledgments
Preface
SECTION I — CLINICAL
Chapter One: “The therapist must be alert to personal problems”
Chapter Two: “It is necessary to meet and directly interact with alter personalities”
Chapter Three: “Therapy can be strenuous”
Chapter Four: “Nothing happened to me!”
Chapter Five: “Nice life”
Chapter Six: “What is wrong with my mother?”
Chapter Seven: “The intense symbiotic dyads are very hard for the therapist to penetrate”
Chapter Eight: “God, I’m going to miss little Claire”
Chapter Nine: “It would be premature to cast the syndrome into a rigid form”
SECTION II — THEORETICAL
Chapter Ten: Psychiatric Diagnosis
Chapter Eleven: The Syndrome I
Chapter Twelve: The Syndrome II
Chapter Thirteen: The Syndrome III
Chapter Fourteen: Treatment: non-psychoanalytic techniques
Chapter Fifteen: Treatment: psychoanalytic perspectives I
Chapter Sixteen: Treatment: psychoanalytic perspectives II
Chapter Seventeen: Narrative
Chapter Eighteen: Neurobiological considerations
Chapter Nineteen: Conclusion
Postscript
References
About the Author
Index

Both non-professional and professional readers of the tale of “Dissociative Identity Disorder” or what we used to call Multiple Personality Disorder will be carried along by Moline’s gripping story. The professional will possibly argue with Moline. The non-professional reader will be intrigued and perhaps puzzled at what Moline did to treat the primary subject of this book, the patient called Sandy. Using everything from hypnosis to hospitalization, Moline persevered, and his eventual success leaves the reader grateful that he did, and that he tells us of his work.