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The manufacture of personalities. The production of multiple personality disorder
1University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
Abstract:
Unprecedented numbers of cases of MPD have been diagnosed, mainly in North America, since 1957. Widespread publicity for the concept makes it uncertain whether any case can now arise without being promoted by suggestion or prior preparation. In order to determine if there is any evidence that MPD was ever a spontaneous phenomenon, a series of cases of MPD from the earlier literature has been examined, with particular attention given to alternative diagnoses which could account for the phenomena reported and to the way in which the first alternate personality emerged. The earlier cases involved amnesia, striking fluctuations in mood, and sometimes cerebral organic disorder. The secondary personalities frequently appeared with hypnosis. Several amnesic patients were trained with new identities. Others showed overt iatrogenesis. No report fully excluded the possibility of artificial production. This indicates that the concept has been elaborated from the study of consciousness and its relation to the idea of the self. The diagnosis of MPD represents a misdirection of effort which hinders the resolution of serious psychological problems in the lives of patients.
Insights
This study questions the spontaneous origin of Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD), finding no evidence it ever occurred naturally. Early cases suggest MPD may arise from suggestion and iatrogenic factors, not spontaneous dissociation.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry and Psychology
- History of Medicine
- Dissociative Disorders
Background:
- Since 1957, North America has seen a surge in diagnosed cases of Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD).
- Extensive public awareness raises questions about whether MPD can still emerge spontaneously or if it's influenced by suggestion.
- The spontaneous occurrence of MPD as a phenomenon is uncertain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate historical cases of MPD for evidence of spontaneous emergence.
- To examine alternative diagnoses and the emergence of alternate personalities in early MPD literature.
- To determine if MPD has ever been a spontaneous phenomenon.
Main Methods:
- Review of earlier medical literature on MPD cases.
- Analysis of reported phenomena, focusing on alternative diagnoses.
- Examination of the emergence of the first alternate personality in each case.
Main Results:
- Early MPD cases often involved amnesia, mood swings, and sometimes organic brain disorders.
- Secondary personalities frequently emerged during hypnosis, with some patients being trained into new identities.
- Overt iatrogenesis was observed in several cases, and no report definitively excluded artificial production.
Conclusions:
- The concept of MPD appears to have developed from studies on consciousness and the self.
- No historical MPD case fully excluded the possibility of artificial production.
- Diagnosing MPD may misdirect clinical efforts, hindering the resolution of patients' psychological issues.