[A Transtheoretical Model and Treatment of Dissociative Identity Disorder: A Case Report]

Dissociative identity disorder is the most severe of the dissociative disorders and neither the trauma model nor the sociocognitive model provide a satisfactory account of its complexity. Transtheoretical models propose an interaction of traumatic experiences as well as cultural, cognitive, and social factors in the development of the disorder. This perspective has important implications for the treatment which should encompass a reprocessing of traumatic memories, emotional regulation skills, and a modification of dysfunctional beliefs about memory. An elaboration of dissociative identities should be prevented. A corresponding inpatient treatment approach is described.