OBJECTIVE: Reported cases of multiple personality disorder have
increased dramatically in the last decade. Few data are available on the
treatment of multiple personality disorder. Current recommendations are
based on the experience of individual clinicians rather than on systematic
research. METHOD: A questionnaire study of 305 clinicians representing a
spectrum of mental health professionals was conducted to survey the types
and relative efficacy of treatment modalities currently used with cases of
multiple personality disorder. RESULTS: Individual psychotherapy
facilitated by hypnosis was uniformly endorsed as the primary treatment by
all practitioner groups. The average patient was in twice-weekly
psychotherapy facilitated by hypnosis for 3.8 years. Antidepressant and
anxiolytic medications were reported to be moderately useful adjunctive
treatments. CONCLUSIONS: These findings support current impressionistic
treatment recommendations for multiple personality disorder regarding the
primacy of psychotherapy and the moderate benefits of psychopharmacology
with antidepressant and antianxiety agents.
Abstract Teaser