TREATMENT OF THE MULTIPLE PERSONALITY

Multiple personality disorder (MPD) is increasingly recognized as a ch ronic post-traumatic dissociative disorder. More than 90 percent of MP D-patients have a childhood history of severe sexual and/or physical a buse. Pierre Janet's old dissociation theory is essential in understan ding this disorder and in guiding its treatment. An effective phase or iented treatment model is described. Its phases are : 1. stabilization and symptom reduction ; 2. making the diagnosis and sharing the diagn osis with the patient ; 3. identification of the different alter perso nalities ; 4. exploration, assimilation and integration of traumatic m emories; 5. integration of alter personalities; 6. postfusion phase.