Treatment of multiple personality disorder: a survey of current practices.
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.


METHODS
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.
Putnam
F W
FW
Laboratory of Developmental Psychology, NIMH, Bethesda, MD 20892.
Loewenstein
R J
RJ
D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D009105:Dissociative Identity Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D006990:Hypnosis; D008297:Male; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs