Fable or fact?: did Janet really come to repudiate his dissociation theory?
Commencing in the late 1880s Pierre Janet developed the most complete theory of dissociation of his time. It has been suggested that Janet later repudiated his belief in dissociation theory (e.g., Hacking, 1995). Recently this viewpoint has been cited to support skepticism in dissociative identity disorder and researchers and clinicians of dissociation may be faced with such suggestions to challenge their work. The veracity of whether Janet actually recanted, or even lost interest in his dissociation theory is investigated through an examination of his later writings. Although Janet expanded his theoretical interests well beyond phenomena accounted for by dissociation, there is no evidence to indicate he renounced or lost confidence in his dissociation theory.
Dorahy
Martin J
MJ
Trauma Centre and the School of Psychology at theQueen's University of Belfast, David Keir Bldg, Belfast, BT9 5BP, Northern Ireland. m.dorahy@qub.ac.uk
van der Hart
Onno
O
D004213:Dissociative Disorders / Q000266:history*; D005602:France; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans