Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-l7hp2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T01:45:10.241Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Psychobiological research on Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID): A methodological note

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 April 2016

H. Merckelbach  and
S. Rasquin
H. Merckelbach*
Affiliation:
Department of Experimental Psychology, Maastricht University, The Netherlands
S. Rasquin*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Maastricht University, The Netherlands
*
Department of Experimental Psychology, PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands, Email: [email protected]
Department of Psychiatry, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Background: To a large extent, discussions about dissociative identity disorder (DID) revolve around the way in which identity states (alters) that are thought to be typical for this condition should be interpreted: are they metaphors or are they genuine actors? Recent literature offers some fine examples of studies demonstrating that alters differ in their physiological profile. On the basis of this type of evidence, some authors have concluded that alters are more than just metaphors.

Objective: Drawing upon an experimental example, we argue that such a line of reasoning is highly problematic.

Method & Results: Our example demonstrates that normal subjects are perfectly able to simulate alters such that these alters are accompanied by different physiological profiles.

This is especially true for subjects scoring high on fantasy proneness.

Conclusions: Psychobiological research on DID should include normal controls, preferably controls who are fantasy prone. Unless such a strategy is adopted, psychobiological research on alter activity will not be very informative.

Keywords

dissociative identity disordersimulationfantasy pronenessamnesiaskin conductance
Type
Articles
Information
Acta Neuropsychiatrica , Volume 13 , Issue 3 , September 2001 , pp. 68 - 72
Copyright
Copyright © Scandinavian College of Neuropsychopharmacology 2001

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.Lilienfeld, SO, Lynn, SJ, Kirsch, I, Chaves, JF, Sarbin, TR, Ganaway, GK, Powell, RA. Dissociative identity disorder and the sociocognitive model: Recalling the lessons of the past. Psych Bull 1999:125:507–523.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2.Merskev, H. Multiple personality disorder and false memorv Syndrome. Br J Psychiatry 1994:166:281–283.Google Scholar
3.American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: 4th ed. Washington DC. Author. 1994.Google Scholar
4.Kluft, RP. An introduction to multiple personality disorder. Psychialr Annals 1984:14:21–24.Google Scholar
5.Spanos, NP. Multiple identity enactments and multiple personality disorder: A sociocognitive perspective. Psych Bull 1994:116:143–165Google Scholar
6.Merckelbach, H, Crombag, H, Ten Broeke, E. De meervoudige persoonlijkheidsstoornis: Kritische kanttekeningen. De Psychol 1996:31:189–193.Google Scholar
7.Braudc, SE. Multiple personality and moral responsibility. Phil Psychiatr Psychol 1996:3:37–54.Google Scholar
8.Saks, ER. The criminal responsibility of people with multiple personality disorder. Psychiatr Quarter 1995:66:119–131.Google Scholar
9.Loewenslein, RJ, Putnam, FW. The clinical phenomenology of males with multiple personalitv disorder. Dissocial 1990:3:135–143.Google Scholar
10.Lewis, DO, Yeager, CA, Swica, Y, Pincus, JH, Lewis, M. Objective documentation of child abuse and dissociation in 12 murderers with dissociative identity disorder. Am J Psychiatry 1997:154:1703–1710.Google Scholar
11.Adler, R.Crowded minds. New Scient 18 12 1999.Google Scholar
12.Tsai, GECondie, DWu, MTChang, IWFunctional magnetie resonance imaging of personality switches in a woman with dissociative identity disorder Harvard Rev Psychiatry 1999:7:119–122.Google Scholar
13.Kulynych, J. Brain mind and criminal behavior: Neuroimages as scientific evidence. Jurom J 1996:36:235–244.Google Scholar
14.Miller, DM, Triggiano, PJ. The psychophysiological investigation of multiple personality disorder: Review and update. Am J Clin Hypn 1992:35:47–61.Google Scholar
15.Putnam, F. The psychophysiologic investigation of multiple personality disorder. Psychiatr Clin North Am 1984:7:31–39.Google Scholar
16.Larmore, K, Ludwig, AM, Cain, RL. Multiple personality: An objective case study. Br J Psychiatry 1977:131:35–40.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
17.Wenzlaff, RM, Wegner, DM, Roper, DW. Depression and mental control: The resurgence of unwanted negative thoughts. J Pers Soc Psvchol 1988:55:882–892.Google Scholar
18.Muris, P, Merckelbach, H, van den Hout, M, De Jong, P. Suppression of emotional and neutral material. Behav Res Ther 1992:30:639–642.Google Scholar
19.Merckelbach, H, Muris, P, Schmidt, H, Rassin, E, Horselenberg, R. De Creatieve Ervaringen Vragenlijsl als maat voor ‘fantasy proneness’. De Psychol 1998:33:204–208.Google Scholar
20.Bernstein, EM, Putnam, FW. Development reliability and validity of a dissociation scale. J Nery Ment Dis 1986:174:727–735.Google Scholar
21.Merckelbach, H, Muris, P, Nijman, H, de Jong, P. Self-reported cognitive failures and neurotic symptomatology. Person Individ Diff 1996:20:715–724.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
22.Merckelbach, H, Muris, P, Horselenberg, R, Stougie, S. Dissociative experiences response bias and fantasy proneness in college students. Person individ Diff 2000;28:49–58.Google Scholar
23.Spanos, NP, Weekes, JR, Bertrand, LD. Multiple personality: A social psychological perspective. J Abnorm Psychol 1986:94:362–376.Google Scholar
24.Rabinowitz, FE. Creating multiple personality: An experiential demonstration for an undergraduate abnormal psychology class. Teaching Psychol 1989:16:69–71.Google Scholar
25.Coons, PM, Milstein, V, Marley, C. EEG studies of two multiple personalities and a control Arch Gen Psychiatry 1982:39:823–825.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
26.Simpson, MA.Gullible's travel or the importance of being multiple In Cohen, L, Berzoff, JElin, M (eds). Dissociative Identity Disorder: Theoretical and Treatment Controversies. Northvale NJ. Jason Aronson. 1997. pp 78–134.Google Scholar