Oxford Monographs On Psychiatry: Multiple Personalities, Multiple Disorders

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The existence and characteristics of multiple personality disorder (MPD) have been debated since the 19th century, making it one of the most controversial syndromes in mental health. Currently, there is a lack of balanced academic material on MPD, with much literature focused on disproving its validity as a psychiatric disorder. Historically, understanding of MPD was shaped by medical literature, but recent decades have seen increased exposure through mass media. This timely work takes an empirical approach to examine MPD, detailing the research conducted on the disorder and analyzing its evolution in relation to media portrayal. It traces the origins of MPD in published literature and charts its development as a concept over time. The book presents a thorough review of existing data, including clinical descriptions, differentiation from other disorders, family history studies, follow-up studies, and laboratory documentation. Additionally, the authors highlight specific areas where further research is needed before MPD can be considered a validated diagnosis in psychiatry. This critical perspective aims to guide researchers in understanding MPD better and serve as a valuable resource for clinicians.