Educational Media Reviews Online

This production provides a fairly balanced assessment of a controversial topic: Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD) also known as Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). As the title denotes, it is loosely tied to the motion picture Sybil. As a child, Sybil was repeatedly abused by her mother and later diagnosed with MPD.

A bit of the history of MPD is presented followed by alternating arguments in support of or in opposition to the phenomenon. Several case studies are provided as examples of what some professionals consider valid or invalid cases of MPD. For some, MPD appears to begin during one's childhood. When children are faced with trauma that they cannot emotionally cope with, they may split these emotions off from themselves (repressed memories). It is important for children to see the people they are dependent upon as good and safe. If these people are abusive, a child may deny the abuse in order to maintain relationship with his/her caregiver. If the trauma continues, this splitting off of emotions may develop into alternate personalities. Dealing with memories of sexual abuse by repressing them is only a temporary coping mechanism. In the long run, these memories can fester in the subconscious and cause severe psychological problems. Some believe that true healing for this phenomenon occurs when these memories are uncovered and integrated into one's adult life. Others do not believe that it is possible to forget past abuse and then remember it in adulthood. They believe that some therapists take people's "most cherished childhood memories and change them into diabolical abuse."

A number of professionals from both sides of the issue are consulted. For the most part, they are from respected institutions and are well published in their discipline. Supporters include the following researchers and clinicians. Dr. Colin A. Ross is from The Ross Institute. He believes that MPD is a legitimate mental disorder and has written a number of books about childhood sexual abuse, Dissociative Identity Disorder, satanic ritual abuse, and the diagnosis, clinical features, and treatment of Multiple Personality Disorder. Dr. Frank Putnam is currently at the Mayerson Center for Safe and Healthy Children but was once Head of the National Institute of Mental Health's Research on Childhood Trauma and Dissociative Disorders. He believes that it is helpful to ask patients if they believe there is a hidden part of themselves that they believe they need to survive. If so, patients are encouraged to let that side of them come forward. He writes about dissociation in children and adolescents and the diagnosis and treatment of Dissociative Identity Disorder/Multiple Personality Disorder.

In response to those who say that therapists create MPD, Dr. Richard Kluft believes that one cannot get other people to develop a personality by merely suggesting that that personality exists. Dr. Kluft has written about his clinical perspectives on Multiple Personality Disorder and dissociative disorders, incest-related syndromes, and childhood antecedents of multiple personality. Dr. James Chu is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard University who believes that MPD is a legitimate phenomenon based on his study of the hippocampus. From his research he has observed that repeated occurrences of fight or flight responses inhibit the growth of hippocampus. He has written about the treatment of complex post-traumatic and dissociative disorders. Skeptics or Critics of MPD include the following researchers and clinicians. Dr. Paul McHugh is Head of Psychiatry at John Hopkins University. He believes that MPD is created in therapy and that the best cure is to ignore it. He says that by treating the patient's symptoms (e.g. depression, eating disorder, or life circumstance) the MPD will fade away. Dr. Herbert Speigle believes that patients who are highly suggestible, in trouble, and working with a therapist who is trying to help them, will try to please the therapist by coming up with an experience or feeling that is not their own. His research has demonstrated that he can get other people to act out roles that are not their own if those people are highly suggestible. He believes that people with MPD are highly suggestible people. Dr. Elizabeth Loftus is a professor of Psychology at the University of Washington. She studies the planting of false memories in courts of law. She believes that memories can be changed simply by the way questions are phrased. Her writing includes topics such as memories and eyewitness testimony in civil and criminal cases and false memories in relation to allegations of sexual abuse. Dr. Richard Ofshe is a social psychologist at the University of California at Berkley. He studies the influence of coercion on memories. He believes that practitioners who use methods such as guided imagery can convince their clients that they have false memories about incidents such as satanic ritual abuse. Dr. Ofshe has written several books on this topic. Ken Lanning is a Special Agent from the FBI and a member of the FBI Academy. He says that while there is a growing number of accusations of satanic ritual abuse, there is little evidence to support it.

While I recommend this film I believe that students will benefit from a balanced post discussion. One must realize that people respond differently to trauma and no one therapy is helpful for all clients. One also needs to keep in mind that researchers become very invested in their work, so much so that their own beliefs can become biased. While the program's content is evenly presented the reenactments of therapy sessions leave one wondering how contrived these reenactments might be. Also, the use of Hitchcock-like imagery in what is supposed to be an education video seems inappropriate and somewhat disrespectful. I recommend this program for high school through college level students and the general public.