Thigpen+and+Cleckley+-+Period+1

=** A Case of Multiple Personalities-Thigpen and Cleckley 1954 **=


 * ==What is a Personality==
 * A personality is something that makes a person unique.
 * A personality is made up of distinctive patterns of thoughts, feelings and behaviors
 * A persons personality stays constant
 * ==Multi-Personality Disorder-Dissociative Identity Disorder==
 * Is NOT Schizophrenia
 * Symptoms include
 * Hallucinations
 * Delusions
 * Difficulty speaking/expressing emotion
 * Problems with attention, memory and organization
 * A person with MPD
 * Has at least two different "identities"
 * Might have aspects of amnesia

Aim

 * To present a description of the psychotherapeutic treatment of a 25-year-old woman who was referred to Thigpen and Cleckley because she was suffering from severe and blinding headaches

The Case "Procedure"

 * A 25-year old woman (given the name Eve White) was referred to Thigpen and Cleckley because she was experiencing blinding headaches as well as blackouts which she couldn't remember.
 * Her doctor found now cause for these headaches and blackouts
 * After a couple weeks of treatment Mrs. White seemed to have gotten better.
 * The researchers received a letter with two completely different styles of handwriting on it, in the beginning Ever White (E.W.) and towards the end there was a new handwriting, of the personality called Eve Black (E.B.)
 * In the next interview, E.W. states she started the letter but never sent it and all of a sudden she started getting sharp headaches and then she introduced herself as Eve Black. E.B. was very mischievous and carefree
 * Below is the letter. Notice the change in handwriting


 * E.W. wasn't aware of what E.B. did and thought, but E.B. was aware of what E.W. did or thought.
 * It appeared that E.B. was around ever since Eve White's childhood but she only came out to play pranks. E.W. recalled when she was punished for these pranks but not knowing what she did.
 * Eve Black doesn't like Eve Whites' family and she doesn't understand her emotional problems.
 * Eve Black denied having any affiliation with Eve Whites' husband
 * Eve Black stated that she could erase parts of E.W's memory.
 * Eve Black can make her presence know by causing Eve White to have headaches.
 * During the therapy, she left her husband to live with her grandparents.
 * After 8 months the symptoms seemed to have gotten worse.
 * One session of hypnosis, E.W. stopped talking and a new personality came out, we will call her Jane.
 * Jane has the maturity of E.W but she had the confidence of E.B.
 * Jane had no past memories but she knows what E.W. and E.B. does.
 * Jane eventually took over for E.W.

Method
11 cpm ||= Electroencephalogram 12.5 cpm ||
 * This was a case study that last for over 14 months and over 100 hours of therapy.
 * = Eve White ||= Eve Black ||
 * = 110 IQ ||= 104 IQ ||
 * = High Memory Function ||= Low Memory Function ||
 * = Introvert ||= Extrovert ||
 * = Rorschach ink blot test results: Repressive ||= Rorschach ink blot test results: Regressive ||
 * = Unable to express hostility ||= Hostile ||
 * = Tolerant ||= Self-centered ||
 * = Electroencephalogram

Strengths

 * Very detailed date (multiple forms: qualitative and quantitative)

Weaknesses

 * Could Eve be acting/psychotic.
 * There are more cases of MPD in the US compared to the UK
 * The case was very detailed and complex.
 * Therapists may have influenced the participants.

Ethics

 * Therapists made money from the study.
 * It was made into a film and book: which could give away Eve's identity.
 * The patient wasn't being cured.