MPD

Multiple personality disorder (MPD) is the splitting of a person’s personality that will form new people when the stress of the world is too much to handle. There have been many studies conducted to determine the existence of MPD/dissociation disorders, but skepticism still continues.
In the research article “Belief in the Existence of Multiple Personality Disorder” the survey method was used. It was sent among Psychologists and Psychiatrists that were both male and female (Dunn, Gary 1994). 1,900 psychiatrists and 1,700 psychologists that worked in the service of the VA medical centers in 1994, throughout the United States, were surveyed. Some of the questions in the survey entailed “Do you believe in the existence of MPD/ dissociation disorders? Have you ever treated any patients with MPD/dissociation disorders?”
This research method is not an experiment because there was no hypothesis calculated and there were no variables tested.
The survey found that the psychiatrists and psychologists that were younger and had less experience in psychology were more likely to believe in the existence of MPD/dissociation disorders. The older psychiatrists and psychologists that had more experience in psychology were less likely to believe that MPD/dissociation disorders existed. The survey also found that the psychiatrists and psychologists that had treated patients diagnosed with MPD/dissociation disorders were more likely to believe in the existence. Seventy eight point nine percent of males and eighty two point eight percent of females believed in the existence of MPD/dissociation disorders. Some things that skewed the results were that the survey only occurred in the VA systems of health professionals that worked with military veterans and it had a very limited return rate.
Another example in the survey is that seventy five point four percent of psychiatrists believed in the existence and eighty two point eight percent of psychologists believed in the existence of MPD/ dissociation disorder.
MPD/ dissociation diagnoses can be approached by applying the structural-functional theory. The structural-functional theory looks at society as a complex framework of parts that work together toward solidarity and stability. Milder forms of MPD/dissociation disorder can be relatively stable within society unless a stressor triggers a dissociation state. The splitting of one’s personality causes the walking self to blackout and experience memory difficult that is associated with the experiences of the different personalities. MPD’s have extreme difficulty maintaining healthy relationships in work, romance, and families. The debate continues and it is clear that further research should be indicated.
The theoretical perspective that MPD is classified under is symbolic interaction because MPD’s have to interact with people. They need to learn to function properly within a particular society.
The theoretical perspective that the article did not address was the feminist theory. This study is for males and females and not just for women.
The social institutions that the article discussed were medicine and psychology.
The study of MPD is important because they are not able to function correctly in society and are disruptive to society as a whole. They need to be treated and get better.