An object relations approach to MPD/DID, imaginary companions, and heteronyms: dissociation and creativity

Abstract

This is an attempt to further develop an object relations model of multiple personality disorder (MPD)/dissociative identity disorder (DID), that was first developed in 2011/2012 in the pages of this journal. Paul Finnegan and I used a modified version of Fairbairn's theory of endopsychic structure to develop this model and this paper seeks to broaden that model to include imaginary companions (or friends) and heteronyms. This is an attempt to show how this model might be expanded and at the same time how it might throw some light on the relationship between dissociation and creativity.