INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES - Thigpen and Cleckley

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THIGPEN AND CLECKLEY

AIM: TO PROVIDE AN ACCOUNT OF AN INDIVIDUAL WITH MULTIPLE PERSONALITIES

METHOD: CASE STUDY, USED AN OPPORTUNITY METHOD FOR A WOMAN NAMED EVE.

PROCEDURE: This study was conducted over a period of 100 hours of interviews with Eve. Eve had been sent to Thigpen and Cleckley after Eve had been suffering from blinding headaches, blackouts. The use of the hypnosis and interviews, had allowed T&C to establish Eves background and current issues.

Tests:

Psychometric tests (IQ, memory) and projective tests (Rorschach ink blot test) were given to Eve White and Eve Black, however the EEG recording were performed on all 3 personalities. Eves husband and family members were interviewed to collaborate with her account.

It was occurred that the blackouts happened when there was a new personality.

RESULTS:

Eve B had a hidden mischievous personality emerged in the course of the therapy. She was more flirtatious and was more the Eve before she became a mother and got married. She has a different set of traits and mannerisms then compared to EW. She was reckless, egocentric, compared to the reserved and shy EW. Tests showed many differences between the 2 personalities.

Eve white had an IQ score of 104 which was considered 'normal'

Eve black had an IQ of 112 which was considered as borderline psychotic.

CONCLUSION: Eves MPD was caused by a childhood trauma which was later then revealed by Eve's third personality, JANE. She seemed to remember the trauma, which had caused Eve to have the Multiple Personalities.