Developmental needs meeting strategy: A new treatment approach applied to dissociative identity disorder

This article describes the use of the Developmental Needs Meeting Strategy (DNMS) for the treatment of dissociative identity disorder (DID). The DNMS is an ego state therapy which guides a client’s own internal resources to meet developmental needs that were not met in childhood. After 17 months of DNMS treatment a client with DID reported a near total elimination in frequency and severity of symptoms of depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts, her Trauma Symptom Inventory scores indicated no trauma symptoms, and her Multidimensional Inventory of Dissociation scores indicated she no longer meets the diagnostic criteria for DID. She was functioning well without any medication. Further research is warranted.

Journal

English

Shirley Jean Schmidt

Schmidt, S. J. (2004). Developmental needs meeting strategy: A new treatment approach applied to dissociative identity disorder. Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 5(4), 55-78. doi:10.1300/J229v05n04_04