The development of the concept of dissociation within ego state theory

Abstract

Watkins and his wife, Helen Watkins (Watkins, 1992; Watkins & Watkins, 1997), developed a therapeutic system referred to as ‘Ego State Therapy’ based on, amongst others, the psychoanalytic theories of Freud (1936) and Paul Federn (1952), and on the dissociation theories of Jean Martin Charcot (1879), Pierre Janet (1907) and William James (1894). Ego state theory draws greatly on his conceptualization of especially dissociation. This study is situated within the interpretive paradigm and is conceptual in nature. A qualitative literature review methodology was followed to guide the research process. The aim of this study is to elucidate the evolution of the concept of dissociation within ego state theory since the inception of ego state theory in the early 1970s up to and including the most recent scholars and developments in the field. Our understanding of ideas, definitions and concepts give temporal perspectives about how we understand and how something acquires its current meaning. In psychotherapy, there is a reciprocal link between theory and therapy and it is important to explore and extrapolate our understandings. Within the field of psychology, the concept of dissociation is linked with multiple disorders such as, dissociative identity disorder (DID), dissociative amnesia, depersonalization and derealisation disorder as well as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Dissociation is also linked to various treatment modalities including, hypnosis, body therapies, cognitive behavioural therapies and psychodynamic approaches.