Mandala Artwork by Clients with DID: Clinical Observations Based on Two Theoretical Models

Abstract

The authors have explored the compositional patterns and thematic imagery in mandala drawings by a large group of patients diagnosed with multiple personality/dissociative identity disorder (MPD/DID). In approaching this work, they have used both the Ten Category Model (Cohen & Cox, 1995) and the Great Round of Mandala theory (Kellogg, 1978, 1997) looking for parallels between the two systems of analysis to help therapists better understand the nonverbal communications of their clients. Although not a formal research study, the observations based on the synthesis of these two unrelated models are nonetheless consistent with the assessment and treatment literature on DID.