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Mental illness and creative activity in female writers
1Department of Psychiatry, University of Kentucky Medical Center, Lexington 40536-0080.
The American Journal of Psychiatry
|November 1, 1994
Summary
Female writers exhibit higher rates of mental illness, including mood disorders and substance abuse, compared to controls. Familial and environmental factors significantly influence both psychopathology and creativity in women.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Psychology
- Creative Studies
Background:
- Female writers show higher prevalence of mental health conditions.
- Investigating the interplay between creativity, psychopathology, and familial factors is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if female writers have higher rates of mental illness than a matched comparison group.
- To explore familial contributions to psychopathology and creativity in female writers.
- To identify predictors of creativity in women.
Main Methods:
- Utilized questionnaire and interview data from 59 female writers and 59 matched controls.
- Assessed creativity and identified psychiatric disorders in subjects and their first-degree relatives.
Main Results:
- Female writers had higher rates of mood disorders, drug abuse, panic attacks, general anxiety, and eating disorders.
- Evidence suggests familial transmission of psychopathology and creativity.
- Childhood abuse, maternal mental health, and parental creativity predicted subject creativity.
Conclusions:
- High rates of emotional disorders in female writers suggest a link with psychopathology.
- The relationship between creativity and psychopathology is complex, influenced by familial and environmental factors.
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