Psychopathology in world-class artistic and scientific creativity.

Abstract

The role of psychopathology in creative achievement has long been a debated topic in both popular culture and academic discourse. Yet the field is settling on various robust trends that show there is no one answer. Conclusions vary by level and kind of creativity and level and kind of psychopathology. The current study sought to replicate previous findings that linked lifetime rates of psychopathology to world-class levels of creativity. A total of 199 biographies of eminent professionals (creative artists, creative scientists, eminent athletes) were rated by raters who were blind to the identity of the eminent person on 19 mental disorders using a 3point scale of not present (0), probable (1), and present (2). Athletes served as an eminent but not creative comparison group to discern whether fame, independently of creativity, was associated with psychopathology. Results showed that artists exhibited higher lifetime rates of psychopathology than scientists and athletes in the more inclusive criterion for psychopathology (i.e., it was either probable or present), whereas both artists and athletes exhibited higher rates than scientists in the stricter criterion for psychopathology (i.e., it was present). Apart from anxiety disorder, athletes did not differ from the U.S. population in lifetime rates of psychopathology, whereas artists differed from the population in terms of alcoholism, anxiety disorder, drug abuse, and depression. These data generally corroborate and replicate previous biographical research on the link between artistic creativity and life-time rates of psychopathology.

Artmaking in Elementary School Art Therapy: Associations with Pre-Treatment Behavioral Problems and Therapy Outcomes

“…These differences in interpretations of the nature of relationship between artmaking, creativity and mental state are probably related to the complexity of this relationship [ 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 ]. Researchers and theorists have stressed the importance of the definition of mental distress, its characterization [ 32 , 33 ] and intensity [ 34 ], in the process of understanding the association between these variables.…”

“…Researchers and theorists have stressed the importance of the definition of mental distress, its characterization [ 32 , 33 ] and intensity [ 34 ], in the process of understanding the association between these variables. The characteristics of the association between these two variables are also related to definitions of creativity and artistic endeavor, since these are close but not identical concepts, and different studies use different operationalizations to evaluate and measure them [ 29 , 31 ]. Finally, the way in which the relationship between the variables is investigated also plays a role in the variability in the association [ 35 , 36 , 37 ].…”