Sylvia Plath effect
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The Sylvia Plath effect is a term coined by psychologist James C. Kaufman in 2001 to refer to the phenomenon that poets are more susceptible to mental illness than other creative writers. Kaufman's work further demonstrated that female poets were more likely to suffer from mental illness than any other class of writers. In addition, female poets were more likely to be mentally ill than other eminent women, such as politicians, actresses, and artists[1] This finding has been discussed in many international newspapers, including the New York Times.[2] The finding is consistent with other psychological research studies.[3]
The effect is named after the American poet Sylvia Plath, who committed suicide when she was thirty years old.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Kaufman, J. C. (2001). The Sylvia Plath effect: Mental illness in eminent creative writers. Journal of Creative Behavior, 35 (1), 37–50
- ^ Lee, F. R. (April 24, 2004). Going early into that good night. New York Times, Arts p, 1, 4.
- ^ Ludwig, A. M. (1995). The price of greatness. New York: Guilford Press.
[edit] External links
- Article by Deborah Smith Bailey in the APA's Monitor on Psychology
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