Is Majoring in the Creative Arts Associated with Psychopathology? An Exploration of Prevalence Rates of Bipolar Disorder, Depression, Anxiety, and Subsyndromal Psychotic Features Among Individuals Majoring in the Creative Arts

Michelle Kaplow, Pace University

Abstract

Rising prevalence rates of mental health disorders among undergraduate college students have been well documented in recent years. Certain psychopathologies such as bipolar disorder, hypomania, and subsyndromal psychosis are more prevalent among individuals engaged in creative artistic vocations. Creative arts majors are analogous to creative arts vocations, yet research on the relationship between psychopathology and majoring in the creative arts has been inconsistent. The study further examines the relationship between creative arts majors and psychopathology using a secondary analysis archival clinical data from the McShane Center for Psychological Services. 190 participants (prior patients) with exactly one documented undergraduate major and a completed Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) were included in this study. Presence of potential psychopathology was measured by the PAI, a 344-item self-report instrument that assesses personality functioning and psychopathology. Chi-square tests examined data for differential likelihood of diagnosis and found non-creative arts majors had a higher likelihood of a mood disorder diagnosis than creative arts majors. Independent sample r-tests, and ANCOVAS that examined the relationship between collegiate major and psychopathologies found no subgroup differences in almost all PAI scales and subscales. After accounting for demographic variables, creative arts majors had higher mean scores on the grandiosity subscale than non-creative arts majors; however, results were likely driven by acting majors. In particular, acting majors had higher mean mania, grandiosity, and irritability scores than non-creative and other creative arts majors. Findings indicated that acting majors should be screened with multiple methods for risk of psychopathologies for early identification and treatment.

Subject Area

Psychology|Mental health|Behavioral psychology

Recommended Citation

Kaplow, Michelle, "Is Majoring in the Creative Arts Associated with Psychopathology? An Exploration of Prevalence Rates of Bipolar Disorder, Depression, Anxiety, and Subsyndromal Psychotic Features Among Individuals Majoring in the Creative Arts" (2021). ETD Collection for Pace University. AAI29093225.
https://digitalcommons.pace.edu/dissertations/AAI29093225

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