An Analysis of the Schizophrenogenic Mother Concept by Means of the TAT

Mitchell, Kevin M.

doi:10.1037/e473742008-232

Cited by 4 publications

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“…Ss and the methodology have been described elsewhere (Meyer 8: Karon, 1967;Mitchell, 1968). Ss in both previous studies were combined in order to increase N. Prior analyses found no significant differences between the cwo groups of Ss on either story cype or social class.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The findings relating certain parental behavior to social class and social class co identifiable TAT themes suggest that social class may be related to che notion of "pathogenesis" offered by Karon ( 1963), Meyer and Karon ( 1967), and Mitchell (1968). The purpose of the present study was to test the hypothesis that social class would be related to "pathogenesis."…”

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confidence: 88%

“…According to Karon, the aim of the mother's covert manipulation is chat the child accept ~~ncr~trcally her view of reality rather than trust his own experience. The covert nanire of the mother's demands and her ambivalence lead to her child's inability to distinguish her motives from his and to his seriously impaired ego functioning.Two recent studies (Meyer & Karon, 1967;Mitchell, 1968) used the TAT to assess the concept of the schizophrenogenic mother offered by Karon. They found that the TAT stories told by mothers of schizophrenic and mothers of normal children differed markedly.…”

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confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

“…Two recent studies (Meyer & Karon, 1967;Mitchell, 1968) used the TAT to assess the concept of the schizophrenogenic mother offered by Karon. They found that the TAT stories told by mothers of schizophrenic and mothers of normal children differed markedly. Mothers of schizophrenic children produced significantly more TAT stories than mothers of normal children in which the dominant individual either ignored expressed needs of the dependent individual or took from the dependent individual when their needs conflicted.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Social Class and the Schizophrenogenic Mother Concept

Mitchell

1969

Psychol Rep

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S~~mnzary.-The T A T was administered to 26 mothers of schizophrenic children and 26 mothers of normal children. Both mothers and children were matched on a number of variables. Ss within each group were categorized as upper, middle or working class. Each story was judged pathogenic, benign, or unscorable by rwo clinicians. A parhogentc score was tabulated for each S from the formula: pathogenic/pathogenic plus benign. The main effect of children's diagnosis and the interaction of diagnosis and social class significantly influenced the type of story. Karon ( 1963 ) has conceprualized the schizophrenogenic mother as one who, when the needs of mother and child conflict, will indirectly satisfy her needs by manipulating her child in such a way that his behavior satisfies her needs. According to Karon, the aim of the mother's covert manipulation is chat the child accept ~~ncr~trcally her view of reality rather than trust his own experience. The covert nanire of the mother's demands and her ambivalence lead to her child's inability to distinguish her motives from his and to his seriously impaired ego functioning.Two recent studies (Meyer & Karon, 1967;Mitchell, 1968) used the TAT to assess the concept of the schizophrenogenic mother offered by Karon. They found that the TAT stories told by mothers of schizophrenic and mothers of normal children differed markedly. Mothers of schizophrenic children produced significantly more TAT stories than mothers of normal children in which the dominant individual either ignored expressed needs of the dependent individual or took from the dependent individual when their needs conflicted. The authors in both studies termed these stories "pathogenic," and concluded char, regardless of the direction of causation, the concept of the schizophrenogenic mother is valid.Other studies indicate that identifiable themes in TAT stories appear to be relared to social class. McArthur ( 1955) found that middle-class Ss at Harvard University told TAT stories which reflected greater autonomy needs and more ambition and work involvement than upper-class Ss. On the other hand, upperclass Ss were more oriented toward the past and family values. In a study of mid-

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confidence: 99%

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confidence: 88%

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confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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Social Class and the Schizophrenogenic Mother Concept

Mitchell

1969

Psychol Rep

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A retrospective analysis of the tats of children at risk who subsequently broke down

Shabad

Worland

Lander

et al. 1979

Child Psych Hum Dev

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A retrospective evaluation of stories told to three Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) cards by children at risk isolated six characteristics that were associated with functioning six to 10 years later. The characteristics included lack of individual initiative, denial of mother-child relationships, denial of negative outcomes, and lack of autonomy. The TATs of children at risk (due to one parent's hospitalization for a psychotic illness) who subsequently suffered major decompensation themselves (requiring hospitalization or intensive outpatient therapy) could be discriminated from those of children at risk with apparently normal development. The TAT characteristics were independent of the level of adjustment at the time the TATs were administered, not related to the child's IQ, socioeconomic status, race, or other family characteristics, and moderately negatively correlated with story length.

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Projective tests are valid.

Karon¹

1978

American Psychologist

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An Analysis of the Schizophrenogenic Mother Concept by Means of the TAT

Cited by 4 publications

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Social Class and the Schizophrenogenic Mother Concept

Social Class and the Schizophrenogenic Mother Concept

A retrospective analysis of the tats of children at risk who subsequently broke down

Projective tests are valid.

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