Art and the schizophrenic spectrum

Holt, Nicola

Abstract

There is an ‘art and health’ paradox in the literature on the schizophrenic spectrum, since features of the schizophrenic spectrum have been argued to facilitate artistic creativity (e.g., by enabling novel perspectives, images or insights), suggesting that artistic creativity is or can be a product of ‘mental illness’ (Richards, 2001); yet, artistic creativity has been described as therapeutic and facilitating recovery from schizophrenia (Lynch, Holttum & Huet, 2019). The paradox that ‘mental illness’ both ‘causes’ creativity and is ‘cured’ by creativity is in part due to oversimplification of both constructs (‘artistic creativity’ and ‘schizophrenic spectrum’). For example, conflating the many contexts, forms and uses of artistic creativity, making assumptions of causality (and linear relationships), and not considering other contributing factors (e.g., protective and risk factors) (Holt, 2020; Kaufman & Sexton, 2006). In this chapter the evidence for both sides of the paradox will be considered. Firstly, to help unravel complexities, the constructs of schizophrenia and the schizophrenic spectrum will be described.

• Online Publication Date: Nov 13, 2023
• Publication Date: Oct 5, 2023
• Deposit Date: Mar 30, 2022
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan (part of Springer Nature)
• Series Title: Palgrave Encyclopedia of the Health Humanities
• Edition: 1
• Book Title: Palgrave Encyclopedia of the Health Humanities
• ISBN: 9783030268251
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-26825-1_20-1
• Keywords: Art, creativity schizotypy, schizophrenia, schizophrenic spectrum, art therapy, psychosis
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/9269765
• Additional Information: Can't make full text live because have already uploaded one chapter from this book (9269737)
• Contract Date: Mar 26, 2022