The Sylvia Plath effect, is a term coined by psychologist James C. Kaufman in a 2001 paper published in the Journal of Creative Behavior. It describes his finding that creative writers (especially female poets) are more likely to suffer from serious mental illnesses, such as depression and mood disorders. He named his theory after the poet Sylvia Plath, who represents one of the most notable examples of this phenomenon: her life-long battle with crippling depression, detailed in her thinly veiled autobiographical novel “The Bell Jar,” finally drove her to suicide at the tender age of thirty-one. Kaufman’s theory is hardly revolutionary-the link between creativity and “melancholia” was explored by Aristotle- but it is only recently that scientists have attempted to study it scientifically. Some studies on the subject have supported Kaufman’s theory, finding that writers and artists are more prone to chronic depression and other mental illnesses (such as bipolar disorder), and that individuals diagnosed with certain mental illnesses are more likely to be “creative.” One study even concluded that “creative” people are roughly 30 percent more likely to suffer from mood disorders, especially bipolar disorder.

However, some scientists contend that the findings of these studies should be taken with a grain of salt, citing the subjectivity of the research methodology, including selection bias, reliance on past recollections and a vague definition of “creativity.” Moreover, these critics contend that even if “creative” people are more likely to suffer from mental illness, their creativity is not necessary dependant on it. One of the most prominent critics of the “Sylvia Plath effect” is psychiatrist Dr. Albert Rothenberg, who argues that mental illness acts as an impediment to creativity in his book, “Creativity and Madness: New Findings and Old Stereotypes.” Rothenberg asserts that creativity and mental illness are mutually exclusive; thus, he believes that the artistic output of so-called “tortured artists” would actually improve if they received proper treatment for their psychiatric condition. He thus believes that the “tortured artist” archetype is ultimately harmful to artists, because they have been led to equate their creativity with their mental illness. As a result, they frequently eschew treatment, fearing that their work will suffer accordingly. This often leads to tragic consequences, most recently illustrated by the suicide of acclaimed novelist David Foster Wallace, who hanged himself shortly after making the fateful decision to stop taking medication for his bipolar disorder.

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