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Saviors of the nation, assassins of the self: Psychodynamic characteristics of presidential threateners and other Secret Service cases
Abstract
The scored Rorschachs of 30 schizophrenic patients criminally charged with threats against the President or other "White House offenses" were statistically compared to Rorschach data for a reference group fo 320 schizophrenics. These thirty patients represented the less than one percent of cases which the Secret Service chooses to charge criminally. Study hypotheses were generated from psychodynamic formulations developed during the individual therapy and psychological evaluation of White House cases at St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington D.C. Each psychodynamic hypothesis was operationalized as empirically coded Rorschach variables for the purpose of conducting statistical comparisons between White House cases and similarly diagnosed patients. The Rorschach data indicate that the thirty White House cases differ from other schizophrenics in several important and sometimes counterintuitive respects. The White House cases were characterized not by a history of violence, but by a history of suicide attempts and gestures, as well as higher Rorschach suicide constellation scores. Compared to the schizophrenia reference group, the White House case Rorschachs were characterized not by aggressive content and fantasies, but by a preponderance of morbid images of self damage or narcissistic injury. The data also suggest that White House cases have a greater propensity for confusing the roles of aggressor and victim by relying on the primitive psychic defense of projective identification. These psychodynamic characteristics of unconscious suicidal ideation, profound narcissistic injury, and projective identification are discussed as a White House case constellation. Associated cognitive styles and the aetiology of White House case delusional systems are discussed in the context of study results. Similarities and differences are noted between the mixed group of psychiatric White House cases, terrorists, and true potential assassins. Actuarial efforts to develop an effective assassin profile from demographic/diagnostic variables and traditional indices of dangerousness (such as a history of arrest or violence) have been generally unsuccessful. Study results suggest that it may be helpful for the Secret Service to expend more research and clinical consultation focusing on the complex psychopathology specific to delusions of assassinating the President. Such an approach is particularly indicated because these cases are not characterized by a history of dangerousness, or even aggressive content on psychological testing.
Subject Area
Psychotherapy
Recommended Citation
Skoler, Glen David, "Saviors of the nation, assassins of the self: Psychodynamic characteristics of presidential threateners and other Secret Service cases" (1988). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI8818659.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI8818659