title: Links between creativity and mental disorder.
abstract: A link between mental disorder and decreased ability is commonly assumed, but evidence to the contrary also exists. In reviewing any association between creativity and mental disorder, our aim is not only to update the literature but also to include an epidemiological and theoretical discussion of the topic. For literature retrieval, we used Medline, PsycINFO, and manual literature searches. Studies are numerous: most are empirical, many having methodological difficulties and variations in definitions and concepts. There is little consensus. However, some trends are apparent. We found 13 major case series (over 100 cases), case-control studies, or population-based studies, with valid, reliable measures of mental disorders. The results of all but one of these studies supported the association, at least when concerning particular groups of mental disorders; the findings were somewhat unclear in two studies. Most of the remainder that are not included in our more detailed examination also show a fragile association between creativity and mental disorder, but the link is not apparent for all groups of mental disorders or for all forms of creativity. In conclusion, evidence exists to support some form of association between creativity and mental disorder, but the direction of any causal link remains obscure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Oulu, Finland. llaurone@mail.student.oulu.fi
authors.forename: Erika
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lauronen
authors.forename: Juha
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Veijola
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Isohanni
authors.forename: Peter B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Pentti
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nieminen
authors.forename: Matti
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Isohanni
mesh_terms: D003405:Creativity; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*