Susan Smith: a Dsm Iv Analysis Essay Example

moving out for a short while. Susan’s mother and the rest of the family was more concerned with their reputation being publicly questioned rather than the safety and metal health of Susan. Susan’s stepfather eventually moved back in only to continue to subject Susan to more sexual abuse(Montaldo, 2010).Susan Smiths behavior can be described as constantly needing affection and is always depressed when she is alone.

Susan Smith also displayed narcissistic characteristics because of her apparent inability to separate her delusional fantasies from reality and her inability to put her children’s needs before her own. Reflecting on her childhood history, Susan had a tendency to be depressed, and this began after the death of her father, whom which she was very close to.One can argue that Susan was psychologically destabilized from feelings of betrayal which stemmed from her father’s suicide, her step father’s sexual abuse, a mother who looks the other way, her husband’s infidelity and being strung along by a number of other lovers(Stronger, 2006). Based on the personality assessment described, it is possible that Susan Smith suffers from dependent personality disorder.

Dependent personality disorder occurs when an individual has significant difficulty functioning without the guidance of others(Stronger, 2006).The DSM-IV lists these characteristics for dependent personality disorder that coincides with Susan Smith’s behavior:

1) Difficulty in making everyday decisions without excessive advice and reassurance

2) Needs others to assume responsibility for major areas of his/her life

3) Goes to excessive lengths to obtain nurturance and support to the point of volunteering to do things that are unpleasant

4) Uncomfortable or helpless when alone due to exaggerated fears of being unable to care for him/herself

5) Urgently seeks another source of care

and support when a close relationship ends

6) Unrealistically preoccupied with fears of being left to take care of him/herself (Stronger, 2006).

Additionally, DPD is classified under the DSM-IV as a Cluster C personality disorder because of the anxious or fearful traits. Also, females are more likely to be classified under a Cluster C disorder(Stronger, 2006).

Placing Susan Smith under a theoretical perspective that offers the best explanation to what drove her behavior is challenging.On one hand, the behavioral perspective could easily connect because clearly the only reinforcements in Susan’s life were mostly negative and that was from her mother and her stepfather. Susan Smith could have observed her mother’s relationships with men as only out of convenience and neediness, a trait that Susan quickly adopted. Her sexually abusive stepfather may have taught her that sex was the only way to gain acceptance and love, which is something that Susan continually demonstrated in many unhealthy and distorted relationships. On the other hand, the psychodynamic perspective relates because perhaps Susan Smith’s abnormal behavior stemmed from conscious and unconscious, unresolved conflicts.This could also be viewed from a biological perspective (genetic factors) because Susan’s father had apparent psychological abnormalities, given that his life ended by suicide(Sarason & Sarason, 2005).

References

1. Montaldo, C. (2010). Susan Smith - Narcissistic Delusions: Rejected Love Fueled the Murder of the Smith Children. Retrieved on November 13, 2010, form http://crime. about.com
2. Sarason, I. G. & Sarason, B. R. (2005). Abnormal Psychology: The Problem of Maladpative Behavior (11 ed.), Pearson Prentic-Hall, pg. 59 – 82
3. Stronger, G. (2006). A Psychological Aspect of Susan Smith: Dependent Personality.
4. Retrieved on November 13, from http://www. echeat. com