The I nvention of ’the P sychopath G irl’

1. The Invention of’the PsychopathGirl’ From a Social to a PsychiatricPerspectiveon Girls in Reformatories Bolette FrydendahlLarsen Queen Mary University, May 2014

2. Outline Part 1: Introduction • The Argument in Todays’ Paper • Source Material Part 2: ’The PsychopathGirls’ • The Case: Vejstrup and the Failed Social Practice • The Introduction of ’Psychopathy’ • PoliticalDemandsof a PsychiatricSolution • Conclusions

3. This Paper Questions • Why and how did the problem of ”difficult girls” become a problem of ”psychopath girls” Sources: • Annual reports (1909-1945) • Exampleofrecords from the VejstrupArchive (1908-1962) • Governmentreports (1940-1955)

4. Vejstrup State Reformatory

5. Incorrigible Girls at Vejstrup • 580 girlsreleasedfrom Vejstrupbetween 1908-1948 • 14% releasedas incorrigible • At Danishasylums and reformatoriesfor bothsexesonly 3-4% werereleased as incorrigiblebetween 1929-1939

6. The introductionof ’Psychopathy’, 1930 ”She is verydegenerated and has strong sexual aptitudes (…). Shewastested for intelligence and declared"of normal intelligence, butdefective in character, suffering from pronounced ’Custody Council Disobedience’ ”. Shewasthan set to be released as incorrigible, butbecauseofher [young] age the Custody Council thought it would be indefensible (…). The futureofthisdistinctlypsychopathgirl is difficulttopredict (...)"

7. ’Psychopathy’ in Denmark: Prisonsvs Asylums and Reformatories • ”Psychopathy” becameestablished as a legal category in Denmarkin the 1930 RevisedInsanityLaw • Establishmentofpsychopathasylums for men in 1935 • Differencesin the useof the diagnosis • At asylums and reformatories: Synonymouswith ”incorrigible”. …let’ssee an example

8. Psychopathy in Vejstrupreports #1 • ”A tiring pupil to deal with, shecouldprobably do a job well, but shewasmoody, oftensloppy, and superficial. A childish, silly and short-temperedgirl, often with a disturbed and superiorbehaviour. If shewas not satisfied with something, shewasstubborn and coarse . She had a bad influence on the othergirls, and one never felt comfortable with whatshewastalking to themabout. (...) Therewas not muchprogress with her, shewasalmoststagnant”

9. Psychopathy in Vejstrupreports #1 • ”A tiring pupil to deal with, shecouldprobably do a job well, but shewasmoody, oftensloppy, and superficial. A childish, silly and short-temperedgirl, often with a disturbed and superiorbehaviour. If shewas not satisfied with something, shewasstubborn and coarse . She had a bad influence on the othergirls, and one never felt comfortablewith whatshewastalking to themabout. (...) Therewasnot muchprogresswith her, shewasalmoststagnant”

10. Psychopathy in Vejstrupreports#2 • Childish • No progression and incorrigible • Difficultto work with • Ableto work, but sloppy • Wants attention • Sent away from Vejstrup • Politicalconcerns

11. PoliticalDemandsof a Psychiatric Solution 1952: • ”a large part of the children and adolescents at asylums/reformatorieswerementallyretarded or had a psychopathiccharacter” 1956: • ”Everyyear 16 year old girlsare sent outof the reformatoriesas ’incorrigible’ and theirfuture is lefttothemselves and totheiroftenverypoorhomes”; "the psychiatriccontributionto the treatment [had] beenrudimentarily”

12. Someconclusions

13. Thanks for listening! Feelfreetocontactme: Bolette.frydendahl_larsen@hist.lu.se