Question

On June 20, 2001, after her husband had left for work, Andrea Yates, a Houston mother,, drowned her five children n the family bathtub. She told police that she drowned the children to save them from burning in hell. Ajury rejected her insanity defense, and she was sentenced to serve life at apsychiatric prison. In January 2005, a Texas Appeals Court overturned her conviction because a psychiatrist for the prosecution had falsely testified that he had consulted for a Law and Order episode. The Appeals Court stated that the false testimony may have contributed to the jury's rejection of Yates insanity defense. Prosecutors declined to discuss whether Yates would be retried. Her defense attorney said that he would not seek her immediate release because she is receiving excellent mental health care. Andrea experienced low self-esteem. At the time she killed her children, she believed she was possessed and that the sign of Satan (666) was marked on her scalp. She told the police that her children "weren't developing correctly"" and that drowning them was the only way to save them. Mood disorders run in families and Andrea's was no exception. A sister and two brothers are also on antidepressants. Research indicates that brain chemistry plays a role in psychological disorder. The neurotransmitter serotonin appears scarce in depression. Diagnosed as suffering from postpartum depression with psychosis, she had been taken off her antipsychotic medication about a month before the children's deaths. Andrea's husband Russell claimed he had been pleading with doctors to again prescribe Haldol, used in treating people who hear voices or have delusional thoughts. Andrea's in-laws report that her husband Russell was not socially supportive. He claimed he had never changed a diaper. How could he leave her alone with the five children when she could barely care for herself? Why, after doctors had strongly recommended no more children, did he mpregnate her a fifth time? And where was her extended family when she needed help so desperately? Martin Seligman has effectively argued that the individualism of American society plays a critical role in its accelerating rate of depression Write in detail (2-3 pages) addressing all of the following questions after reading the Andrea Yates case. You can use outside sources to answer the questions and remember to cite your sources using APA format 1. In your opinion what does the case study illustrate? (ie. what do you believe to be the causes of Andrea Yates murdering of her children? How does it fit into a subset of human development? What are the implications? 2. A. How would you explain Andrea Yates behavior from a biological perspective? (neuroscience and behavior genetics perspectives) B. How would you explain Andrea Yates, behavior from a behavioral perspective? (behaviors that were reinforced, punished etc. ) CHow would you explain Andrea Yates' behavior from a social-culturalpapecver mre t

Answer 1

1. When analyzing the Andrea Yates story, she is imbalanced in emotions, thoughts, and experiences. Moreover, the genes and negative environmental influence a lot. She has been suffered from depression and postpartum psychosis. She cared for her children very well, but lack of a perfect mother due to behavioral conflicts. She was very religious, calm and quiet. The mental processes made her not to understand her own actions and behavior. All these things make her decide on the drowning of children's. She has done without her knowledge and understanding of the risk.

2. A. The biological perspective plays an important role in Andrea yates life. Her family also had a history of mental illness. The family members suffered from depression and her brother has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Andrew Yates also had postpartum depression immediately after gave birth to the first child. Doctors advised her not to get birth to any more child. But she delivered four more children irrespective of the doctor's advice. Mental disorder inherited to her from the family.

B. Andrea Yates felt very angry due to her family responses. Her behavior is due to her negative past experiences. She focused on observational behavior and lost the thinking processes. She was mentally worried about caring for five children. Her husband not caring about her increased the mental illness. The negative environment influences her a lot which results in murdering of her children.

C. From the socio-cultural perspective, Andrea was not supported by her husband and extended family. Her family background and past experiences influenced more to be in suicidal thoughts. She was forced to have more children that maximize her mental disorder. It increases her stress and angry responses result in the death of the children.