Leopold Bellak MD Papers, 1943 - 1993

Summary

Creator:
Bellak, Leopold, 1916-2000
Abstract:
This collection contains the papers of Leopold Bellak, a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst known for his work on projective tests, schizophrenia, adult attention deficit disorder, and brief and emergency psychotherapy. The collection has 11 series: Projective tests (1943-1993, n.d.), Manuscripts (1990), “The Mind Without Mystique” (1984-1987, n.d.), “The Story of the Mind” TV show (1981-1988, n.d.), “Psychological Side of the News” (1970-1990, n.d.), Research (1952-1989, n.d.), Patent (1990), Miscellaneous (1963), Cardiac referrals (1948-1955, n.d.), Residency applicant assessments (1973-1979), and Patient files (1947-1962, n.d.).
Extent:
12 boxes 5 linear feet
Language:
English French German

Background

Scope and content:

This collection contains correspondence, research, documents, publications, professional writings, notes, photographs, and other professional material dating from 1943 to 1993. The materials are primarily in English, but many of Bellak’s handwritten notes are in German, and Le Psychodiagnostic Myokinetique manual is published in French. The papers are divided into 11 series: Projective tests (1943-1993, n.d.), Manuscripts (1990), “The Mind Without Mystique” (1984-1987, n.d.), “The Story of the Mind” TV show (1981-1988, n.d.), “Psychological Side of the News” (1970-1990, n.d.), Research (1952-1989, n.d.), Patent (1990), Miscellaneous (1963), Cardiac referrals (1948-1955, n.d.), Residency applicant assessments (1973-1979), and Patient files (1947-1962, n.d.). The papers came to the library already organized by project or practice, which naturally imposed the 11 series titles enumerated above. In the original order within these projects and practices, the correspondence was typically set apart from other related materials and stapled into packets by correspondent. Other than ordering these packets by reverse chronological order based on the top letter of each packet, the original order is maintained. Apart from the correspondence and the materials found in labelled binders, namely the series Patient files (1947-1962, n.d.), the documents within a series originally had no apparent order. The folders within the series are thus a result of imposed order by document type, and the documents within are placed in reverse chronological order to facilitate access, except where noted in the series descriptions.

Projective tests: This series, arranged by test, then document type in reverse chronological order, contains files relating to Bellak’s Senior Apperception Test (S.A.T.), Thematic Apperception Test (T.A.T.), Ego Function Assessment (related to the T.A.T.), Children’s Apperception Test – Human Figures, and Children’s Apperception Test (C.A.T.), as well as tests by others, including the Rosenzweig Picture Frustration Study, the Blacky Picture Test, the Michigan Picture Test, the Wechsler-Bellevue Intelligence Scale, the Children’s Seashore House Picture Story Test, the Rorschach Test, Le Psychodiagnostic Myokinetique, and Struwwelpeter: Merry Stories and Funny Pictures. The series includes general materials—such as the tests themselves, summaries, manuals and guides—correspondence, photographs and images, related publications, news clippings, and circulars. The files are in English except for Le Psychodiagnostic Myokinetique, which is written in French.

Manuscripts: This series includes three typewritten manuscripts by Bellak, “The C.A.T. and Other Projective Techniques: 50 Years later,” which he delivered at the XIII International Congress of Rorschach and Projective Techniques; “My First Fifty Years with Psychoanalysis: Some Selected Reflections;” and “Psychoanalysis as Therapy: Myth and Reality.”

“The Mind without Mystique”: This series, arranged by document type in reverse chronological order, contains files relating to Bellak and Perry Faithorn’s book “The Mind without Mystique: Why We Behave the Way We Do.” The series contains a manuscript and correspondence.

“The Story of the Mind” TV show: This series, arranged by document type in reverse chronological order, contains files relating to Bellak and Perry Faithorn’s television show, “The Story of The Mind” (alternately titled “The History of The Mind”). The show was related to “The Mind without Mystique” book by Bellak and Faithorn, but was sufficiently distinct not to cause breach of contract with the publisher. The series contains the show’s proposal, correspondence, and legal contracts.

“Psychological Side of the News”: This series, arranged by document type in reverse chronological order, contains files related to Bellak and Kathryn Moody’s proposed program the “Psychological Side of the News.” It is unclear whether the program ever came to fruition. The series contains the program’s proposal, sample episodes, correspondence, news articles by Bellak, news articles related to Bellak’s proposal to psychologically screen presidential candidates, photographs, general news clippings, and promotional materials.

Research: This series, arranged by research project then document type in reverse chronological order, contains files relating to Bellak’s research on validating adult attention deficit disorder and how to treat it through psychotherapy; Bellak’s grant application for Quantification of Psychiatric Diagnosis on the Basis of Ego Strength; Bellak’s grant application for Preventative Community Child Psychiatry; Bellak’s Trouble Shooting Clinic at Elmhurst General Hospital, the first 24-hour walk-in clinic; and Bellak’s lobby to establish a national institute for schizophrenia research. The series includes applications and related materials, research, correspondence, reports, a clinical interviewing guide, news clippings, and conference travel. Also included is correspondence regarding an identity fraud incident concerning a researcher involved in one of the grants. This correspondence includes the original envelope marked “Confidential” and the letters remains in original order.

Patent: This series contains a photocopy of Bellak’s patent for a “Device for Overcoming Male Dysfunction or Impotence.”

Miscellaneous: This series contains a pad of tear-off sheets of dietary restrictions for calorie counting produced by Preludin, a brand of phenmetrazine hydrochloride.

Cardiac referrals: This series, arranged by institution then document type in reverse chronological order, contains files relating to Bellak’s referral relationship with the Hillside Hospital and Astro Health & Rehab Services. As the Hillside Hospital forms appear identical to the ones from the Astro Health & Rehab Services, which were contained in a folder marked “cardiac referrals,” it is likely that the Hillside Hospital referrals also relate to cardiac patients. The series includes referrals (RESTRICTED), correspondence, notes (RESTRICTED), and miscellany.

Residency applicant assessments: This series, arranged in reverse chronological order by applicant, contains files relating to residency applicants for the Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Yeshiva University and their psychological assessments. This series is RESTRICTED.

Patient files: This series remains in original order by case, as identified by the labels on the folders and binders originally housing these materials. The series contains case notes, interview transcripts, and summaries relating to Bellak’s patients and research subjects. Many of the handwritten notes are in German. This series is RESTRICTED.

Biographical / historical:

Leopold Bellak (1916-2000), psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, was born in Vienna on 22 June 1916. During his medical career, Bellak dedicated himself to private practice, teaching, and research and was best known for his work on projective tests, schizophrenia, adult attention deficit disorder, and brief and emergency psychotherapy. Bellak was a medical student at the University of Vienna and the youngest person permitted to study at the Vienna Psychoanalytic Institute when he immigrated to the United States in May 1938. After arriving in the United States, Bellak earned his Master’s degree in psychology from Boston University. He subsequently served as both the Austin and the Rantoul Fellow at Harvard University and the Harvard Psychological Clinic, respectively. In 1944, Bellak received his M.D. from New York Medical College. In 1950, he graduated from the New York Psychoanalytic Institute.

Bellak is the originator of the Children’s Apperception Test (C.A.T.), the Senior Apperception Technique (S.A.T.), and the first 24-hour walk-in clinic, named the Trouble Shooting Clinic at Elmhurst General Hospital. He also made serious strides in developing the Thematic Apperception Test (T.A.T.). Bellak was a Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychoanalytic Association and The American Psychological Association. He served as a Diplomat of the American Board of Professional Psychology and was elected to the American College of Psychoanalysis. He previously served as president of the Society for Projective Techniques and of the Westchester Psychoanalytic Society. The Psychiatric Outpatient Centers of America honored Bellak for his contribution to the theory and practice of community psychiatry in June 1976. In 1964, Bellak was awarded the Annual Merit Award of the New York Society of Clinical Psychologists. He was awarded the Frieda Fromm-Reichmann Award by the American Academy of Psychoanalysis in 1982 for his contributions towards a better understanding of schizophrenia. Also in 1982, Bellak was designated Honorary Fellow by the Postgraduate Center for Mental Health in New York. In 1990, Bellak received the Bruno Klopfer Award from the Society for Personality Assessment and was selected as one of the Honorary Presidents of the 13th International Congress of Rorschach and Projective Techniques in Paris. The American Psychological Association honored Bellak with an Award for Distinguished Professorial Contributions in 1992.

Bellak authored and edited over 35 texts and over 200 professional articles. His books and test materials have been translated into at least nine languages. Bellak’s final two books were Psychoanalysis as a Science, in which he makes a case for integrating psychoanalytic practice with theory and methodology of psychological research, and Confrontation in Vienna, which details Bellak’s first 20 years growing up under Nazi-influenced Vienna. The sixth edition of the TAT, CAT and SAT in Clinical Use was released in 1992. Bellak served as Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center and as Clinical Professor of Psychology for the Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy at New York University into the 1990s.

Acquisition information:
Gift of Leopold Bellak, 1997.

Access and use

Restrictions:

Folder 1 in box 3 of Series I: Projective tests (1943-1993, n.d.), folders 2, 6, and 8 in box 7 of Series IX: Cardiac referrals (1948-1955, n.d.), folder 10 in box 7 of Series X: Residency applicant assessments (1973-1979), folders 11-21 in box 7 of Series XI: Patient files (1947-1962, n.d.), folders 1-6 in box 8 of Series XI: Patient files (1947-1962, n.d.), folders 1-9 in box 9 of Series XI: Patient files (1947-1962, n.d.), folders 1-8 in box 10 of Series XI: Patient files (1947-1962, n.d.), and folders 1-7 in box 11 of Series XI: Patient files (1947-1962, n.d.) are restricted due to PHI (private health information). Restricted material has been removed and filed separately.

Terms of access:

Written permission must be obtained from the Oskar Diethelm Library and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

Location of this collection:
DeWitt Wallace Institute of Psychiatry: History, Policy and the Arts
Weill Cornell Medical College
525 East 68th Street, Box 140
New York, NY 10065, United States
Link to repository site
Contact:
212-746-3728