Andrea Yates' Case
I have chosen to write about Andrea Yate’s case. I recently attended a program at Grossmont
College on Women’s Mental Health, which they focused on Women’s Reproductive Mental Health
across the Lifespan. The guest speaker, Dr. Alison Reminick, who is the director of UCSD Women’s
Reproductive Mental Health, talked about Andrea Yates and the complex issues she faced. She discussed
how Andrea struggled with postnatal disorders. She talked about the biological, psychodynamic, and
cognitive-behavior struggles that Andrea grappled with.
Andrea Yates' tragic murder of her five children in 2001 shocked the nation and sparked debates
about mental illness, maternal instincts, and the limits of responsibility. Exploring this case through
psychological perspectives provides insights into the complex factors that may have contributed to
Yates' actions. This paper will analyze the causes of Yates' crime from three psychological perspectives:
biological, psychodynamic, and cognitive-behavioral.
Andrea Yate’s battle with mental health illnesses began shortly after giving birth to her first
child. She started having hallucinations that involved stabbing. The by time she gave birth to her fourth
child, she attempted suicide by taking a large amount of sedatives. Dr. Reminick then discussed how
after Andrea was taken to the hospital she was discharged before her symptoms could be taken care
because her insurance company would not cover inpatient treatment. Shortly after being release,
Andrea attempted suicide yet again. Then Andrea has a fifth child against a psychiatrist’s warning. Sadly,
Andrea would then murder her five children by drowning them. As mentioned earlier several factors
were at play when it comes to Andrea’s Yates mental illness.
From the biological standpoint, Yates’ actions can be examine through the lens of her mental
health. Yates had a history of severe postpartum depression and psychosis, exacerbated by multiple
pregnancies and inadequate treatment. Then she developed postpartum depression, a mood disorder
Andrea Yates' Case
occurring after childbirth. According to the American Psychiatric Association, PPD can lead to extreme
feelings of sadness, anxiety, and detachment. They go on to write that, postpartum psychosis, a rare but
severe condition, involves hallucinations, delusions, and impaired reality testing (American Psychiatric
Association, 2013). The biological factors that influenced Yates struggle with mental health included
hormonal fluctuations, genetic predisposition, as well as neurochemical imbalances. According to the
National Alliance on Mental Illness, “Mental illness is biological in nature. It is a brain disorder that
affects logical, rational thought processes and emotions.” (NAMI, 2021)
When we look at the Psychodynamic factor of Andrea’s mental illness, we can see how being
brought up in a strict religious household as well as her own religious beliefs, Andrea grew up being
taught that women should be available to their husbands and to produce children. Andrea had an eating
disorder as a teenager and suffered with suicidal ideations. As an adult, Yates would then struggled with
guilt and not feeling that she was adequate to be a perfect mother. These inadequate thoughts and her
thoughts about harming her children led her to believe she was sinful and that she needed to “rescue”
her children from eternal damnation.
In regards to the Cognitive- Behavioral perspective, Andrea was struggling with distorted
thoughts and as an adult, she was diagnose with depression, delusional thinking, and schizophrenia.
Author, A.T. Beck describes cognitive distortions as “catastrophizing and all-or-nothing thinking,” After
reading more about this case and listening to the guest speaker, Cognitive distortions may have further
increased Yates' irrational beliefs about her role as a mother and her children's spiritual well-being
(Beck, 1976). Yates was also socially isolated and demanded perfectionism from herself. She did not
have the tools to cope with her stressors in a healthy and efficient manner.
In Conclusion, Andrea Yates' tragic act of killing her own children highlights the complex
relationship between various factors, including biological, psychological, and behavioral. While no single
Andrea Yates' Case
perspective can fully explain her actions, by looking at all factors, this provides us with a deeper
understanding of the underlying causes behind this tragic crime. By examining Yates' case through a
psychological lens, we gain valuable insights into the complexities of mental illness, maternal distress,
and the crucial need for early intervention and support for individuals facing psychological challenge.
References:
Reminick, A. (2024, March 14). Women’s Reproductive Mental Health Across the Lifespan [Keynote
address]. Grossmont College Women’s History Month, Griffin Gate, El Cajon, CA
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.).
Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing.
Beck, A. T. (1976). Cognitive therapy and the emotional disorders. New York, NY: Penguin.
National Alliance on Mental Illness. (n.d.). Home. Retrieved from https://www.nami.org/Home
