Robert Spitzer stands out as one of the 20th century’s most influential psychiatrists. He played a crucial role in developing the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). Thanks to his tireless work and strong stance, homosexuality was removed from the classification of mental illnesses.
Spitzer dedicated much of his career to Columbia University in New York City. Want to learn more about his life and beliefs? We’ve got the full story for you right here on newyorka.
Robert Spitzer’s Education and Career
Robert Leopold Spitzer was born on May 22, 1932, in White Plains, New York. His parents were Jewish, but Spitzer identified as an atheist in adulthood. While little is known about his childhood, he received a comprehensive education:
- In 1953, he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Cornell University.
- He received his Doctor of Medicine (MD) from New York University School of Medicine in 1957.
- He completed his psychiatry residency at the New York State Psychiatric Institute, finishing in 1961.
- In 1966, he completed his training at the Columbia University Center for Psychoanalytic Training and Research.
Spitzer’s career was closely tied to Columbia University in New York. He served as a professor at the institution until 2003. Additionally, Robert Spitzer conducted research at the Columbia University Center for Psychoanalytic Training and Research. Colleagues described the renowned psychiatrist as a persistent and tenacious individual, driven by a strong sense of ethical fairness.
Theory and Practice of Psychiatry
Robert Spitzer’s primary focus was developing a modern classification system for mental disorders. In 1968, he contributed to the creation of “Diagno I,” a computer program based on a decision tree that formulated diagnoses based on scores from a psychiatric status table. Spitzer and his co-authors published it in 1970.
During that period, the joint US-UK Diagnostic Project was underway, with leading scientists striving for the most accurate classification of mental disorders. Robert Spitzer was invited to chair the US Steering Committee. This committee, comprising four scientists, compared American and British approaches to identify the most effective solutions. They published their findings in 1972.
Among Robert Spitzer’s notable scientific achievements from this era are:
- Developing psychiatric diagnostic methods based on specific questions, a departure from the open-ended questions of psychoanalysis.
- Participating in the development of the Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ) for diagnosing bipolar disorder.
- Contributing to the development of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) for self-diagnosis of mental disorders.
Dr. Spitzer was the driving force behind the modern classification of mental disorders into specific categories with clear diagnostic criteria. In 1974, he led the American Psychiatric Association’s task force responsible for reissuing the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The expanded and revised edition, “DSM-III,” was published in 1980. While Robert Spitzer later critiqued subsequent versions of the manual, he still considered it the best alternative available in psychiatry.
Homosexuality: Illness or Normality?
Robert Spitzer’s most significant achievement is widely considered to be the removal of homosexuality from the list of mental illnesses. This occurred at his initiative in 1973. This landmark decision was preceded by Dr. Spitzer’s scientific research and his interactions with members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Homosexuality was officially removed from the second edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 1974. This move elevated the status of this sexual orientation to normality rather than a psychiatric disorder. For psychiatry at the time, this was an incredibly powerful statement, as homosexuality had previously been considered a disease and forcibly “treated.” From then on, societal views on this matter gradually began to shift.
Despite his support for the LGBTQ+ community in the 1970s, at the 2001 annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association, Robert Spitzer presented a paper on the possibility of changing homosexual orientation through “reparative therapy.” In his research, he interviewed 200 individuals who reported shifting their preferences to heterosexuality. Despite his own skepticism, he estimated that 66% of men and 44% of women in his study maintained stable heterosexual relationships for at least a year after therapy. Most of these respondents reported no longer being bothered by homosexual feelings. Dr. Spitzer concluded that some individuals could change their sexual orientation if they were highly motivated, though he acknowledged it was a rare phenomenon.
The American Psychological Association reacted negatively to Spitzer’s presentation. His initial publication on these findings was retracted due to a lack of peer review. However, two years later, he republished his results in another journal. Most reviews this time were critical, and the article sparked controversy. Robert Spitzer faced criticism for both his research methodology and his interpretation of the results.
The LGBTQ+ community was deeply disappointed, having previously regarded Dr. Spitzer as their staunchest advocate. In a 2005 interview, Spitzer stated he felt significant anger and a sense of betrayal from people with homosexual preferences. He subsequently ceased further research in this area.
In 2012, Robert Spitzer retracted his controversial study, stating that he agreed with the criticisms of his work. He had wanted to publish a retraction earlier but didn’t receive a response from the scientific journal. After years of reflection and careful analysis, the scientist concluded that he had incorrectly framed the central research question. In his opinion, he had described how people undergoing reparative therapy described changes in their sexual orientation, but not the actual efficacy of the therapy itself for such changes. Furthermore, he found it quite challenging to assess the veracity of the participants’ testimonies, which could have been self-deception or even fabrication.
Robert Spitzer apologized to the LGBTQ+ community and did not return to this contentious topic. Ultimately, his core conviction remained that homosexuality was not an illness.
Recognition, Personal Life, and Death
Robert Spitzer was a well-known and respected figure in 20th-century psychiatry. He was awarded the Thomas William Salmon Medal by the New York Academy of Medicine for his contributions to the field. In 1987, the American Psychiatric Association honored Dr. Spitzer with the Adolf Meyer Award, and in 1994, he received another award for his research in psychiatry.
In his personal life, Robert Spitzer was married three times. His third wife was scientist Janet Williams. He had a total of five children.
The distinguished psychiatrist passed away on December 25, 2015, at the age of 83, after a long battle with heart disease. He was residing in a care facility in Seattle at the time.