Diagnostic Battery for Whitney Houston
Diagnostic battery provides an important instrument for diagnosing various psychological conditions that individuals face. As counselors, an exact diagnosis of the condition that an individual is suffering is important and diagnostic and statistical manual for mental disorders provides that important tool for use by psychologists. DSM-IV, published by American Psychiatric Association provides a guideline that should be followed in making psychological diagnoses. Almost everyday, there are news appearing in the media about celebrities who hare weighed down by continued drug abuse. It appears that every time we turn on our televisions, we are assured of seeing one if not more celebrities who are entering into or completing their rehabilitation term. This is clear evidence that shows the extensive nature of drug abuse among celebrities. It happens to musicians, songwriters, Amy Winehouse, footballers, and others. There are many reasons why celebrities indulge in drug abuse, the major reasons being to cope with the hectic and demanding life they have. However, it is also clear evidence that contrary to our belief that celebrities live a good and happy life, they may be leading miserable life. In order to understand psychological problems facing celebrities, this paper will conduct a critical analysis of the life of Whitney Houston, one of the celebrities whose career has been destroyed by drug abuse.
Whitney Houston is one of the celebrities who has been accused of rampant drug abuse and has been in and out of rehabilitation centers more than once. Born in 1963 as Whitney Elizabeth Houston, her star shone to become a leading American R&B singer, actress and also a fashion model. She had a big life to cope with after wining important awards in her life. She is still the most awarded female artist of all times and hoses the Guinness World Records. Her list of awards include among them 2 Emmy Awards, 6 Grammy Awards, 16 Billboards Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, and others totaling to about 415 career awards as recorded by 2010 (Christgau, 2011). She is also ranked as one of the best selling music artist with more than 170 million albums and singles sold.
However, her successful music career seems to have been badly affected by events outside her career. In April 2000, she was accused of drug peddling after police discovered Marijuana in her luggage. Airport security officials immediately alerted the police after they found that she was carrying marijuana in her bags. This dented the perfect and "good girl" image she had maintained in the 1980s and 1990s and her behavior greatly changed since then. She was often hours later for her interviews, photo shots and rehearsals and in more than once, she cancelled concerts and talk-show appearance. It was evidence that there was some personal problems in her life. She had also lost a lot of weight and speculations were going around that she had been abusing drugs for a longer period of time. It was also alleged that she had been abusing drugs with her husband. Although it was not still confirmed, Houston cancelled many events she was to perform at and was also fired from several lined up performance. For example, when Clive Davis was to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, she was scheduled to perform but she pulled out the last minute. She as also to perform at the Academy Awards but she was fired by the even director Burt Bacharach. Although it was cited that throat problem had caused to pull out of the performance, there were rumors of drug abuse that still surfaced. It was later confirmed in writing a book by Steve Pond that at the time she pulled out of the Academy Awards her voice was shaky, and she appeared distracted and jittery. In addition, her attitude was casual and quite defiant. While she was to sing "Over the Rainbow" she started singing a different song. Her problems were also aggravating with time as one of her long time friend and executive assistance, Robyn Crawford, resigned from Houston's management company.
Following these events, it also became evident that she was stressed over family matters. She has been disturbed by her tumultuous marriage to sing Bobby Brown and the couple had been living in tabloids since their wedding in 1992 (Whitney Houston, 2011). They were separated in 2006 after years of infidelity, scandals, drug, and alcohol arrests. At the same time in 2006, National Enquirer release pictures of what was claimed to be Houston's bathroom. The picture showed the private bathroom stuffed with empty beer bottles, rolling papers, pipes, powder covered spoons and lighters, all which pointed out that the pop star was a drug addict. Her sister in law claimed that the singer was addicted to crack and more often, she punches and bites herself until she develops black and blue marks thinking that the devil was attacking her. In 2002, she was embroiled in another tumultuous legal battle with her father, John Houston for failure to settle a $100 million she owed his company.
Data Collection methods
Due to limited access to the subject of the study, the study will collect data using methods that gives information about Houston but whose credibility can be assessed. Therefore, the study will combine two main methods to get information about the subject. The first method will be review of literature. This will involve accessing data from sources that are credible. Among these sources that will be used include:
However, the inclusion-exclusion criteria for the above sources were not strict due to shortage of sources about the character. The study limited selection of the sources to the particular period when the character was overcome by psychological problems.
The other method that will be used in this study will be observation. Since the study is looking at the past life of the character, it has to rely on picture and audio recording of the events that surrounded the characters life. However, it will also be important to ensure authenticity of these recordings. The following are among the recordings that have been obtained for the study from YouTube:
Through observation and review of the above sources, important information about the character under study was obtained. The YouTube contains important utterances from the author that tells accounts of her life, how she abuse drugs, how she went on and off to a rehabilitation center, problems with her husbands and other important information.
Background of Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston is one of the celebrities who has been accused of rampant drug abuse and has been in and out of rehabilitation centers more than once. Born in 1963 as Whitney Elizabeth Houston, her star shone to become a leading American R&B singer, actress and also a fashion model. She had a big life to cope with after wining important awards in her life. She is still the most awarded female artist of all times and hoses the Guinness World Records. Her list of awards include among them 2 Emmy Awards, 6 Grammy Awards, 16 Billboards Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, and others totaling to about 415 career awards as recorded by 2010 (Christgau, 2011). She is also ranked as one of the best selling music artist with more than 170 million albums and singles sold.
However, her successful music career seems to have been badly affected by events outside her career. In April 2000, she was accused of drug peddling after police discovered Marijuana in her luggage. Airport security officials immediately alerted the police after they found that she was carrying marijuana in her bags. This dented the perfect and "good girl" image she had maintained in the 1980s and 1990s and her behavior greatly changed since then. She was often hours later for her interviews, photo shots and rehearsals and in more than once, she cancelled concerts and talk-show appearance. It was evidence that there was some personal problems in her life. She had also lost a lot of weight and speculations were going around that she had been abusing drugs for a longer period of time. It was also alleged that she had been abusing drugs with her husband. Although it was not still confirmed, Houston cancelled many events she was to perform at and was also fired from several lined up performance. For example, when Clive Davis was to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, she was scheduled to perform but she pulled out the last minute. She as also to perform at the Academy Awards but she was fired by the even director Burt Bacharach. Although it was cited that throat problem had caused to pull out of the performance, there were rumors of drug abuse that still surfaced. It was later confirmed in writing a book by Steve Pond that at the time she pulled out of the Academy Awards her voice was shaky, and she appeared distracted and jittery. In addition, her attitude was casual and quite defiant. While she was to sing "Over the Rainbow" she started singing a different song. Her problems were also aggravating with time as one of her long time friend and executive assistance, Robyn Crawford, resigned from Houston's management company.
Following these events, it also became evident that she was stressed over family matters. She has been disturbed by her tumultuous marriage to sing Bobby Brown and the couple had been living in tabloids since their wedding in 1992 (Whitney Houston, 2011). They were separated in 2006 after years of infidelity, scandals, drug, and alcohol arrests. At the same time in 2006, National Enquirer release pictures of what was claimed to be Houston's bathroom. The picture showed the private bathroom stuffed with empty beer bottles, rolling papers, pipes, powder covered spoons and lighters, all which pointed out that the pop star was a drug addict. Her sister in law claimed that the singer was addicted to crack and more often, she punches and bites herself until she develops black and blue marks thinking that the devil was attacking her. In 2002, she was embroiled in another tumultuous legal battle with her father, John Houston for failure to settle a $100 million she owed his company.
Data Collection methods
Due to limited access to the subject of the study, the study will collect data using methods that gives information about Houston but whose credibility can be assessed. Therefore, the study will combine two main methods to get information about the subject. The first method will be review of literature. This will involve accessing data from sources that are credible. Among these sources that will be used include:
DSM-IV-TR from Psychiatryonline accessed from http://www.psychiatryonline.com/resourceTOC.aspx?resourceID=1
Whitny Houston Biography accessed from www.whitneyhouston.com
Christgau, Robert. "Material she was a great song writer". RobertChristgau.com. http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=Material.
However, the inclusion-exclusion criteria for the above sources were not strict due to shortage of sources about the character. The study limited selection of the sources to the particular period when the character was overcome by psychological problems.
The other method that will be used in this study will be observation. Since the study is looking at the past life of the character, it has to rely on picture and audio recording of the events that surrounded the characters life. However, it will also be important to ensure authenticity of these recordings. The following are among the recordings that have been obtained for the study from YouTube:
Interview with Oprah Winfrey accessed from: http://bumpshack.com/2009/09/15/whitney-houston-interview-with-oprah-video/
Interview with CNN about her drug life accessed from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3vyacojPN8
Failed performance accessed from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMPtaH-1sq0&feature=related
Through observation and review of the above sources, important information about the character under study was obtained. The YouTube contains important utterances from the author that tells accounts of her life, how she abuse drugs, how she went on and off to a rehabilitation center, problems with her husbands and other important information.
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