17714. PSYCHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF THE MAIN CHARACTER IN GIRL INTERRUPTED BY SUSANNA KAYSEN. This paper provides a psychological/psychiatric assessment of the main character and narrator of Kaysen’s memoir of her two years in McLean Psychiatric Hospital in the late 1960s. Following a summary of the book, the paper provides a diagnosis of Kaysen according to the five axes of the DSM-IV; identifies and provides examples of defense mechanisms used by the character; describes the main character’s behavior according to the biological and behavioral perspectives; and comments on the treatment approach. KEYWORDS: psychiatric hospitals mental illness psychological analysis depression dissociative disorder personality defense mechanisms psychology case study. Written 2005. APA Style. 13 pages, 27 footnotes, 6 bibliographic sources. 3,102 words.