Aakash Desai

Ted Bundy Case Study

Theodore Robert Cowell was born on November 24, 1946 to Louise Cowell following her stay of three months at the Elizabeth Lund Home for Unwed Mothers in Vermont. Ted’s biological father, who was an Air Force veteran, was unknown to his son throughout his life. Shortly after his birth, Ted and his mother moved back to the home of his grandparents in Philadelphia. While growing up, Ted was led to believe that his grandparents were his parents and his natural mother was his older sister. This was created in order to protect his mother from harsh critism for being an unwed mother.

Background History

As a youth, Ted was terribly shy, self-doubting and uncomfortable in social situations. He was teased in school and he felt as he were different from other children.

In high school, Ted really came out of his shell and had a keen interest in politics.

He said things like “I didn't know what made things tick. I didn’t know what made people want to be friends, I didn’t know what made people attractive to one another. I didn’t know what underlay social interactions.

Schooling

Ted was very inconsistent with his work outside of school. This would all change when he met a girl. She was a beautiful and highly sophisticated woman. He really loved her but she would end up breaking up with him. She liked Ted a lot but believed he had no real direction or future goals.

Ted never recovered from the break-up. He dropped out of college and could not hold a job for very long. Ted became obsessed with this young woman and he couldn’t get her out of his mind. It was an obsession that would lead to the killings that made Ted Bundy who he is.

Ted’s First Love

Ted Bundy is diagnosed with manic-depressive.His murders took place during his depressive

episodes. His pathology may have been due to his relationship with his grandfather, Samuel Cowell. Sam was known as a bigot and was seen torturing small animals.

Pornography was of a violent nature.Bundy’s grandmother suffered from depression as

well. She received regular treatments for her depression.

Bundy suffered from extreme depressions over the break up and learned about his family history.

What made him do it

Axis I: Maniac Depressive ;Severe with Psychotic Features

Axis II: 301.7 Antisocial Personality D/O

Axis III: None

Axis IV: Problems with Primary Support Group: Girlfriend Broke Up Due to Lack of Ambition,

Unaware of Biological Father, Abusive Grandfather

Problems Related to the Social Environment: Difficulty with Acculturation

Educational Problems: Dropped out of College A Couple Times

Occupational Problems: Lack of Employment Due to Always Being On The

Run

Housing Problems: No Settled Household

Economic Problems: Inadequate Finances

5 Problems Related to Interaction With The Legal System: Incarcerated and

Charged With The Murder Of 30+ Women

Axis V: 31-40 Some impairment in reality testing, serious impairment in occupational, school functioning, interpersonal, judgment, thinking, or mod.

Axis

Cognitive-behavioral treatment- this type of approach focuses on how the psychopath sees himself and the world.

Ted should be placed on medications that target his Bipolar I disorder, his mood changes and his irrational emotions.

Ted should be referred to a psychiatrist within the jail. The therapy should also begin right away for the treatment to work and stop his compulsive behavior.

Treatments

There is a possibility that Ted might be hesitant to take part in it but we have set forth treatments for him.

He has many different disorders and each has a different treatment but it is a good plan to help stop his compulsive behaviors to be violent.

You have to treat Ted Bundy as a normal person and have his best thoughts in mind. He is very self- centered and it is easy to manipulate the treatment in his favor. You are trying to get rid of his negative tendencies and bring more positives through the role he plays when he is in his “killer mindset.”

Complications with Treatment