Shirley Ardell Mason

Shirley Ardell Mason (January 25, 1923 – February 26, 1998) was an American art teacher who was reported to have dissociative identity disorder (previously known as multiple personality disorder).

Shirley Mason graduated from Dodge Center High School in 1942 and became an art student at Mankato State College, now Minnesota State University, Mankato.

These paintings, often referred to as the "Hidden Paintings", span the years 1943, eleven years before starting psychotherapy with Wilbur, to 1965, the year that Wilbur diagnosed her as having her alternate personalities integrated.

Several of the paintings were signed by Mason.

However, many remained unsigned, and include examples of some of the artwork presumably created by, and signed by the alternate personalities.

Flora Rheta Schreiber's non-fiction book Sybil: The True Story of a Woman Possessed by 16 Separate Personalities told a version of Mason's story with names and details changed to protect her anonymity.

In the early 1950s, she was a substitute teacher and a student at Columbia University.

She had long suffered from blackouts and emotional breakdowns, and finally entered psychotherapy with Cornelia B. Wilbur, a Freudian psychiatrist.

Their sessions together are the basis for Flora Schreiber's book on Shirley Mason.

From 1970 to 1971, she taught art at Rio Grande College in Rio Grande, Ohio (now the University of Rio Grande).

Some people in Mason's hometown, reading the book, recognized Mason as Sybil.

By that time, Mason had severed nearly all ties with her past and was living in West Virginia.

She later moved to Lexington, Kentucky, where she lived near Wilbur.

She taught art classes at a community college and ran an art gallery out of her home for many years.

Her life was purportedly described, with adaptations to protect her anonymity, in 1973 in the book Sybil, subtitled The True Story of a Woman Possessed by 16 Separate Personalities.

Two films of the same name were made, one released in 1976 and the other in 2007.

The book was made into a highly acclaimed TV movie, starring Sally Field and Joanne Woodward, in 1976.

Wilbur diagnosed Mason with breast cancer in 1990, and she declined treatment; it later went into remission.

The following year, Wilbur developed Parkinson's disease, and Mason moved into Wilbur's house to take care of her until Wilbur's death in 1992.

Mason was a devout Seventh-day Adventist.

When her breast cancer returned, Mason gave away her books and paintings to friends.

She left the rest of her estate to a Seventh-day Adventist TV minister.

Mason died on February 26, 1998.

Over one hundred paintings were found locked in a closet in Mason's Lexington home when it was being emptied after her estate sale.

In 1998, Sigmund Freud historian Peter J. Swales discovered Sybil's true identity.

Schreiber's book, whose veracity was challenged (e.g., Sybil Exposed by Debbie Nathan ), stated that Mason had multiple personalities as a result of severe child sexual abuse at the hands of her mother, who, Wilbur believed, had schizophrenia.

Both the book and the films used the name Sybil Isabel Dorsett to protect Mason's identity, though the 2007 remake stated Mason's name at its conclusion.

Mason's diagnosis and treatment under Cornelia B. Wilbur have been criticized, with allegations that Wilbur manipulated or misdiagnosed Mason.

Mason herself eventually told her doctor that she did not have multiple personalities and that the symptoms had not been genuine, although whether or not this statement accurately reflected Mason's views later in life remains controversial.

Shirley Mason was born and raised in Dodge Center, Minnesota, the only surviving child of Walter Wingfield Mason (a carpenter and architect) and Martha Alice "Mattie" Atkinson.

In regard to Mason's mother: "...many people in Dodge Center say Mattie" — "Hattie" in the book — "was bizarre," according to Bettie Borst Christensen, who grew up across the street.

"She had a witch-like laugh.... She didn't laugh much, but when she did, it was like a screech."

Christensen remembers Mason's mother walking around after dark, looking in the neighbors' windows.

At one point, Martha Mason was reportedly diagnosed with schizophrenia.

The TV movie was remade in 2007 with Tammy Blanchard and Jessica Lange.

Mason's diagnosis has been challenged.

Psychiatrist Herbert Spiegel saw Mason for several sessions while Wilbur was on vacation and felt that Wilbur was manipulating Mason into behaving as though she had multiple personalities when she did not.

Spiegel suspected Wilbur of having publicized Mason's case for financial gain.

According to Spiegel, Wilbur's client was a hysteric but did not show signs of multiple personalities.

In fact, he later stated that Mason denied to him that she was "multiple" but claimed that Wilbur wanted her to exhibit other personalities.