CSPP Doctoral Student Kirk Ditterich's Newsworthy Dissertation: What Motivates Mountain Climbers to Risk Death and Injury?
San Francisco, December 21, 2006 — In 1986, seven students and two teachers on a school trip froze to death while retreating from a storm on Oregon’s Mount Hood. In 2002, three bodies were retrieved from the mountain top. And on Wednesday, December 20, 2006, after locating one body, the local Sheriff ended a rescue mission to retrieve two more men from yet another climbing party on the dangerous but alluring climbing spot. "It’s a calculated risk," said CSPP PsyD student Kirk Ditterich, on the phone from Central Washington University, where he’s completing his APA pre-doctoral internship at the university's Counseling Center. "There is no avoidance or denial with climbing. You know the risks and you say ‘I’m going to be okay with this.’” Ditterich has been taking calculated risks since his first climb in 1995. He also worked as an Adventure Guide for Christian Adventures, where he taught some basic climbing skills and led cycling and backpacking expeditions through Wyoming, Montana, Utah, Michigan, and Northwest Canada. His progression, from climber to psychologist, is an inversion of Alliant International University’s usual hands-on method of developing professional practitioners. Ditterich enjoyed climbing first, and through his dissertation, entitled "Unconscious Coping of Mountain Climbers: Empirical study of ego defenses," He has uncovered a theory behind the risky sport, that explores the relationship between the ego Defense of intellectualization and positive attitudes towards climbing. "I loved it when I first started climbing in the mid 90's,” says Ditterich. “It was very exciting and challenging; however, there is a big difference between climbing in theory and in the real world. It seems really exciting, which may be why the Mt. Hood climbers got into it. But the reality, when you’re out there, it’s cold, dangerous, and it can be expensive and disappointing." After the initial climb, the first frostbite, the first injury, how do climbers find it in themselves to ascend again? Through Ditterich’s dissertation research he’s found that some of the psychological tools which allow for everyday interactions are the same tools that allow a climber to, well, climb. They’re called ego-defenses. "Ego Defenses protect us from falling apart under stressful situations," he says. "Regression, intellectualizing, humor. Without these defenses people would be frightened all day." Ditterich has climbed his personal mountains with fewer tools than most, but his progression has not been impeded by his learning disability. His journey has taken him from Michigan to India, each stop a place for him to train and grow, and most importantly, help others. At Alliant, Nina Ghiselli, PsyD, Coordinator of Disability Services and his Thesis Chair and Co-chair Dr. Chris Tori and Dr. Ed Bourg have encouraged Ditterich to work with his disability, empowering him and encouraging him to use accommodations for reading and writing, which he still uses to this day. "Between Dr. Tori and Dr. Bourg, I’ve taken on an integrated philosophy about psychology. It’s not all about science or just about emotional work. There’s a combination." Following graduation next spring, Ditterich hopes to end up at a university psychological center. "It could be anyplace," says Ditterich, "as long as it’s near mountains." Contact Information Nicolette Toussaint
Assistant Vice President for Communications
Office: 415/955-2037
Cell (after noon on 12/22): 415/794-6956
ntoussaint@alliant.edu
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