Robert Palmer Knight (July 18, 1902 – April 30, 1966) was an American psychoanalyst. He served as the medical director of the Austen Riggs Center from 1947 until his death in 1966.

Early life

Knight was born on July 18, 1902, in Urbana, Ohio to William James Knight and Florence Dempcy Knight. He graduated from

Oberlin College Oberlin College is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college and conservatory of music in Oberlin, Ohio. It is the oldest Mixed-sex education, coeducational liberal arts college in the United S ...

. He earned his medical degree from Northwestern University.

Career

Knight served his psychiatric residency at the Menninger Clinic. He later became the clinic's chief of staff, and continued to work there until 1947, when he was appointed as medical director of the Austen Riggs Center. During his time there, he dedicated much of his attention to

borderline personality disorder Borderline personality disorder (BPD), also known as emotionally unstable personality disorder (EUPD), is a personality disorder characterized by a long-term pattern of unstable interpersonal relationships, distorted sense of self, and strong ...

. He remained medical director there until his death in 1966. He served as president of the American Psychoanalytic Association from 1945 to 1946.

Death

Knight died of lung cancer on April 30, 1966, in

Stockbridge, Massachusetts Stockbridge is a town in Berkshire County in Western Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,018 at the 2020 census. A year-round resort area, Stockbridge is h ...

. At the time of his death, he was married to Adele Baroudi Knight, with whom he had two daughters and a son. He also had three sons from a previous marriage. He was buried in Stockbridge Cemetery.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Knight, Robert Palmer 1902 births 1966 deaths People from Urbana, Ohio American psychoanalysts Oberlin College alumni Northwestern University alumni Austen Riggs Center physicians 20th-century American psychologists