Am J Psychiatry 1975; 132:1182-1186
Copyright © 1975 by American Psychiatric Association
Psychiatry in Spain: past and present
J Chatel and B Joe
The authors discuss the contributions and history of psychiatry in Spain on
the basis of extensive literature review and on-site observations. The
history of Spanish psychiatry is a rich one, including pioneering efforts
in the establishment of mental institutions and a strong traditional
alliance between psychiatry and literature. However, the authors note that
Spanish psychiatrists today are less innovative than their counterparts in
other countries. They emphasize the historical and cultural context of the
discipline, with illustrations of the importance of the church, attitudes
toward the family, and other sociocultural factors.
