Am J Psychiatry 1990; 147:1267-1274
Copyright © 1990 by American Psychiatric Association
Turning points in twentieth-century American psychiatry
M Sabshin
American Psychiatric Association, Washington, DC 20005.
The author examines four major turning points in twentieth-century American
psychiatry, emphasizing the movement during the post-World War II period
toward a psychotherapeutic/psychoanalytic approach and the emergence of
biological psychiatry, neuroscience, and logical positivism during the
1970s and 1980s. He discusses the impact of Adolf Meyer during the
mid-twentieth century and his ongoing influence. The final turning point
involves a prediction of a late twentieth-century change, including new
directions in nosology, emphasis on combined
pharmacotherapeutic/psychotherapeutic treatments, efforts to create
alternatives to full inpatient care, better outcome data for psychiatric
treatments, and beginning resolution of major boundary problems of current
practice.
