J. K. Wing

Wer die Sozialpsychiatrie als ein eigensUindiges und losgelostes Fach ansieht, tragt dazu bei, daB der verbleibende Bereich der Psychiatrie als unsozial bezeichnet wird. Diese einseitige Polari sierung, die dem psychisch Kranken eher schadet als niitzt, gehort hoffentlich zu den verganglichen Modeerscheinungen unserer Zeit. Die Sozialpsychiatrie ist nach wie vor fester Bestandteil des Kembereichs der Psychiatrie, lediglich die soziale Perspektive wird etwas starker berucksichtigt als die iibrigen psychiatrischen Teilgebiete. Wiirden wir die somato-und psychotherapeutischen Erklarungs-und Behandlungsmoglichkeiten bei der Begegnung mit psychisch Kranken vemachlassigen zugunsten einer einseitig begrenzten Sozialperspektive, so wiirden wir unseren wissen schaftlich gewachsenen Boden zum Schaden der uns anvertrau ten psychisch kranken Menschen verlassen. Nicht einseitige Pola risierung sondem nur sinnvolle Integration der vielfaltigen und interessanten Teilbereiche unseres Faches kann zur angemesse nen Gewichtung der einzelnen Perspektiven fUhren, die dann im richtigen Mischungsverhaltnis gebiindelt dem individuellen psy chiatrisch Kranken als Hilfe angeboten werden sollten. Prof. Dr. J. K. Wing, der in der Fachwelt als einer der hervorra gendsten Wissenschaftler auf dem Gebiet der Sozialpsychiatrie gilt, ist die Integration dieses Teilbereichs in das Gesamtgebaude der Psychiatrie in seinem Buch beispielhaft gelungen. Aus einer Fiille von Konzepten und Theorien stellt er diejenigen vor, die den starksten EinfluB auf die Psychiatrie genommen haben. Un beirrbar diskutiert er empirisch gewonnene, zufallskritisch iiber prufte Grundlagen, die allein iiber das Schicksal einer Idee, einer Theorie oder einer Ideologie im psychiatrischen Feld entschei den."

This book was published in 1974 as a guide to a method of partially standardising the assessment of a subject's mental state with the object of achieving greater comparability between different examiners. The basis of the technique is a glossary of definitions of symptoms which is firmly grounded in the European school of psychiatry, with its long tradition of clinical observation and emphasis on the importance of listening to the a patient's description of unusual experiences. The definitions clearly set out the experiences which constitute psychiatric symptoms. An interview technique - the Present State Examination - which allows the symptoms to be elicited and reliably recorded is descried. The system was developed over a period of a decade and was still evolving at the time of this book's publication. The importance of this book lies in the fact that it shows how much the subjective element of psychiatric diagnosis may be brought under control.

This book studies the relationship between institutionalism and schizophrenia in the lives of mental patients. The authors observed schizophrenic patients in three different mental hospitals over a period of eight years. Their conclusions are important for the better management of institutions and for the future of extra-mural mental health services. The lives of long-term schizophrenic patients are strictly limited by their institutionalised environments, which often produce negative effects. For example, patients are especially vulnerable to social understimulation, reacing with apathy and withdrawal. On the positive side, symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations may actually decrease during institutionalisation. The interesting approach to the positive and negative effects of institutionalisation on schizophrenics will give this book a wide readership in psychiatry, social psychology and the social sciences as well as among social workers, nurses and occupational therapists.

This book studies the relationship between institutionalism and schizophrenia in the lives of mental patients. The authors observed schizophrenic patients in three different mental hospitals over a period of eight years. Their conclusions are important for the better management of institutions and for the future of extra-mural mental health services. The lives of long-term schizophrenic patients are strictly limited by their institutionalised environments, which often produce negative effects. For example, patients are especially vulnerable to social understimulation, reacing with apathy and withdrawal. On the positive side, symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations may actually decrease during institutionalisation. The interesting approach to the positive and negative effects of institutionalisation on schizophrenics will give this book a wide readership in psychiatry, social psychology and the social sciences as well as among social workers, nurses and occupational therapists.