Evolving views of mental disorders and their treatment
A. I. Leshner
National Institute of Mental Health, Rockville, MD.
During the past three decades, research advances in the biomedical and
behavioral sciences have converged to revolutionize--or rather
"evolutionize"--public and professional views of the etiology and treatment
of mental disorders. As Sabshin has observed, at long last science has
replaced ideology as the foundation for understanding and designing
treatments for these disorders. One might also add that, at long last,
science is providing solid support for the biopsychosocial approach long
espoused by family physicians and many mental health clinicians and
researchers.
