This lesson introduces the prevalence of mental illness and examines how people with psychological disorders were understood and treated in earlier periods. Learning this history helps explain why modern care emphasizes evidence, dignity, and humane treatment.
Mental illness affects people across age groups. In 2017, an estimated 18.9% of U.S. adults experienced mental illness. Rates among teens ages 13–18 were similar to those among adults, while approximately 13% of children ages 8–15 experienced mental illness in a given year.
All flashcards
What is deinstitutionalization?
The shift away from large, long-term institutions toward community-based care and support.
What does mental health parity mean?
Insurance requirements and treatment limits for mental health care cannot be more restrictive than those for medical and surgical care.
How did Philippe Pinel advocate for humane treatment?
At La Salpêtrière in 1795, he had patients unchained and spoke with them.
What was Dorothea Dix's role in mental health reform?
She investigated abuses and lobbied lawmakers for changes to the treatment of people with mental illness.
What is voluntary treatment?
Treatment a person chooses to seek, often to relieve symptoms.
Quiz questions
What did Philippe Pinel do at La Salpêtrière in 1795?Answer: Had patients unchained and spoke with them.
What was central to Dorothea Dix's mental health reform work?Answer: Investigating abuses and lobbying for institutional reform.
What does psychosis involve?Answer: A loss of contact with reality, sometimes involving hallucinations or delusions.
What does the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 require?Answer: Comparable insurance rules for mental health and substance-use benefits and medical and surgical benefits.
When is psychiatric hospitalization generally used?Answer: When someone is an imminent threat to themselves or others.
Based on Psychology 2e by Rose M. Spielman, William J. Jenkins, Marilyn D. Lovett (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.