Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2008;7(2):113-6.
doi: 10.1002/j.2051-5545.2008.tb00172.x.

The roots of the concept of mental health

José Bertolote  1
Affiliations

The roots of the concept of mental health

José Bertolote. World Psychiatry. 2008.

Abstract

This paper reviews the origins of the current concept of mental health, starting from the mental hygiene movement, initiated in 1908 by consumers of psychiatric services and professionals interested in improving the conditions and the quality of treatment of people with mental disorders. The paper argues that, more than a scientific discipline, mental health is a political and ideological movement involving diverse segments of society, interested in the promotion of the human rights of people with mental disorders and the quality of their treatment.

Keywords: Mental health; history; human rights; psychiatry; social movements.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Lewis ND. American psychiatry from the beginning to World War II. In: Arieti S, editor. American handbook of psychiatry, 2nd ed. New York: Basic Books; 1974. pp. 28–43.
    1. Rosen G, editor. The history of public health. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press; 1993.
    1. World Health Organization. Mental health: report on the second session of the Expert Committee. Geneva: World Health Organization; 1951.
    1. Beers CW, editor. A mind that found itself. New York: Doubleday, Draw & Co; 1937.
    1. Schneck JM. United States of America. In: Howells JG, editor. World history of psychiatry. New York: Brunner/Mazel; 1975. pp. 432–475.