Evaluation of research topic evolution in psychiatry using co-word analysis

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Medical Research
• Bibliometrics

Background:

• The incidence of mental disorders is rapidly increasing, making psychiatry a fast-growing medical discipline.
• Research priorities and foci in psychiatry have evolved significantly over time.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the evolving research foci in psychiatry from 2001 to 2015.
• To identify constant and emerging research trends using scientometrics.

Main Methods:

• Selected articles from 10 high-impact psychiatric journals listed in the Science Citation Index (SCI).
• Analyzed articles published between 2001 and 2015 using information visualization software for co-word and clustering analyses.
• Divided the study into three periods: 2001-2005, 2006-2010, and 2011-2015.

Main Results:

• Child and adolescent psychiatry, major depression, schizophrenia, and prefrontal cortex were consistent research foci throughout the study period.
• The brain and meta-analysis emerged as new research areas, while research on symptoms showed a decrease.
• Molecular genetics also became a notable area of research interest.

Conclusions:

• Scientometric visualization provides valuable insights into research trends and developmental rules in psychiatry.
• Co-word analysis aids in identifying emerging topics and innovative research directions.
• Future research should broaden scope and employ diverse methodologies for richer findings.