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"Special article" in honor of the bicentennial year 1776-1976
Child Psychiatry and Human Development
|January 1, 1976
Insights
Historically, America
Area of Science:
- Child Psychiatry
- Mental Health History
- American Social History
Background:
- Reviewing the history of child mental illness in America.
- Examining the nation's development alongside the mental health of its children.
Observation:
- Children's mental health has often been overlooked.
- National priorities may not have adequately addressed the needs of emotionally disturbed children.
Findings:
- A historical review indicates a potential neglect of children's mental health.
- Societal progress has not consistently correlated with improved child mental well-being.
Implications:
- Future national priorities should emphasize child mental health.
- An enlightened approach is needed for emotionally disturbed children.
Abstract:
During this bicentennial year it is worthwhile to review the history of children who have suffered from mental illness during the course of America's movement from a small colony to a major "superpower." The lesson to be found in the history of these children suggests that perphaps our major priorities were not the mental health of children. Hopefully America's next bicentennial celebration will reveal a more enlightened attitude and concern for emotionally disturbed children.