CHAPTER  18

Contemporary Issues in Abnormal Psychology

Previous chapters have catalogued the many forms of mental disorders and have briefly described various treatment programs, most of which focus either directly on the patient or involve only immediate family members. Chapter 18, by contrast, describes programs and research that are focused at the broader societal level in order to attempt to prevent maladaptive behavior from occurring in the first place. This chapter tackles some of the more controversial legal and ethical issues surrounding psychopathology. For example, what consitutes sufficient grounds to commit a person to a mental institution? What are a patient's rights? How is "dangerousness" defined and assessed? What should a therapist do when told that a patient is planning to harm another person? Does insanity at the time of a crime preclude or absolve guilty intent? The chapter also discusses how the U.S. government, professional and volunteer agencies, and world organizations are involved in improving mental health. Finally, Chapter 18 discusses the neglect of patients' needs associated with managed health care and deinstitutionalization, as well as challenges for the future, the need for societal planning, and the importance of individual contributions.

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