Darwinian Psychiatry

For years psychiatry has operated without a unified theory of behavior; instead it has spawned a pluralism of approaches--including biomedical psychoanalytic behavioral and sociocultural models--each with radically different explanations for various clinical disorders. In Darwinian Psychiatry Michael T. McGuire and Alfonso Troisiprovide a conceptual framework for integrating many features of prevailing models. Based on Darwinian theory rather than traditional aproaches the book offers clinicians afundamentally new perspective for looking at the etiology pathogenesis diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric disorders. Writing from this innovative theoretical position the authors discuss the origin of pathological conditions the adaptation of symptoms and syndromes the biological basisof social relations and many other key concepts. This groundbreaking book will introduce those who study and are involved in the alleviation of mental suffering to an approach that will lead to radical changes in clinical practice. The authors suggest that when making diagnostic assessments psychiatrists should evaluate not only thepatients' symptoms but also their functional capacities and that therapeutic interventions should work toward the achievement of biological goals. Providing an essential framework for understanding both everyday human behavior anda range of mental disorders Darwinian Psychiatry will appeal to all mental health professionals and general readers interested in human psychology and behavior.