The Perspectives of Psychiatry

Substantially revised to include a wealth of new material the second edition of this highly acclaimed work provides a concise coherent introduction that brings structure to an increasingly fragmented and amorphous discipline. Paul R. McHugh and Phillip R. Slavney offer an approach that emphasizes psychiatrys unifying concepts while accommodating its diversity. Recognizing that there may never be a single all-encompassing theory the book distills psychiatric practice into four explanatory methods: diseases dimensions of personality goal-directed behaviors and life stories. These perspectives argue the authors underlie the principles and practice of all psychiatry. With an understanding of these fundamental methods readers will be equipped to organize and evaluate psychiatric information and to develop a confident approach to practice and research.