Psychology and Mental Health: A Contribution to Developmental Psychology

First published in 1950, Psychology and Mental Health describes the origin of behaviour disorders and the psychoneuroses especially as regards their causes in early childhood. Most psychologists agree that such disorders as hysteria, sex perversion, the obsessions and anxiety states, as well as many behaviour disorders and delinquencies, find their roots in childhood experiences. If this is the case it should be possible to prevent them from developing into full-blown neurotic disorders which may take years to cure.

The purpose of this book is to describe the early causes of these disorders with a view to their treatment, but more particularly with a view to their prevention. As mental health is the concern not only of the doctor but of the parson and the priest, of the teacher and the parent, this book is written in non-technical language as far as the demands of accuracy will allow. It embodies the result of over thirty years’ experience in the treatment of patients suffering from these disorders, and the views here maintained, which differ somewhat from the other analytic schools, are illustrated with clinical examples throughout. This book is a reissue originally published in 1950. The language used reflects its era and no offence is meant by the Publishers to any reader by this republication.