| Summary: | "This volume is a historical analysis of the reciprocal relationship of psychology and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). As a historical volume, the book provides important insights into the remarkable expansion of psychology since World War II and illuminates the role of government in shaping the lives and practices of its citizens through its funding of research, training, and service. It is also meant to serve as a resource for scholars who wish to write more specialized histories of post-World War II psychology and government. There has been little historical work that offers a compelling analysis of the forces that have given such a psychological cast to the last 50 years. This volume focuses on issues of mental health policy, support of research through the extensive grants programs, training for research and practice, and the expanded support of mental health services by the federal government, each of which had important consequences for the discipline of psychology. In turn, government policy and practices were changed by the involvement of psychologists as science administrators. The chapters are arranged in four sections: "Part I: Introduction and Historical Overview", "Part II: NIMH Support of Psychological Science", "Part III: Training Psychologists for Science and Practice", and "Part IV: Psychologists on Site: Practice and Community." Thus, each of the main functions of NIMH are examined for their influence on psychology. The various chapters in this book give an indication of the range of impact of the NIMH on psychology and the key roles that psychologists played at NIMH. This volume fills a significant gap in our understanding of the development of current psychological science and practice, and it links that development to the emergent relationship of psychology and government"--Chapter. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2005 APA, all rights reserved).
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