The American journal of orthopsychiatry
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Am J Orthopsychiatry · Jan 1980
From hospitals to jails: the fate of California's deinstitutionalized mentally ill.
This paper describes a shift of mentally ill persons from custodial care in state institutions during the 1960s to prosecution in criminal courts during the 1970s. The shift is attributed to the unforeseen clinical needs of this new outpatient population, the inability of community mental health centers to meet these needs, and the changes in mental health laws, specifically their emphasis on the concept of dangerousness.
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The impact of the telephone upon the practice of medicine and psychiatry is reviewed. As an exclusively auditory medium, the telephone conveys meaningful vocal information while screening out visual and other stimuli. It is suggested that some highly anxious and unstable individuals, who find psychotherapy too threatening, may benefit from telephone contact with a therapist. An illustrative case of telephone therapy is presented.
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Am J Orthopsychiatry · Apr 1979
Case ReportsThe role of some birth-related variables in father attachment.
Forty-six middle-income couples planning different childbirth methods--natural hospital delivery; home delivery; hospital delivery with anesthesia--were studied from the sixth month of pregnancy until six months after the birth. The father's participation in the birth and his attitude toward it were found to constitute the most significant variable in predicting father attachment. prenatal education and structuring of the birth environment are suggested to obtain maximum participation and involvement of fathers.
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This paper reviews recent literature relating to effects on mother-infant attachment of events during pregnancy, birth, and the post-partum period. It is suggested that, for the sake of the physical and emotional well-being of child and mother, medical and technological interventions be held to a minimum during this time. Recommendations are made for the restructuring of routine professional practice.