The Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry (GAP) is an American professional organization of psychiatrists dedicated to shaping psychiatric thinking, public programs and clinical practice in mental health. Its 29 committees meet semi-annually and choose their own topics for exploration. They explore issues and ideas on the frontiers of psychiatry and in applying psychiatric insights into general medical, social, and interpersonal problems.

History of GAP

GAP was part of a larger move toward professionalization of the field.Richardson, Theresa R. (1989). ''The Century of the Child: The Mental Hygiene Movement and Social Policy in the United States and Canada.'' SUNY Press, GAP was founded in May 1946 by a group of young psychiatrists who had served in

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

. They returned to the U.S. to find an inadequate system of civilian care and were impatient with the traditionalism of the

American Psychiatric Association The American Psychiatric Association (APA) is the main professional organization of psychiatrists and trainee psychiatrists in the United States, and the largest psychiatric organization in the world. It has more than 37,000 members are involv ...

(which had originally been founded as an association of asylum superintendent).History of the American Psychiatric Association from th
APA website
/ref> GAP was formed under the leadership of Dr. William C. MenningerWilliam Menninger
in the Menninger Family Archives from Kansas State Historical Society. and the "young turks" in American psychiatry who were eager to professionalize the field.Shorter, Edward (1997). ''A History of Psychiatry: From the Era of the Asylum to the Age of Prozac.'' John Wiley and Sons, Menninger wrote:

The organization of GAP was not a revolution. With the deepest sincerity, the founding group was seeking a way in which American psychiatry could give more forceful leadership, both medically and socially. Although the name may sound presumptuous, it was chosen because of the sense of great urgency that psychiatry should advance, and the belief that by hard work, and teamwork, we could help it do so. Those early years of GAP were marked by the feeling on the part of its membership that much needed to be done, and quickly.

Publications

GAP's first published report (by the Committee on Therapy) was on the "promiscuous and indiscriminate use of electro-shock therapy."Menninger, WC (1948). Notices and Bulletins. ''Psychosomatic medicine'' 10(1): 54-56

/ref> GAP's formulated policy to discuss controversial psychosocial issues was announced in 1950, in the Committee on Social Issues' Report, ''The Social Responsibility of Psychiatry, A Statement of Orientation''.Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry, Committee on Social Issues. (1950). ''The Social Responsibility of Psychiatry, A Statement of Orientation''. New York: Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry. In that Report, the Committee noted that two factors had been influential in causing diverse social problems in psychiatry: the role of prejudice in determining attitudes towards social problems and the sparse knowledge about the relationship between society and personality. In this pioneering document, the Committee on Social Issues emphasized the social responsibility of psychiatry. It made a number of suggestions for broadening the conceptual framework of psychiatry to include: "redefinition of the concept of mental illness, emphasizing those dynamic principles which pertain to the person's interaction with society ... examination of the social factors which contribute to the causation of mental illness and also influence its course and outcome ... consideration of the specific group psychological phenomena which are relevant, in a positive sense, to community mental health ... the development of criteria for social action, relevant to the promotion of individual and community mental health." By 1955 the group was advocating an "objective critical attitude should orient the field.Lane, Christopher (2007). ''Shyness: How Normal Behavior Became a Sickness.'' Yale University Press, GAP continued to produce position statements on relevant and controversial psychiatric issues such as

abortion Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. An abortion that occurs without intervention is known as a miscarriage or "spontaneous abortion"; these occur in approximately 30% to 40% of pre ...

,Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry. (1969). The right to abortion: A psychiatric view. drug use,Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry. (1971). Drug misuse; A psychiatric view of a modern dilemma. New York: Scribner.

sex crimes Sex and the law deals with the regulation by law of human sexual activity. Sex laws vary from one place or jurisdiction to another, and have varied over time. Unlawful sexual acts are called sex crimes. Some laws regarding sexual activity are ...

,Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry. (1977). Psychiatry and sex psychopath legislation, the 30s to the 80s. New York: Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry.

school desegregation School integration in the United States is the process (also known as desegregation) of ending race-based segregation within American public and private schools. Racial segregation in schools existed throughout most of American history and rema ...

,Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry. (1957). Psychiatric aspects of school desegregation. Report (Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry).

loyalty oath A loyalty oath is a pledge of allegiance to an organization, institution, or state of which an individual is a member. In the United States, such an oath has often indicated that the affiant has not been a member of a particular organization or ...

s,Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry. (1954). Considerations regarding the loyalty oath as a manifestation of current social tension and anxiety. Topeka, Kans: The Group. nuclear energy,Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry. (1960). The psychological and medical aspects of the use of nuclear energy. New York: The Group. and euthanasia.Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry. (1973). The right to die: decision and decision makers. Its "Report on homosexuality with particular emphasis on this problem in governmental agencies" (1955) criticized "witch hunts" against homosexuals working in the U.S. government.Rosario, VA (2002) ''Homosexuality and Science: A Guide to the Debates''. Santa Barbara: ABC Clio, pp. 122-123. and the purging of homosexuals from the government.Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry. (1955). Report on homosexuality with particular emphasis on this problem in governmental agencies.

Membership

GAP is composed of over 200 leaders in psychiatry who meet twice a year to debate and think through pertinent issues in psychiatry. In over 50 years, GAP has shared Presidents with other national psychiatric organizations including: The

, the

American College of Psychiatrists The American College of Psychiatrists is an American association of psychiatrists based in Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates ...

, and the

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit professional association in the United States dedicated to facilitating psychiatric care for children and adolescents. The Academy is headquartered in Wa ...

. GAP has researchers recognized nationally and internationally in the areas of

addiction Addiction is a neuropsychological disorder characterized by a persistent and intense urge to engage in certain behaviors, one of which is the usage of a drug, despite substantial harm and other negative consequences. Repetitive drug use o ...

geriatrics Geriatrics, or geriatric medicine, is a medical specialty focused on providing care for the unique health needs of older adults. The term ''geriatrics'' originates from the Greek γέρων ''geron'' meaning "old man", and ιατρός ''iatros ...

child and adolescent psychiatry Child and adolescent psychiatry (or pediatric psychiatry) is a branch of psychiatry that focuses on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental disorders in children, adolescents, and their families. It investigates the biopsychosocial fac ...

terrorism Terrorism, in its broadest sense, is the use of criminal violence to provoke a state of terror or fear, mostly with the intention to achieve political or religious aims. The term is used in this regard primarily to refer to intentional violen ...

and

academics An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary or tertiary higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membership). The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, ...

Selected publications

* GAP, Committee on Addictions (2002). "Responsibility and Choice in Addiction," Short Report 22. ''Psychiatric Services'' 53(6). * GAP, Committee on Adolescence. (1996). "Adolescent Suicide," Report 140. * GAP, Committee on Adolescence. "Violent Behavior in Children and Youth: Preventive Intervention From A Psychiatric Perspective," Short Report 15, 1999, ''American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry'' * GAP, Committee on Aging (2002). "Mental Health Problems in Assisted Living Residents." Short Report 23. ''Geriatrics'' 58(2). * GAP, Committee on Aging. (2001). "Failure to Adequately Detect Suicidal Intent in Elderly Patients in the Primary Care Setting," Short Report 17. ''Clinical Geriatrics'' 9(7). * GAP, Committee on Aging. (2000). "Schizophrenia and Older Adults an Overview: Directors for Research and Policy," Short Report 16. ''American Journal of Geriatrics'' 8(1). * GAP, Committee on Child Psychiatry. (1999). "In the Long Run ... Longitudinal Studies of Psychopathology in Children," Report 143. * GAP, Committee on Cultural Psychiatry. (2001). "Cultural Assessment in Clinical Psychiatry," Report 145. * GAP, Committee on Government Policy. (1994). "Forced into Treatment: The Role of Coercion in Clinical Practice," Report 137. * GAP, Committee on Handicaps. (1992). "Caring for People with Physical Impairment: The Journey Back," Report 135. * GAP, Committee on Human Sexuality. (2000). ''Homosexuality and the mental health professions: The impact of bias''. Hillsdale, NJ: Analytic Press. * GAP, Committee on International Relations.. (1987). "Us and Them: The Psychology of Ethnonationalism," Report 123. * GAP, Committee on Medical Education. (1982). "Survival Manual for Medical Students," Report 108. * GAP, Committee on Preventive Psychiatry. (1989). "Psychiatric Prevention and Family Life Cycle: Risk Reduction by Frontline Practitioners," Report 127. * GAP, Committee on Psychiatry and Law. (2018). Family Murder: Pathologies of Love and Hate (ed. Susan Hatters-Friedman). * GAP, Committee on Psychiatry and Law. (2019). rom Courtroom to Clinic: Legal Cases that Changed Mental Health Treatment (ed. Peter Ash). Cambridge University Press. * GAP, Committee on Psychiatry and Religion. (1992). "Leaders and Followers: A Psychiatric Perspective on Religious Cults," Report 132. * GAP, Committee on Psychopathology. (2001) "Reexamination of Therapist Self Disclosure," Short Report 19. ''Psychiatric Services'' 52(11). * GAP, Committee on Public Education. (1974). "The Joys and Sorrows of Parenthood," Report 84.

References

External links

Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry
homepage {{DEFAULTSORT:Group For The Advancement Of Psychiatry Mental health organizations in the United States Organizations established in 1946 Health care-related professional associations based in the United States