The Sociology of Mental Illness

Written by one of the foremost psychiatric sociologist in the U.S. and Europe, this state-of-the-art guide organizes all of the research conducted in psychiatric sociology to date as it examines the critical role played by social forces associated with mental illness—including diagnosis, causality, social epidemiology, stigma, and treatment, as well as the personal suffering of the mentally ill and their families. Dissects all of the issues about the sociology of mental illness, and includes numerous references to the latest 2001 studies, including recent author inquiries into social class, schizophrenia, and sexual predators. Moves chronologically and logically through each major conceptual/cultural issue in psychiatric sociology, establishing the important groundwork before moving on to more sophisticated topics (i.e., begins with influence of social stressors, then continues with causes and symptoms of mental illness, social epidemiology of mental illness, and patienthood). Now weaves theme of social stress theory throughout and examines it every possible angle—from the microsocial world of the family to the macrosocial environment of culture, economy and war—providing readers with a common foundation to help them better understand the many and diverse complexities of the world of mental illness. Presents many intriguing real-life case studies throughout. For psychiatric sociologists and mental health instructors in nursing schools and social work programs.