World War II and Beyond Flashcards
After WWII, psychoanalysis became dominant in psychiatry, why was that?
Because of the perceived success of psychoanalysis on the frontlines – not based on any research.
The changes in psychiatry around the 1940s were based on what? Research?
No, not on research but changes in diagnosis and theories in psychiatry reflected the broader philosophical assumptions and political views at the time.
In psychiatry, it is understood that social factors matter in the progression or development of mental illness. How is this seen in other fields, such as medicine?
This is seen in medicine, for example, in the people diagnosed with tuberculosis. That diagnosis is dependent on social factors as well.
Between 1940 and 1942 an idea called ‘selection predisposition’ became prominent in the American army, what does this mean?
It’s the idea that people with a predisposition for mental illness would not be selected for the army.
How was ‘selection predisposition’ implemented in the American army?
Psychiatrists would ask people questions that assessed their levels of adjustment and maladjustment. Answers that reflected maladjustment were periods of unemployment (although that was common because of the depression), being a delinquent during highschool, etc.
What did ‘selection predisposition’ mean for the ability to serve in the American army? Were these guidelines maintained?
It meant that the number of things that disqualified someone from being in the army increased but it did not last, as America needed more and more soldiers.
What were the later implications of ‘selection predisposition’ for the American army?
The soldiers who were newly conscripted had much less training compared to countries like Germany.
Compared to Germany and other countries, America had much less training and equipment for WWII, what did this mean for the mental health of the American army?
The Americans were ill-prepared and there was huge mental breakdown.
In 1943, it became obvious that many American soldiers were experiencing mental breakdowns, so what was implemented to help treat these soldiers?
PIES was implemented, a treatment that involves ‘proximity, immediacy, expectancy & simplicity’.
How was PIES implemented? And did it work?
Soldiers were given a drug that puts them into a sleepy state, and they were forced to talk about and reexperience their trauma. For many, their symptoms of stress decreased – only to reoccur later on.
There were many differences in psychiatry before and after WWII. For example, before 1943 practitioners treated ___ individuals under ___ circumstances, and after 1943 practitioners treated ___ individuals under ___ circumstances.
Before 1943 practitioners treated abnormal individuals under normal circumstances, and after 1943 practitioners treated normal individuals under extraordinary circumstances.
Before WWII, it was understood that some individuals may have a mental breakdown. During the war, it was believed that…?
… every man has his breaking point; it is not who but when.
Why was WWII considered more taxing and difficult than WWI?
Because in WWII attacks could come from anywhere at anytime and attacks in the air were more common and difficult to defend.
Samuel Stouffer had new beliefs about what contributed to mental breakdowns during war, what was his perspective?
Samuel Stouffer had a public health perspective on mental breakdown during war. He believed that mental health was tied to morale, which needed to be boosted in many different ways.
In the American army, during WWII, it was considered that if mental breakdowns were high it indicated that… ?
Morale was low.
What factors were believed to contribute to morale in the American army? How were these implemented?
Trust and belief in the war, by spreading ideas of liberty. Trusting in one’s own ability and equipment (which they didn’t compared to the nazis). Trusting in the friends around you.
It was decided that one’s comrades were an important motivating force in creating morale for each soldier. Give two reasons as to why this seemed evident?
Because soldiers would often break down when their friends were killed AND, replacement soldiers, who had no bond to the group yet, were often killed quickly.
Belief in the war was considered an important motivator for morale in the American army, how was this observed?
Well, it is evident that the nazis believed in the war, but the Americans didn’t.
