This volume contains a collection of papers dealing with both the prevention of mental illness and the promotion of psychological health. The contributions cover a spectrum of topics from the preventive effects of intervention in childhood to a range of issues relating to the implementation of preventive programmes. Primary, secondary and tertiary prevention are all represented in the book. The editors take the view that prevention of psychiatric illness should not be limited to psychosocial methods but should also include biological methods which have proven to be effective.
Psychosocial aspects of preventive psychiatry, F. Lieh Mak; genetic
counselling for major psychiatric disorders, G.N. Papadimitriou; preventing
adult psychopathology with interventions in childhood, P. Graham; the
preventive effect of early interventions, J. Tsiantis; school drop-outs in
Greece - is it true that Greek adolescents reject school?, R. Papatheophilou
et al; prevention of postnatal mental illness - sociocultural facets, J.L.
Cox; prevention of postoperative anxiety and depression, A. Voulgari et al;
self-destructive behaviour - risk factors and preventive principles, E.C.
Dimitriou et al; suicides in a large psychiatric hospital - risk factors for
schizophrenic patients, B.J. Havaki-Kontaxaki et al; telephone helpline unit
in Athens - differences between women and men suicidal callers, V.P.
Kontaxakis et al; treatment of recurrent unipolar depressions - psychological
and biological aspects, H. Dufour; maintenance antipsychotic therapy and
civil commitment, B. Alevizos et al; Greek psychiatric reform - perspectives
and limitations, G.S. Kaprinis; problems in tertiary prevention - then and
now, G.C. Lyketsos; decentralization of mental health services in Greece,
1979-82 and 1989-92, M.G. Madianos et al; Leros deinstitutionalization
programme - psychopathological parameters in sheltered care residents, G.N.
Christodoulou et al; the role of psychiatry in the renewal of medical
education, H.J. Walton; personality characteristics of psychiatric trainees,
G.N. Chrtistodoulou et al; civilization and mental health - suggestions for a
foundation of the concepts, M. Markidis and R. Machera-Markidis.
