[Trauma and psychosis in german psychiatry - a historical analysis].
OBJECTIVE
The paper reports an historical analysis of the debate on trauma and psychosis in German psychiatry.


METHODS
Content analysis of five leading German psychiatric journals between 1889 and 2005.


RESULTS
A substantial number of publications until the late 1960s addressed different aspects of potential links between trauma and subsequent psychosis. Papers exclusively focused on traumatic experience in adulthood. Most papers showed a negative attitude towards the idea of traumatic experiences causing psychosis.


CONCLUSIONS
The debate on psychological trauma and psychosis refers to a long tradition in German psychiatry. Whilst the discussion contributed significantly to concepts and classifications of psychotic illnesses, it did not generate a coherent model for the potential association of trauma and subsequent psychotic disorder.
Unit for Social and Community Psychiatry, Queen Mary University of London.
Ruth
R
Kloocke
Heinz-Peter
HP
Schmiedebach
Stefan
S
Priebe
D005858:Germany; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D010506:Periodicals as Topic / Q000266:history*; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000266:history*; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000266:history*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000266:history*