title: A social paradigm in psychiatry - themes and perspectives.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Psychiatry as science is underpinned by paradigms. Considering whether a social paradigm may help to advance the current state of psychiatry, the review provides a reference to the rich, but fragmented past of related initiatives in the history of psychiatry and a personal view of themes, challenges and perspectives of using a social paradigm in psychiatry.
  
  
  METHODS
  Major themes are the evidence on social determinants of mental health; the value-based importance of integrating people with mental disorders in society; options to overcome the social isolation and improve the networks of psychiatric patients; utilising a systemic approach for interventions in families and communities; and understanding group and one-to-one treatments in psychiatry primarily as social interactions. Whilst all these themes open up perspectives for future action and/or research, there are also conceptual challenges through the limitations of the current construct of mental disorders and the dominating terminology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Initiatives for using a social paradigm in psychiatry may refer to important achievements in the past, but need to go beyond this and consider on-going societal changes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Innovation may benefit from close collaboration with social sciences and humanities.
authors.affiliation: Unit for Social & Community Psychiatry (WHO Collaborating Centre for Mental Health Service Development, Queen Mary University of London).
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Priebe
mesh_terms: D006809:Humanities; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders; D011570:Psychiatry; D012942:Social Sciences
keywords: interactions; mental health care; social constructs; social determinants; social networks; social paradigm; social psychiatry