Melanie Wilson LIS 796 Spring 2010 February 15, 2010 Assignment #1: Journal Proposal

Schizophrenia: The Social Dimension A scholarly journal with a global, multidisciplinary focus

Schizophrenia: The Social Dimension is a peer-reviewed scholarly journal focusing on the various social aspects that affect and are affected in turn by the incidence of schizophrenia among individuals and populations. The journal welcomes contributions from professionals, researchers, and scholars around the world, working in such disciplines as psychiatry, psychology, public health, medical anthropology, literature, philosophy, as well as others. Articles cover topics such as social skills training for those with schizophrenia, the effects of social isolation and social inclusiveness on the well-being of those with schizophrenia, the evolution of the definition of schizophrenia in various cultures, and the ramifications for public health and local economies when members of the community are dealing with this illness. The impetus for creating this journal came about as a result of the World Health Organizations 25 year longitudinal study of the welfare of individuals with schizophrenia in communities around the world. The WHOs findings were surprising: those individuals with schizophrenia in developing nations fared better over the period of the study than those in industrialized nations, despite the fact that those in the industrialized nations had access to psychiatric care and medications that those in the developing nations did not. While the research continues, the WHOs initial conclusion was that social isolation was a significant factor in this difference in outcomes. By and large, in the developing areas, families were involved in the care of the individual with schizophrenia, and the individual was still a

member of the community. In industrialized nations, people diagnosed with schizophrenia are largely isolated, being remanded by their families to the care of medical professionals or left to their own devices. Also, in some developing countries, the symptoms of schizophrenia are interpreted

differently than they are in industrialized nations, and may not always be considered a disease that carries such a stigma. Other research that has inspired the birth of this journal is a strong current interest in teaching social skills training to those with schizophrenia, to address the problems of social isolation. The techniques are based on the idea that people with schizophrenia, because they think and express themselves differently than most people, are unable to understand the same rules of social conduct that the majority take for granted. Others perceive them as different because of the way they react and express themselves, and these issues exacerbate their isolation by causing problems with employers, coworkers, and various social organization to which they must apply for assistance. While there are other scholarly journals reviewing either schizophrenia or psychosocial aspects of mental disorders in general, Schizophrenia: The Social Dimension will be the first journal of its kind, in that while it will publish articles from a wide variety of cultures and disciplines, it will have a more focused scope. Other journals on schizophrenia tend to focus specifically on treatment methods (largely biopsychiatric in nature) and diagnosis; this journal will also examine larger issues of public health, as well as the ways schizophrenia has been viewed in popular culture, public policy, and philosophy, through the lens of sociology. To ensure the wide variety of viewpoints necessary to cover these aspects of the illness and its social concerns, and to ensure the integrity of the journal, the editorial board consists of experts in various disciplines and from various schools of thought. The two chief editors are Dr. E. Fuller Torrey and Dr. Nancy C. Andreasen. Dr. Torrey is a leading researcher in schizophrenia, founder of the nonprofit Treatment Advocacy Center, as well as the author of several best-selling books, including Surviving

Schizophrenia. Dr. Andreasen is the Andrew H. Woods Chair of Psychiatry at the University of Iowa, and is one of the worlds most foremost experts on schizophrenia, being awarded the 2000 National Medal of Science by then president Bill Clinton. Other experts rounding out the editorial board are: Dr. William McFarlane, author of Multifamily Groups in the Treatment of Severe Psychiatric Disorders Shannon L. Sumrall, a medical anthropologist and licensed professional counselor Dr. Alan S. Bellack, Director of the VA Capitol Health Care Network Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC) and co-author of Social Skills Training for Schizophrenia Dr. Kim T. Museuer, Professor in the Departments of Psychiatry and Community and Family Medicine at the Dartmouth Medical School, and co-author of Social Skills Training for Schizophrenia Dr. Daniel Coleman, author of Social Intelligence: The New Science of Relationships Dr. Peter Breggin, writer and activist opposing the overuse of biopsychiatric treatments Hicham Ibrahim and Carol Tamminga, researchers whose focus is on schizophrenia as a syndrome, with component symptom complexes requiring different treatments Schizophrenia: The Social Dimension is a quarterly journal, funded by subscriptions and

advertisements. As there has been much concern over the influence of advertisers, particularly from the pharmaceutical industry, on professionals in medicine and psychology, concerted efforts will be made to evaluate all advertisers and advertisements, to avoid any suspicion of bias. Springer Publishing, our desired partner in this endeavor, produces many other high quality journals in the sciences. Current titles in psychology published by Springer include the Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy, Ethical Human Psychology and Psychiatry, and Beliefs and Values. This journal, focusing on the social aspects of such a

major illness as schizophrenia, with such far-reaching ramifications, will be an excellent complement to these other fine titles, and would further Springer Publishings reputation as a promoter of cutting edge ideas and research.

Work Cited: Chichester)

(World Health Organization. (1979). Schizophrenia: An international follow-up study.