Psychiatry in Spain: past and present.

The authors discuss the contributions and history of psychiatry in Spain on the basis of extensive literature review and on-site observations. The history of Spanish psychiatry is a rich one, including pioneering efforts in the establishment of mental institutions and a strong traditional alliance between psychiatry and literature. However, the authors note that Spanish psychiatrists today are less innovative than their counterparts in other countries. They emphasize the historical and cultural context of the discipline, with illustrations of the importance of the church, attitudes toward the family, and other sociocultural factors.