CHILD AND ADOLESCENT-PSYCHIATRY IN SWEDEN - FROM YESTERDAY UNTIL TODAY

In Sweden, child and adolescent psychiatry developed from various fiel ds of science, including pediatrics, pedagogics, psychology, psychiatr y, sociology, and social welfare. The history is almost 100 years old, and there is a strong relationship to pediatrics. In 1951, it became a medical discipline of its own, and was, in 1956, an independent sect ion within the Swedish Society of Medicine. In 1958 the first universi ty chair in this field was located at the Karolinska Institute; today there are four chairs and increasing research. So far, 33 doctoral the ses have been defended, some of which have international standing. By 'inheritance' from pediatrics, there has been a special interest in de veloping longitudinal prospective methods, using multidisciplinary coo peration and observation periods covering 10, 20, or 30 years. In May 1993, the Berzelius Symposium XXVI on ''Mental and psychosocial adapta tion in children - a longitudinal and prospective apporach'' was arran ged by the Swedish Society of Medicine to further support childpsychia tric research. Today, there are soon 350 specialists in the discipline , and a clinical organization with in- and out-patient departments in all the county councils throughout Sweden. Since the 1950s every medic al student has to take a special course (integrated in the course on p ediatrics) and an examination in child and adolescent psychiatry. The general service program introduced in Sweden in 1972 includes internsh ips in medicine for 6 months, surgery for 6 months, general practice f or 6 months, and general psychiatry or child and adolescent psychiatry for 3 months. The training to become a specialist in child and adoles cent psychiatry then follows a 5-year program including residency in p sychiatry and pediatrics and a training in ''basic'' psychotherapy.