DIAGNOSTICS AND CLASSIFICATION IN PSYCHIATRY - KLERMAN,GERALD CONTRIBUTION

Gerald Klerman (1928-1992) made substantial contributions to diagnosis and classification in psychiatry during a time of great change. He un derstood and appreciated the importance of descriptive, biological, ps ychoanalytic, social, interpersonal, and behavioral approaches and was uniquely able to integrate them cogently. He demanded that theories a nd hypotheses be tested empirically, and he spearheaded many key scien tific research programs directed toward this goal, including the Clini cal Studies of the National Institute of Mental Health Program on the Psychobiology of Depression. This article provides an overview of his contributions.