PSYCHOTHERAPISTS, PSYCHOLOGISTS AND PSYCH IATRISTS IN THE MEDIA - A CONTENT-ANALYSIS OF THE COVER PICTURES OF 8 GERMAN MAGAZINES, PUBLISHED1947-1995

The cover pictures and headlines of seven widely spread German magazin es (Bunte, Focus, Spiegel, Stern; Frankfurter Allgemeine Magazin, Sudd eutsche Zeitung Magazin, Zeitmagazin) and of ''Psychologie Heute'' (th e German version of ''Psychology Today'') were content analyzed system atically for the years 1947-1995. Descriptive results about the preval ence of titles referring verbal ly and/or visually to ''psychos''(psyc hologists, psychiatrists, psychotherapists, psychoanalysts, counselors ) or psychotherapy are given and are analyzed according to historical and journal-specific trends. Further, it is explored in which way ''ps ychos'' are depicted. 0,12% of all cover pictures researched except '' Psychologie Heute'' (n=9771) dealt with mental health professionals or psychotherapy; 0,08% depicted ''psychos'' visually (''Psychologie Heu te'': 2,7% and 2,3%). From 1947-1979 only one of the titles of the non -psychological journals fulfilled our criteria, in the 80s it was 0,12 % and from 1990 to 1995 it was 0,39%. With only one exception all ''ps ycho''-persons depicted visually were male, mostly middle-aged, often with grey or white hair and a balding pate, wearing glasses and a suit or a jacket with a white shirt and a (bow) tie. Mostly, he is looking serious. In half of the cases Sigmund Freud personally was depicted. Further results on therapists physical appearance, their consulting ro om/setting, accessoirs, clients characteristics, and the interaction b etween therapists and clients are described. ''Public Image'' problems of ''psycho''-professionals are discussed critically.