Diagnosis of Schizophrenia: An Anglo-American Comparison

Abstract

During recent years interest in transcultural psychiatry, particularly Anglo-American differences in diagnostic practice and treatment, has increased considerably. In 1965 Willis and Bannister reported the results of a questionnaire study of the opinion of 'senior’ British psychiatrists on the diagnosis and treatment of schizophrenia. Acknowledging the many disadvantages of a postal enquiry of this kind, the present author thought that their study would form the basis for a useful and relatively inexpensive Anglo-American comparison. Consequently, in 1968 an almost identical questionnaire was circulated to six hundred 'senior’ American psychiatrists.