Work

Guarding minds: The evolution of mental hygiene and stigmatization of mental illness in early 20th century Latin America

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This article explores the evolution of mental hygiene and the stigmatization of mental illness in Latin America during the 20th century. It examines how psychiatric reforms and the mental hygiene movement influenced the social perception of mental illness, highlighting the spread of psychological categories and the construction of stigmatizing language. Using the publications of mental hygiene groups and case analyses in various countries, it reveals how these practices contributed to marginalization and social control, shaping contemporary mental health policies.

Source: History of Psychiatry

DOI: 10.1177/0957154x251316113

Author: Mariano Ruperthuz Honorato

Institution: Universidad Andrés Bello

Language: English

Topic: Historical Psychiatry and Medical Practices

Subfield: Clinical Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: bronze

Funders: Universidad Andrés Bello, Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo