This is an interesting survey of the meaning and the use of the term 'social psychiatry'. The term and its vicissitudes are traced from its inception in 1917 when Dr. Southard wrote about this 'new and promising specialty' until the present time when it is often used as a broad call for action. It is of interest to note that Dr. C. P. McCord wrote on the subject in 1925 and was concerned with the same community mental health ideas as we are today.

Social psychiatry is not a new idea; it reflects an old form of dichotomous thinking. More comprehensive models of behavior have been developed, such as general systems theory, which imply a conceptual revolution. It is now thought that physical, biological, psychological, social, and cultural phenomena are all interrelated and are sections of one field of behavior. None can come before, cause, or be more real than the other. As a term, social psychiatry should be more strictly defined and not used as an umbrella under which various professions unite to work on community mental health problems.