Reference Reviews

Lawrence Looks at Books

The Gale Encyclopedia of Mental Health, 2nd edition. Edited by Laura J. Fundukian and Jeffrey Wilson. 2 vols. 1,361p. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group, 2008. 978-1-4144-2987-8; 2007-26137. $ 389.

The primary focus of this revision of The Gale Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders (Gale 2003) is on mental disorders recognized by the American Psychiatric Association, particularly those described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: DSM-IV-TR (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). Many of the 449 entries describe common mental conditions in easy-to-understand layman’s language. The causes, symptoms and demographics of the disorders are discussed, in addition to diagnosis, treatments, prognosis, and preventive measures. For this edition, 41 new articles feature such topics as assertive community treatments, bullying, binge drinking, bereavement, chronic pain, clinical trials, juvenile depression, exercise-based treatment, magnetic seizure therapy, mental health courts, rage, and self mutilation. Numerous articles feature the medications used most frequently in drug therapies for mental illness. Such articles describe how the medication works, recommended dosages, precautions, side effects and interactions. Coverage includes some traditional herbal remedies like gingko or ginseng as well as commonly abused substances like Ecstasy. Popular therapies and treatment programs make up the remaining entries. Occasional side bars examine the careers of researchers in mental health. Resource lists have all been updated and may include books, journal articles, web sites and contact information for organizations. Articles frequently include selected definitions of key terms. These definitions are also compiled into a substantial glossary of more than 1,200 terms at the end of the set. For this edition, the use of full color throughout enhances the navigational aids and the quality of illustrations. This useful guide will serve a wide range of readers in academic and public libraries.
—John R.M. Lawrence