Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) Practice Test

What was the predominant form of treatment for mentally ill individuals before the mid-20th century?

1. Medication therapy

2. Psychotherapy

3. Involuntary confinement

4. Community care

The correct answer is: Involuntary confinement

Before the mid-20th century, the predominant form of treatment for mentally ill individuals was involuntary confinement. During this period, many mental health facilities, such as asylums and mental hospitals, were established primarily for the purpose of isolating individuals diagnosed with mental illness from society. This confinement was often justified by the belief that it would protect both the patients and the public. Involuntary confinement typically involved placing individuals in institutional settings where they would receive limited care and supervision. The focus was primarily on containment and control rather than treatment or rehabilitation. This approach often resulted in neglect and poor living conditions, as the understanding of mental illness and the development of effective treatments were not as advanced as they are today. Other treatment options, such as medication therapy and psychotherapy, were either non-existent or not widely accepted or practiced during this time. Community care as an alternative treatment model also emerged much later, particularly with the deinstitutionalization movement that began in the 1960s and 1970s, emphasizing the importance of integrating individuals with mental illness back into society and providing care in a community setting.