Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) Practice Test

Who was the psychiatrist that popularized the term "mental hygiene"?

1. Sigmund Freud

2. Wilhelm Wundt

3. Adolf Meyer

4. Emil Kraepelin

The correct answer is: Adolf Meyer

The psychiatrist who popularized the term "mental hygiene" was Adolf Meyer. He emphasized the importance of mental health and the need for preventive measures to maintain psychological well-being. This concept influenced the development of community mental health initiatives and promoted the idea that mental health is not merely the absence of mental illness, but rather a state of optimal mental functioning. Meyer advocated for a holistic approach to mental health, which included understanding the individual in their social context and emphasizing the role of lifestyle and environment in psychological well-being. His contributions helped shape modern psychotherapeutic practices and the focus on preventive care in mental health. In contrast, Sigmund Freud is known for his theories on psychoanalysis and the unconscious mind, while Wilhelm Wundt is recognized as the father of experimental psychology and focused more on consciousness and sensory perception. Emil Kraepelin contributed to the classification of mental disorders and psychopharmacology but did not specifically emphasize the concept of mental hygiene in the same way as Meyer.