summary
background Over the last 20 years the Netherlands Association for Psychiatry (Nederlandse Vereniging voor Psychiatrie) has undergone fundamental changes, both in its internal functioning and in its relationship to society. The 140th birthday of the Association is a fitting occasion on which to look back on its history.
aim To give an overview of the Association’s importance for psychiatry, psychiatrists and psychiatric care and to summarise the aspects that have contuined and those that have changed.
method Primary sources (the Association’s archives) and additional literature were studied.
results In view of the scholarly and professional heterogeneity of the Association it is amazing that the members have never really split up into factions, the only exception being the neurologists.
conclusion Through out its history the medical identity of the Association has been the most important binding factor. Biopsychosocial generalism was undoubtedly a premise, although, in fact, major changes in emphasis did occur.