Reference Reviews

Doug's Student Reference Room

The Gale Encyclopedia of Mental Health 2nd ed. Edited by Laurie J. Fundukian and Jeffrey Wilson. Detroit, Mich.: Thomson Gale, 2008. 2 vols., 1361 p. ISBN 978-1-4144-2987-8.

This second edition of the Gale Encyclopedia of Mental Health is a ready reference for information about mental health, disorders, drugs and treatments and includes over 450 articles by physicians, psychologists, pharmacists, and experienced medical writers. Entries include all 150 disorders from Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, text revision (DMS-IV-TR), in addition to medications, treatments, and topics currently in the news, including homelessness, drug screening, bullying, and road rage. Disorders are organized in a consistent format that includes definition, description, causes and symptoms, demographics, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis and prevention. A "Key Terms" box provides definitions of critical vocabulary for each entry, and the terms are compiled in a useful glossary that precedes an extensive index. All articles end with a "Resources" section that refers readers to journal articles, Web sites, books, organizations and support groups. This two volume set is a great starting point for research on mental health issues and an outstanding source of overview information for both science and social studies classes. Recommended for school and public libraries.

— Doug Achterman