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Lingill'U-M Experts Think Dianetics Might Harm Some PeopleAnn Arbor—Dianetics, a new system for allegedly curing all mental illnesses, is unscientific, possibly harmful to some pea pie, and intriguing but fantastic, according to several University of Michigan psychologists and psychiatristsDianetics claims to be a new science of mind and a system for treating all psychomatic ills and mental abnormalities that supposedly works invariably for all who read the book. The crux of the system lies in its assumption that all such ills begin in an individual’s prenatal period steming from en-grams” which are definite and permanent traces left by a stimulus upou the tissue cells of the unborn baby.Mental illness is cured in the Dianetics system by the individual going into a 'state of reverie and returning on his ;‘time track” to the “engrain' involved in the illness.Written by its author, L. Ron Hubbard, in three weeks the 452-page book, “Dianetics: The Modem Science of Mentaliealth,” has recently been1 Mrs. York return i they ,rm of Yorksold Kala-xained based d and :o Sa-have smaii,-Ldrian Arbor ldren, For . For-mploy t.all at housee St., for urnedrerry, paid le to cnce.. inton, ;ding,Ann 0 forpeed-ibois,:klessWal-ivingpaid.Glen-Seven. 0 formiYhported to be fourth on the of best-selling books through out the nation, of emotional disturbances does“Unfortunately the problem gross over-simplification as not lend itself to any such Dianetics, whose claims are as intriguing as they are fantastic,” Dr. Ralph D. Rabinovitch, in charge of the Children’s Service at the University’s Neuropsychiatric Institute, declared.He explained that individuals with mild-neuroses and even more severe problems develop certain mental adjustments or defenses that enable them to get along in society, and if these defenses are tampered with by people who do not po-sess adequqate techniques acquired after extensive training, mild problems can become worse and severe problems can become unbearable.Dr. Lowell Kelly, professor of psychology and director of the University’s Bureau of Psychological Services, indicated that the book offers not one technical reference for its scientific validity although it uses many common medical and psychological c o n ce p t s disguised under new names.“The book promises so much that it probably cannot deliver and may result, in a-setback for some people genuinely in need of psychological help,” Dr. Kelly said.Because ,the claims of the book are not supported by empirical evidence of the sort required for the establishment of scientific generalizations, Dr. Kelly asserted -that the American Psychology Association, in the public interest, recommended that its members use the teehniquqes peculiar to Diane-ties only in conducting'scientific experiments to test the validity of its claims.“Dianetics makes no distinction between theory and fact and does notj clearly distinguish between mental and physical ailments,” Dr. Max L. Hutt, associate professor of psychology, commented,lie added that there is considerable evidence that the mere recall of conflicts does not in itself inevitably result in a cure and in many cases may n-nduce an additional disturbance if proper safeguards are not maintained.Dr. Moses M. Frohlich. associate professor of psychiatry in charge of Veterans Readjustment Center, pointed 'out that although the book might be of sente harm to already disturbed persons, it -Would not he upsetting for most healthy persons who were interested in reading Hubbard’s novel ideas.obgethDot, 4-.-, : 1 ‘ ,med«Tuo’edafificiatoiCotriMi:spi“NmerjrefCo:LaiMoFlt;F;
Newspaper Details
Saline Observer
Saline, Michigan, US
Thu, Nov 16, 1950
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Full Page
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Allen S.
USA 30 Mar 2024
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