Born in 1875, the “Rivista Sperimentale di Freniatria”(RSF), is the oldest Italian journal of psychiatry and was published regularly ever since. It became one of the most important cultural and scientific laboratories in the field of neuro-psychiatry, in Italy and in the rest of Europe. In the past, Italian and foreign psychiatrists and researchers, such as Golgi, Krafft-Ebing, Lombroso, Levi-Bianchini, and in recent years, Basaglia and Borgna, have published in this review far-seeing articles that have contributed to modify the theoretical orientations and paradigms of psychiatry. As a result, cultural movements, values, questions, problems, developments and turning-points - published in RSF – have, at times, dramatically marked the history of psychiatry, or indicated new directions.
Thanks to RSF’s vocation in theoretical studies and clinical research, the review succeeded in anticipating the fundamental openings in psychiatry, such as psychotherapy, biological psychiatry, psychoanalysis, phenomenology, anthropology, sociology and, nowadays, neuro-sciences.
RSF has always had a policy of openness towards other fields of research, promoting dialogue between neighboring disciplines that have a common an interest in people and society, and that endeavor to reach a deeper understanding of psychological well-being or suffering.
From the very beginning RSF published scientifically consistent papers dealing with mental health. Through the years, the Editorial Board chose to issue mainly monographic publications on relevant themes and offered thereby reasoned multidisciplinary surveys.
RSF addresses the different professions – educational, legal, anthropologic - active in the social field, professions that merge in psychosocial interventions. RSF also focuses on whoever is aware of the strong influence a single person can have - playing a social role or interacting with others – producing culture and promoting either mental well-being or suffering.