International Society for Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology (ISAPP) is an organization established to work for the mental health of adolescents and it is comprised of individual members devoted to working with adolescents, either in the field of child psychiatry and psychology or adult psychiatry and psychology.
Message from the ISAPP President
Welcome to ISAPP!
ISAPP is a non-governmental organization established in 1984. Until that time, adolescents had not been evaluated
separately and were approached the same way as children. However, the developmental characteristics and needs of adolescents differ from those of children, and it is essential to approach these young individuals, who are on the path to adulthood, from a different perspective.
separately and were approached the same way as children. However, the developmental characteristics and needs of adolescents differ from those of children, and it is essential to approach these young individuals, who are on the path to adulthood, from a different perspective. Starting from this point, ISAPP was founded by psychiatrists and psychologists dedicated to the issues of adolescence and conducting scientific research, with the goal of examining the characteristics of adolescence, raising awareness of differences, and contributing to the global improvement of adolescent mental health. Thus, it is the only multi-disciplinary international organisation devoted to the mental health needs of adolescents.
The principle aim of the ISAPP is to increase the awareness of the importance of adolescent mental health all around the world, to draw attention and contribution of mental health workers to this field and develop international collaborations for its improvement and treatment of the psychiatric disorders of adolescence.
ISAPP aims to increase collaboration and sharing of knowledge with other professions ,too, such as child and adult psychiatry, psychology, social work, paediatrics, public health, nursing, education,social sciences and other disciplines.
Recognizing that most psychiatric, disorders have their onset during adolescence, ISAPP is interested in increasing knowledge and understanding of the specific issues and problems of young people going through adolescence, such as gender and identity issues, problems with body image, social skills, and risk behaviors; developing measures to decrease the risks for adolescent mental health and intervention methods for problems and disorders seen in adolescence.
ISAPP accepts a comprehensive perspective on adolescent mental health that includes all adolescent environments (family, school, institutions, socialization settings). We encourage all possible strategies to improve adolescent mental health, in particular psychotherapeutic and psychosocial approaches, and support the useof evidence-based approaches.
ISAPP advocates for the rights of adolescents and their access to mental health care.
ISAPP organizes international and regional congresses, training courses, and publishes books to spread knowledge and increase the number of trained professionals in the field.. Prior congresses have taken place in Paris, Geneva, Chicago, Athens, Aix-en-Provence Rome, Montreal, Berlin, Ankara, New York and Osaka . Due to the pandemic, we had to pause our events for an extended period, but now we are starting with a new online training program which will be published on this website.
Currently, our membership is free to anyone interested in development, mental health, and disorders of adolescence. We will be happy to work with you to develop both the Association (ISAPP) and the mental health of adolescents in countries around the World.
MENTAL HEALTH FOR ADOLESCENTS is HOPE FOR THE FUTURE OF THE WORLD!
