Key advances were made in the understanding of abnormal behavior. For instance, during the latter part of the Middle Ages and early Renaissance, the spirit of scientific questioning reappeared in Europe, and several renowned physicians were vocal about inhumane methods of treatment. The thoughts about abnormal behavior were more inclined towards the reasoning and scientific studies.
There was a general movement towards reasoned and scientific studies, and away from “superstitions” and “magic”.
Special institutions called “asylums” were set up towards the end of the sixteenth century, in order to treat mentally disturbed people. However, these asylums have become centers were the mental disorder patients were subjected to various forms of maltreatment, which also involved physical assault.
During eighteenth century efforts were made to help afflicted individuals by providing them with better treatment and better living conditions. However, these improvements were seen in exceptions cases rather than the rule.
The nineteenth and twentieth centuries were marked with a number of humanitarian and scientific advancements. The work of Philippe Pinel in France, of William Tuke in England, and of Benjamin Rush and Dorothea Dix in the United States laid the path for various important developments in contemporary abnormal psychology, such as moral management. The key advancements included the general acceptance that the mentally challenged people requires professional care; applications of biomedical methods to disorders; and further supported by scientific research in the fields of biological, psychological, and socio-cultural roots of abnormal behavior.
The developments of mental hospitals continued to take place in the twentieth century. However, in the last four decades of the century there has been strong emphasis to close down mental hospitals and shift the people to lead normal life in the community. This movement is still debated during the early part of twenty-first century.