Child and adolescent psychiatry in Germany

Abstract

The field of “child and adolescent psychiatry and psychotherapy” in Germany is defined as follows: “Child and adolescent psychiatry and psychotherapy comprises the diagnosis, non-operative treatment, prevention, and rehabilitation of psychiatric, psychosomatic, developmental and neurological diseases or disorders as well as psychological and social behavior disturbances during childhood and adolescence” (German Medical Association 1994). This definition has been modified several times since being first inaugurated in 1968, when child and adolescent psychiatry became an independent specialty. At that time, the specialty was called “child and adolescent psychiatry”. Psychotherapy was added to the title in 1993, taking into account the importance of psychotherapeutic treatment methods. The post-graduate training schedule to become a child and adolescent psychiatrist and psychotherapist requires five years of training out of which one year can be completed either in pediatrics or in general psychiatry. The training curriculum for child and adolescent psychiatrists and psychotherapists can be completed in all 16 states of the Federal Republic of Germany and ends with an oral board examination at the Office of the Medical Association (Landesärztekammer) of each state.