Welcome - isapp

Welcome to ISAPP!

ISAPP is a non-governmental organization established in 1984. Until that time, adolescents had not been evaluated separately and were approached in the same way as children. However, the developmental characteristics and needs of adolescents differ from those of children, making it essential to view 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 adolescent issues and conducting scientific research. The goal is to examine the characteristics of adolescence, raise awareness about these differences, and contribute to the global improvement of adolescent mental health. Thus, it is the only multidisciplinary international organization devoted to the mental health needs of adolescents.

The primary aim of ISAPP is to increase awareness of the importance of adolescent mental health worldwide, to draw attention to the contributions of mental health professionals in this field, and to develop international collaborations for improving mental health and treating psychiatric disorders in adolescence.

ISAPP also aims to enhance collaboration and knowledge sharing with other professions, such as child and adult psychiatry, psychology, social work, pediatrics, public health, nursing, education, social sciences, and other disciplines.

Recognizing that most psychiatric disorders have their onset during adolescence, ISAPP is focused on increasing knowledge and understanding of the specific issues facing young people during this period, such as gender and identity issues, body image concerns, difficulties in social skills, and risk behaviors. The organization works to develop measures to reduce risks to adolescent mental health and intervention methods for addressing problems and disorders that arise during adolescence.

ISAPP adopts a comprehensive perspective on adolescent mental health, encompassing all environments in which adolescents interact (family, school, institutions, and socialization settings). We encourage all possible strategies to improve adolescent mental health, particularly psychotherapeutic and psychosocial approaches, and support the use of evidence-based methods.

ISAPP advocates for the rights of adolescents and their access to mental health care. The Society organizes international and regional congresses, training courses, and publishes books to disseminate knowledge and increase the number of trained professionals in the field. Previous 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 we are now launching a new online training program beginning with webinars that will be available on our website.

Currently, our membership is free for anyone interested in the development, mental health, and disorders of adolescents. We are eager to collaborate with you to enhance both the Association (ISAPP) and the mental health of adolescents in countries around the world. You can reach us at info.isappmh@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you.

MENTAL HEALTH FOR ADOLESCENTS IS HOPE FOR THE FUTURE OF THE WORLD!