Why were most mental patients released from mental hospitals in the 1950s?

Question

Why were most mental patients released from mental hospitals in the 1950s?​

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The main reason for releasing most mental patients from mental hospitals in the 1950s was that research showed that patients recover better in a less restrictive environment. This led to a shift towards community-based care and outpatient treatment for mental illness. The closure of mental hospitals was also driven by concerns about the high cost of maintaining large institutions and the desire to use the buildings for other purposes. However, improved psychotherapy was not a significant factor in the release of mental patients in the 1950s, and governments did not need mental hospital buildings to use them as prisons.

Why Were Most Mental Patients Released from Mental Hospitals in the 1950s?​

Why Were Most Mental Patients Released from Mental Hospitals in the 1950s?