The AMDP-System

It was a great pleasure for me to receive the invitation to write a foreword for the publication of the AMDP English Adaptation which has been prepared by Drs. Guy and Ban. I consider this work to be of outstanding value since it brings to the English­ speaking world an important instrument widely used in many European countries. The authors have done a systematic exami­ nation ofthe instrument and, rather than translating it, have made a truly equivalent English version, an achievement of great value requiring enormous efforts and remarkable familiarity with the literature and psychiatric schools in Europe and the United States. The English version of the AMDP is a further addition to the small number of instruments that have been created over the last few decades and tested in an international setting. Today, when multicentric collaborative studies have become a necessity and when comparative research has been recognized as a most pro­ mising research paradigm, the addition of another way to under­ stand and compare results obtained in settings elsewhere is of tremendous importance. For this contribution to a common lan­ guage which will make it possible for specialists in different coun­ tries to collaborate, every praise should be given to the authors of this valuable work. N. Sartorius Director Division of Mental Health World Health Organization v Contents Introduction to English Translation Introduction - The Earlier Work: AMP-I to AMDP-III 4 Development of AMDP-III 6 Documentation . . . . . 10 10 Data Processing in Europe ...... .