About the same time that community psychology was emerging in the United States, the government in Cuba was undergoing a transformation that resulted in a new social system. While community psychology in the U.S. has been characterized by a concern for seeking practical solutions to real-world problems, for the past 20 to 25 years Cuban psychologists have been in a position to impact on the many problems faced in a developing country. Their efforts deserve the attention of psychologists concerned with development of a community-based psychology.
This special issue on psychology in Cuba is aimed at informing psychologists in the U.S. of the areas in which psychology has been used in Cuban communities. In addition, it is hoped that these invited papers will contribute to a dialogue between psychologists in Cuba and the United States and will stimulate a deeper analysis of psychology in Third World countries.
Articles for this issue have been written both by psychologists working in Cuba and by psychologists from the U.S. The reports written by psychologists from the U.S. have relied on first-hand observations of life in Cuba, as well as on documentation from journals and government reports. In many cases, these sources are difficult to locate, thus enhancing the value of these articles. Another unique aspect of this issue is that the authors include psychologists born in Cuba, but living in the U.S., psychologists born and living in Cuba, as well as social scientists from the United States and Puerto Rico.
A description of the contents of this issue may help to orient the reader. For those wishing an overview of psychology in Cuba from the viewpoint of community psychologists touring the mental health facilities there, the Lowenthal, Danson, and Lowenthal article provides an interesting personal account. Other articles in this issue focus on more specific areas, such as health, mental health, the political system, and the history of psychology. Health psychology is a major area of interest for psychologists in Cuba. In this issue it is well-described, first by a psychologist who is intimately involved with the health system in the country (Garcia-Averasturi) and then by a Cuban-born U.S. physician who provides extensive documentation about the program called "Medicine in the Community'' (Ptrez-Stable). The link between the health and mental health areas is made by the M a r h article since it provides a thorough review of studies conducted in these areas as well as studies of more general social issues in Cuba. The next major section of this issue deals with the mental health system, first through an insider's view of the work being done at the Psychiatric Hospital of Habana (Pkrez-Valdez & Calvo-Montalvo) and then through an in-depth review of psychiatric epidemiology in Cuba (Camayd-Freixas), The Kenworthy article describes the system of "Popular Power," Cuba's system of political representation, from the viewpoint of a political scientist. Understanding the structure of Popular Power is critical since it is a fundamental aspect of community participation in the health system. A comparative perspective of the health and mental health systems between Puerto Rico and Cuba provides a unique