The Society for Research in Psychopathology (SRP) was formed following a conference in Ithaca, New York in 1985 on positive and negative symptoms in schizophrenia. Attendees at that conference decided that the meeting had been very successful and a valuable exchange of ideas and data among schizophrenia researchers. They all agreed that it would be great to have such a meeting of schizophrenia researchers annually, and thus the organization was born.
The first meeting of the organization was held in William James Hall on the Harvard University campus in October, 1986. The organization has been meeting each fall since then. The organization has grown from a small group of schizophrenia researchers to one of the major scientific societies for all areas of psychopathology.
Full membership is restricted to established researchers in the field of psychopathology. Associate membership is available for graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and individuals with a bachelor’s degree who are conducting research in psychopathology. The meetings provide both formal and informal opportunities to share ideas, information, and suggestions, all of which improve the quality of the research conducted by members. The organization remains small by professional organization standards, allowing members to share the experience of attending and discussing the plenary sessions.