Wounded in Mind: Science Service Writer, Marjorie Van de Water, Explains World War II Military Neuropsychiatry to the American Public

Marjorie Van de Water covered psychology and sociology for Science Service, an American news organization for the popularization of science. During her tenure as a writer for Science Service, Van de Water reported about developments in American military neuropsychiatry, wartime morale, and related topics. Her articles appeared in a Science Service publication, The Science News-Letter, and in mainstream American newspapers. In 1942, Van de Water was recruited to collaborate on Psychology for the Fighting Man, a military-sanctioned basic psychology book for World War II service members. Van de Water also contributed to two additional books on wartime psychology—Psychology for the Returning Serviceman and Psychology for the Armed Services, a military neuropsychiatry textbook. This article examines Van de Water’s acknowledged body of work on military neuropsychiatry and her dual roles as a Science Service journalist and an interpreter of American military neuropsychiatric policy.