Significant transformation in the treatment of those with mental disorders occurred as the result of the efforts of figures such as Philippe Pinel and Dorothea Dix. The unifying theme of their efforts was __________.

A) an insistence on biomedical explanations for mental disorders
B) the dignity and rights of the mentally disordered
C) the need to focus on psychological rather than biological contributions
D) an emphasis on the spiritual dimensions that contributed to mental disorders

Dorothea Dix

Dorothea Dix was a pioneering 19th-century activist who significantly improved the conditions for the mentally ill and played a key role in the creation of many mental health facilities in the United States.

Biomedical Explanations

Biomedical explanations provide a rationale for physical and psychological conditions based on biological factors, such as genetic predispositions, biochemical imbalances, and physiological abnormalities.

Mentally Disordered

A term referring to individuals who experience significant deviations from typical cognitive, emotional, or behavioral patterns, often requiring clinical intervention.