Exploring diagnostic processes: social science perspectives. Issue 3 (21st February 2005)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: McLaughlin, J
• Is Part Of: Archives of disease in childhood. Volume 90:Issue 3(2005)
• Page Start: 284
• Page End: 287
• Publication Date: 2005-02-21
• Subjects: diagnosis -- neurological disability -- social factors; Children -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Infants -- Diseases -- Periodicals; 618.920005
• DOI: 10.1136/adc.2004.052118
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0003-9888

Abstract

Abstract : This review explores social science analyses of diagnosis of childhood neurological disabilities. The paper moves through three sections, which capture the historical and conceptual trends within the literature. The first focuses on work identifying the need to communicate effectively with parents when giving a diagnosis, the second explores the role parents can play as "partners" or contributors to diagnosis, and the final section goes further in exploring the social complexity of diagnoses in order to examine the embedded nature of social practices, power relations and hierarchies, and institutions in the diagnosis encounter.