In Accidental Intolerance, Susan Hawthorne argues
that in the past few decades, our medical, scientific,
and social approaches to ADHD have jointly - but
unintentionally-reinforced intolerance of ADHD-
diagnosed people. We have packed social values, such as
interests in efficiency and productivity, into science
and medicine. In turn, scientific results and medical
practice reinforce the social values, and stigmatize
those considered "disordered." Overreliance on the DSM
model of ADHD contributes to this process; it may also
slow the growth in our knowledge of mental health. Yet
many of our current practices are optional. For ethical,
practical, and scientific reasons, then, Hawthorne
argues that those involved with ADHD-including
clinicians, scientists, educators, parents,
policy-makers, and diagnosed individuals-need to examine
and change the attitudes, concepts, and practices
typical of today's approaches. To make this case,
Hawthorne examines both standard practices and ongoing
controversies in medical, scientific, and social
approaches to ADHD, showing why professionals in each
setting have chosen the practices and concepts they
have. She then explains how the varying approaches
influence one another, and how we might interrupt the
pattern. Shared goals-decreasing stigmatization,
providing new options for diagnosed people, and
increasing knowledge-can drive the much-needed change.
Adopting inclusive, responsive decision making in all
areas of practice will foster it. "Susan Hawthorne
offers us a multifaceted, sensitive (and sensible) study
of the emergence of ADHD as a distinct diagnostic
condition in the last decade or so. Carefully analyzing
the research from different disciplines and
orientations, as well as the reports of experience of
those so diagnosed and their families, she uncovers the
ways in which values and factual findings from many
directions have interacted to shape this psychiatric
category. She concludes with recommendations intended to
improve the scientific and clinical understanding of the
phenomenon as well as the experience of ADHD-diagnosed
individuals. An excellent contribution to contemporary
science studies." - Helen Longino, Stanford
University
|
|