Narratives of Illness, Difference, and Personhood

Authors

John P. McTighe, Sacred Heart UniversityFollow

Document Type

Book Chapter

Publication Date

2015

Abstract

Using narrative theory, the chapter examines how ideas and attitudes about mental disorder are shaped by cultural values and stereotypes, and how the experience of trauma can shatter the narrative of self and world. Placing the question of illness, differentness, and personhood within a social justice perspective, it challenges clinicians to consider how the vocabulary of illness is used to frame experience and, in many cases, to minimize, marginalize, or discount the individual's own lived experience.

Comments

ISBN 9783319177731 (print); 9783319177748 (online)

At the time of the chapter writing John McTighe was Assistant Professor in the Baccalaureate Social Work Program at Sacred Heart University.

DOI

10.1007/978-3-319-17774-8_9

Recommended Citation

McTighe, J. (2015). Narratives of illness, difference, and personhood. In B. Probst (Ed.), Critical thinking in clinical assessment and diagnosis, pp. 171-188. New York: Springer.