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Social work with psychiatric patients
330
BOOK REVIEWS
There are chapters contributed by professionals from other centres: for example. an excellent one by Gardner on school-based parent involvement and an interesting chapter on infant development programmes in British Columbia. by Dana Brynelson. There are also contributions from parents of handicapped people. representatives of voluntary societies and teachers. The book does have its shortcomings: some of the chapters are so short as to be hardly informative. There is also some tendency for repetition and perhaps too much emphasis on Hester Adrian research. However, it is clear from the book that, having long left behind the time when parents of mentally-handicapped children were told that there was nothing they could do for them, we have now passed the stage of the somewhat overzealous behavioural psychologtst who may have tried to persuade parents to embark on unrealistic projects with their children. We have arrived at a more considered approach in which parents can be properly involved in decision-making and teaching or training, but can also be allowed to opt out of the teaching role if they so wish. Certainly the book ought to be read by all professionals working with mentally-handicapped people and Cunningham’s description of the terrible.disease of ‘expertosis’ (pp. 96-97) probably ought to be read at least weekly. Parents will also find this book useful, not least because it tells them what they can legitimately demand from the services for mentally-handicapped people. GLYNIS MURPHY
B. HUDSON: (hardback).
Social Work
with PsychiatricP&ems.
Macmillan,
London
(1982). xi + 218 pages,
f4.95
(paperback);
f12.00
It is not usual to have a book on social work which is factual and authoritative. as this is a field in which feelings and getting in touch with them are usually more highly prized. However, Barbara Hudson has written such a book. and after reading it, I would recommend it not only for student social workers to whom it is directed but to students in psychology and psychiatry. The psychiatric research quoted is up to date and accurate, as would be expected from someone who IS the co-editor of the Current Themes in Psvchiatrv. In addition, there is quite a strong behavioural bias in many of the interventions recommended, for instance, in the management of disordered behaviour in children. the treatment of phobias and the management of personality problems. Areas which receive short shrift are those which are not fully researched scientifically, such as dynamic psychotherapy, family therapy and Rogerian approaches. Cognitive approaches are covered. but a good deal of the therapy side of the book is the treatment stock in trade of psychiatry. such as drug prophylaxis and ECT. If this gives the impression of a slightly chilly approach, that is contradicted by the individual case reports which the author inc1udes-e.g. the optimistic comments she makes from her own experience working with families of schizophrenics. or with personality-disorders patients. Altogether, this is a book to be highly recommended to those working in psychiatric social work, and it would make good supplementary reading for medical students, and trainees in psychiatry and psychology. The author has shown that the approach to psychiatric social work does not have to be vague and emotronal. but can be based on hard data and methods of proven efficacy. M. J. CROWE
BOOK REVIEWS
There are chapters contributed by professionals from other centres: for example. an excellent one by Gardner on school-based parent involvement and an interesting chapter on infant development programmes in British Columbia. by Dana Brynelson. There are also contributions from parents of handicapped people. representatives of voluntary societies and teachers. The book does have its shortcomings: some of the chapters are so short as to be hardly informative. There is also some tendency for repetition and perhaps too much emphasis on Hester Adrian research. However, it is clear from the book that, having long left behind the time when parents of mentally-handicapped children were told that there was nothing they could do for them, we have now passed the stage of the somewhat overzealous behavioural psychologtst who may have tried to persuade parents to embark on unrealistic projects with their children. We have arrived at a more considered approach in which parents can be properly involved in decision-making and teaching or training, but can also be allowed to opt out of the teaching role if they so wish. Certainly the book ought to be read by all professionals working with mentally-handicapped people and Cunningham’s description of the terrible.disease of ‘expertosis’ (pp. 96-97) probably ought to be read at least weekly. Parents will also find this book useful, not least because it tells them what they can legitimately demand from the services for mentally-handicapped people. GLYNIS MURPHY
B. HUDSON: (hardback).
Social Work
with PsychiatricP&ems.
Macmillan,
London
(1982). xi + 218 pages,
f4.95
(paperback);
f12.00
It is not usual to have a book on social work which is factual and authoritative. as this is a field in which feelings and getting in touch with them are usually more highly prized. However, Barbara Hudson has written such a book. and after reading it, I would recommend it not only for student social workers to whom it is directed but to students in psychology and psychiatry. The psychiatric research quoted is up to date and accurate, as would be expected from someone who IS the co-editor of the Current Themes in Psvchiatrv. In addition, there is quite a strong behavioural bias in many of the interventions recommended, for instance, in the management of disordered behaviour in children. the treatment of phobias and the management of personality problems. Areas which receive short shrift are those which are not fully researched scientifically, such as dynamic psychotherapy, family therapy and Rogerian approaches. Cognitive approaches are covered. but a good deal of the therapy side of the book is the treatment stock in trade of psychiatry. such as drug prophylaxis and ECT. If this gives the impression of a slightly chilly approach, that is contradicted by the individual case reports which the author inc1udes-e.g. the optimistic comments she makes from her own experience working with families of schizophrenics. or with personality-disorders patients. Altogether, this is a book to be highly recommended to those working in psychiatric social work, and it would make good supplementary reading for medical students, and trainees in psychiatry and psychology. The author has shown that the approach to psychiatric social work does not have to be vague and emotronal. but can be based on hard data and methods of proven efficacy. M. J. CROWE