Medicalization of Deviance

Essay # 5754

Medical and Health > Medical Studies
Psychology > Behaviorism

This paper is a critical analysis of the medicalization of deviant behavior.

1,260 words () | 9 sources | MLA | 2001 United States

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Paper Summary:

This paper analyzes the phenomenon of deviant behavior in present day. It includes explanations of three domains of human experience when attempting to define abnormal behavior and functioning. These domains include biological, psychological and sociocultural criteria for ascertaining abnormal behavior. It studies the issue of giving children medication in order to solve behavioral and educational problems. It concludes that medicalization of deviancy is just a way out of the actual problems, and is ineffective and even destructive at times.

From the Paper:

"Over the years the concept of deviance has changed. Ten years ago sex outside marriage was a taboo, divorce rare and the nuclear family stable. Today sex is common, divorce the new fad and the single or same sex family the norm. As society changes deviant behavior takes on a new definition depending on the norm of the times.
As we see society change we see that many fundamental basics of sociology too are undergoing a change. Religion has given way to secularism, the family system is no longer a societal pillar and the media is all-pervasive. Simply observing a magazine will show the changes that have taken place in the span of a decade. As we see crime statistics rise and the increasing number of children with deviant behavior patterns we see that the concepts of normality and deviance are changing as well. According to Freud (1999), normality is a value-based concept. It is influenced by the historical moments and sociopolitical economics. As a society, we decide who is normal and who is deviant (Freud, 1999). We also decide what will be done with those who deviate from what we deem as normal (Freud, 1999). Normality is also highly culture specific (Freud, 1999). Deviance/abnormality can be very problematic as any type of behavior can be considered deviant by a culture at some point or another (Curra, 2000; Halgin & Whitbourne, 1997). This is known as cultural relativity. According to Gelfand, Jenson, and Drew (1997) and Halgin and Whitbourne (1997), most all cultures identify some behaviors as abnormal. Halgin and Whitbourne (1997) explain three domains of human experience when attempting to define abnormal behavior and functioning. These domains include biological, psychological and sociocultural criteria for ascertaining abnormal behavior."