TOWARD A SOCIAL-THEORY OF PSYCHIATRIC PHENOMENA

This essay relies on a positivistic/scientific perspective to define p sychiatric phenomena. However, it draws a distinction between a biomed ical versus a social science approach. The aim is to review some of th e theoretical and empirical considerations that pertain to psychiatric phenomena that need to be addressed in order to develop a social theo ry about them. The object of the theory is to explain how psychiatric phenomena are labeled, interpreted, and handled across societies that differ in terms of social structure and culture. Some of the kinds of variables and questions that would allow for cross-cultural analyses a re identified. In addition, two topics that a social theory could addr ess-that of the medicalization and stigmatization of psychiatric pheno mena-are introduced. These topics are elaborated by developing proposi tions that substantively illustrate the questions/hypotheses of a soci al theory of psychiatric phenomena. The essay illustrates that a socia l theory constitutes a complex enterprise that requires dealing with p hilosophical, methodological and empirical issues.