the dark side of the family (radical psychiatry)

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  • Created by: maizie
  • Created on: 07-01-18 16:35

Radical Psychiatry

Radical Psychiatry was established in the 1960s-1970s

Radical Psychiatrists are very critical of the nuclear family

In Radical Psychiatry, there are 3 key thinkers:

E.R. Leach

R.D. Laing

D. Cooper

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E.R. Leach

E.R Leach claims that the nuclear family is too isolated from wider family ties.

He believes that the nuclear family can cause pressure, frustration and anger.

He says that the dark side of the family can manifest by parents taking their anger out on their children.

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R.D Laing

R.D Laing thinks that the family can cause mental illness.

He believes that women are 'emotional pressure cookers'

This is because parents and children spend too much time together.

Parents emotionally suffocate their children as expectations are too high.

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D. Cooper

D. Cooper mixes marxism and psychiatry.

He believes children are too trained to be obedient by their parents.

He also believes it is easier to control children when they grow up and go to work as they've been socialised to respect authority

Parents try to force their children into 'respectable' jobs and stamp out their personal dreams.

He believes that parents are the 'bourgeoisie' of the family and the children are the 'proletariat'.

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Radical Psychiatry

focuses on how the family can cause mental illness

argues that psychiatric cures (drugs) are often ways of controlling social devients

very critical of functionalist and new right views of the family

sees the family as 'pathological' to the individuals of society.

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critisisms of radical psychiatry

offers a very negative and bleak view of the nuclear family

tends to ignore the positive aspects, for example, extended famiy support

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