Knudten, Richard D.

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Clinical Sociology ReviewVolume 4 | Issue 1 Article 171-1-1986The Practice of Clinical Sociology andSociotherapyRichard D. KnudtenMarquette UniversityFollow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/csrThis Book Review is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@WayneState. It has been accepted for inclusion in Clinical SociologyReview by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@WayneState.Recommended CitationKnudten, Richard D. (1986) "The Practice of Clinical Sociology and Sociotherapy," Clinical Sociology Review: Vol. 4: Iss. 1, Article 17.Available at: http://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/csr/vol4/iss1/17BOOK REVIEWSThe Practice of Clinical Sociology and Sociotherapy, by L. Alex Swan. Cam-bridge, MA: Schenkman Books, 1983, 160 pp., $18.95 cloth, $11.95 paper.Richard D. KnudtenMarquette UniversitySince the reemergence of the field of clinical sociology 15 years ago, variouswriters have set forth their agenda for this area of sociological endeavor. Amongthese is L. Alex Swan. Throughout The Practice of Clinical Sociology andSociotherapy, he makes the urgent plea that sociologists recognize the primaryunderpinnings that clinical sociology provides for the fields of psychology, socialwork, and psychiatry, but that are not recognized by its mother discipline,sociology. He argues that sociologists, who after all have done most of theresearch in the field of family, must become involved in clinical aspects as well.As Swan sees it, clinical aspects have been left to those who focus primarily onthe individual apart from the individual's group relations. Swan argues his po-sitions in six chapters, sometimes freshly, sometimes redundantly.Throughout the monograph the theme is the same: it is now time for so-ciologists to take seriously their own contributions to the field of clinical knowl-edge and behavior, to share in the further development of the clinical field. Swanpresents strong arguments for taking sociology out of the traditional realms oftheory, research, and, more recently evaluation, and into the day-to-day activitiesand needs of people who are struggling to live life with some sense of meaningand wholeness. Because sociologists are oriented to intervention and changefrom the group context, the current need for sociological intervention in bothcounseling and therapy is, he argues, self-evident.In his first chapter, "The Liberation of Marital and Family Therapy," Swanargues the need to liberate marital and family therapy from the individual ap-proach and the medical model. He maintains that sociologists, who have con-tributed so much to the development of knowledge in the marriage and familyareas, are doing the least in the field and have by default left it to those lessknowledgeable, less qualified, and less oriented to seeing the person or familyin need in a wholistic sense. There is a serious gap between those who look atproblems from strictly an individual and psychological perspective and thosewho see individual and family problems in a dynamic group-related or systemperspective.In Chapter 2, "Clinical Sociologists: Coming out of the Closet," Swanexamines the definition, scope, and focus of clinical sociology, primarily as astep in the development of legitimacy in the clinical area and also in a desire182BOOK REVIEWS 183to avoid potential rifts between sociological colleagues. In Chapter Three,"Clinical Sociology: Problems & Prospects," Swan's theme is the nature ofclinical sociology and the issues, problems, and prospects related to being clin-ical. He maintains that for clinical sociology to be used effectively, it must createprocedures and methods that are reliable, valid, and verifiable, and must producescenarios and models of tested interventionary and interactional responses.Swan sees the social situation as the base from which definitions and inter-pretations for intervention and change must eventually be secured. Having takenthis position, he then expounds, in Chapter Four, on the diagnostic and thera-peutic potential of Grounded-Encounter Therapy (GET). He argues that the socialillness of the clients' situation, and any difficulties in relationships in theirpersonal lives or interactional patterns, can be discovered through Grounded-Encounter, which, in turn, serves as the foundation for eventual therapy. GET,he argues, "combines theoretical and methodical perspectives in the process ofdiscovery in situational analysis so that the conclusions and explanations, as wellas the prescriptions and plans for change, are grounded in the particular socialsetting of the clients" (p. 62). As an exponent of this theoretical approach, Swanproceeds to develop his thoughts as to how this approach should be utilized bypractitioners in the field. His examination is only introductory at best and mustbe greatly expanded with substance and example if it is to have an impact onthe field.In his final two concluding chapters the author attempts to give a broaderfocus to the field. In the Fifth Chapter, "Doing It in Groups," he notes the valueof group therapy in a context of group theory and sees the need to focus on bothgroup dynamics and group situations in order to reach a more complete under-standing of the individual and his or her actions. He discusses the advantages,varieties, and effectiveness of group therapy and articulates his belief that grouptherapy is the best method, having replaced the medical model and psychoanalyticapproach with a broader social-psychological basis for understanding humanbehavior. While admitting little evidence exists supporting the effectiveness ofgroup therapy, he nevertheless supports its usage and adoption in a clinicalsociological framework.In pondering "The Future of Clinical Sociology" (Chapter 6), Swan notesthe importance of the specification of clear and definable needs and on theapplication of sociological knowledge and thinking to those needs. He arguesstrongly against the cooptation of clinical sociology by those already in practicewho have accepted an underlying psychological/psychiatric orientation. If clinicalsociology becomes simply a replica of what already exists, it will have no realneed for existence. What clinical sociology should be, however, is a dynamicfield based upon the theory and research of sociology, augmented, as needed,but not dominated by those disciplines that focus more on the individual anddowngrade the impact of society upon the individual and the individual's inter-184 CLINICAL SOCIOLOGY REVIEW/1986actions. He also contends that sociologists must work as agents of constructivechange within communities as well as organizations, groups, and with individ-uals. Clinical sociologists should be concerned with the enhancement of clinicalskills and techniques that will validate and legitimize the clinical sociologist'scompetency before the public. This can be done either by inventing or creatingnew techniques and skills, or by redefining or rearranging the logic and contentof the techniques that are currently used. A third way is to refine existingtechniques that are close to the theoretical and methodological orientations ofsociology for use by clinicians in the field.In summary, Swan contends that sociology can be useful in the diagnosticand therapeutic process, and that a closer interplay between research, educationand practice must be established. He also argues that certification and accredi-tation programs will enhance the practice of clinical sociology. Clinical soci-ologists must develop ways of relating to those who are already practicing asclinical psychologists, psychiatric social workers, and psychiatrists. And waysmust be found to overcome the opposition from within the sociological estab-lishment to enable an even fuller development of clinical sociology.Overall, Swan's work is interesting but often redundant. He says manythings that need to be said, but says, within this short work, the same thing manytimes with varying veneers. His claim that sociology has not contributed ade-quately to its natural extension, clinical sociology, is well taken. His expectationor hope that sociology will be able to avoid the battles between researchers andclinicians that have marked psychology strikes this reviewer as being somewhatnaive. While he makes the case that sociological data are being preempted bythose who are "not entitled to it," and that sociologists should utilize their owndata, he tends to discount the reciprocal contribution made by other disciplinesthat focus primarily upon the individual. He does recognize, however, that thereare movements in psychology, psychiatry, and even psychiatric social workwhich are developing a more interactional and/or systems foundation for under-standing individual problems.The time has clearly arrived for the legitimation of the field of clinicalsociology within the mainstream of sociology. Ultimately, this is where a largenumber of sociology students will be working and earning their living. However,the field must offer more than Grounded-Encounter Therapy (GET) to its prac-titioners, although GET does offer a place from which to begin sociologically.The overall value of Swan's work, therefore, rests not so much upon its finalconclusion but rather in the posing of many of the questions that need to beraised with regard to the practice of sociology. If Swan has encouraged thedebate and caused one budding or even established sociologist to commit his/herwork to the further development of the clinical field, his monograph has beenmore than valuable.

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