Chesterfield, Alice;
(2022)
Where Philosophy, Morality & Pragmatics Collide: The Meaning & Role of the Functional-Organic Distinction to Clinicians in Practice.
Doctoral thesis (D.Clin.Psy), UCL (University College London).
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Abstract
Aims The functional-organic distinction attempts to separate disorders with diagnosable biological aetiology from those without. It has mostly been researched from a theoretical standpoint with a lack of research on how it is deployed. This study thus aimed to explore how clinicians understand and utilise the distinction in neuropsychiatric healthcare, with a focus on what is most pertinent to their practice. Method Twenty clinicians working in (neuro)psychiatry, neurology and clinical (neuro)psychology participated in in-depth semi-structured individual interviews, which were analysed qualitatively using components of constructivist grounded theory. Results The category ‘Recognising Contextual Influences’ sets the context for the four main categories identified: ‘Conceptualising Causal Explanations’, ‘Grappling with Complexity & Limitations’, ‘Prioritising Pragmatism’ and ‘Navigating Moral Issues’. Conclusions ‘Organic’ acts as the clear, objective and default mode of disease with ‘functional’ accounting for its absence and/or a multiplicity of subjective meanings in the realm of the psychosocial. Distinguishing between the two does not fit with how clinicians conceptualise patients’ problems in holistic ways. They struggle to apply these in practice given their complexity and various limitations, and so prioritise getting the job done, utilising the distinction as a simplifying method of communication. Moral issues surround the distinction with functional problems attracting the stigma associated with the psychological.
| Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Qualification: | D.Clin.Psy |
| Title: | Where Philosophy, Morality & Pragmatics Collide: The Meaning & Role of the Functional-Organic Distinction to Clinicians in Practice |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | Copyright © The Author 2022. Original content in this thesis is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) Licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). Any third-party copyright material present remains the property of its respective owner(s) and is licensed under its existing terms. Access may initially be restricted at the author’s request. |
| UCL classification: | UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > Div of Psychology and Lang Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences UCL |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10157764 |
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