Putting people first: A social constructionist approach to learning disability

Abstract

Moving from an individual to a social focus will allow clinical psychologists working with people who have learning disabilities to address a wider range of difficulties experienced by this client group. Social constructionist theory may be a useful framework to facilitate such an approach, and is intellectually compatible with changes occurring in other related disciplines. Research relevant to this perspective is reviewed under four subheadings proposed by Doise. Implications for clinical practice are discussed by reference to two case studies.