Toward a Sociological Model of Residential Treatment

Abstract

Philosophical, social, and political changes have created the opportunity for sociology to enter arenas to which it has previously been denied access. Specifically, I am referring to an opportunity for sociology to provide a model of sociological treatment for adolescents who have been exposed to traumatic life events and as a recourse been labeled “emotionally disturbed” by the psychological establishment. Using an interpretative approach, I recast work from neurobiology, psychology, and sociology into a theoretical model that explains how traumatic life events developmentally influence an individual to intuitively think and act in ways that are labeled as deviant. This model is conceptually compatible with the deviance literature, especially the social bonding, social learning, and labeling perspectives. Based on this model, a broad model of treatment can be conceptualized that places emphasis on the treatment environment and adult-child interactions as opposed to psychological models that stress behavior modification and formal therapy.