Patterns of Care for the Subnormal: The Commonwealth and International Library: Mental Health and Social Medicine Division

Patterns of Care for the Subnormal examines the pattern of care for the mentally subnormal in relation to medical, educational, and social services in England and Wales. Topics covered range from variations on the theme of subnormality to the prevalence of mental subnormality, hospital functions, and trends in hospital and community services. A comprehensive service for the subnormal is also considered.
Comprised of 10 chapters, this book begins with an analysis of the term subnormal from the educational, legal, sociological, psychological, and administrative perspectives. The discussion then turns to variations on the theme of subnormality by presenting four case histories to illustrate the usage of the term subnormality. Subsequent chapters focus on the prevalence of mental subnormality; trends in a hospital service and in a community service; subnormality admissions to Welsh subnormality hospitals in 1964; and patients needing all types of subnormality hospital care in Wales in 1965. Patterns of subnormality care in other societies are also considered. The final chapter describes a comprehensive service for the subnormal that encompasses prevention and diagnosis as well as education and training, community social services, and full-time care.
This monograph will be of interest to doctors, psychologists, educationalists, and administrators.