Clinical sociology: Its methods and implications

Abstract

Medical sociology has been discussed that has serious dilemma between the two research styles; ‘sociology of medicine’ and ‘sociology in medicine’. The dilemma has influenced on the research orientation in this field and produced some biases in favor of medical concern. Breaking through the dilemma, clinical sociology is considered as one of the most promising approaches. It is characterized by the practical application of sociological theories and concepts to clinical problem solving. In this paper, the history of clinical sociology in the U.S. are reviewed, and its methods and implications for medical sociology are discussed.