Pragmatic Disorders

The wide-ranging coverage in this survey of the state of the art in clinical pragmatics includes material on pragmatic disorders in previously neglected populations, including those of juvenile offenders, sufferers of emotional and behavioural disorders, and forms of dementia unrelated to Alzheimer s. It succeeds in its aim of making a significant contribution to the discussion on pragmatic disorders by closely examining pragmatic pathologies in these sectors as well as by exploring topics with a fast-rising profile in the field, such as disorders with both pragmatic and cognitive features, and work on the complex psychosocial impacts of pragmatic disorders, which include depression, anxiety, and social exclusion.§Moving on to a critical assessment of developments at the interface of theory and practice, the author identifies an overweening preoccupation with philosophical and logical considerations by theorists, while the work of clinicians is too often inadequately informed by theoretical frameworks. She covers the latest research trying to bridge these gaps and strongly advocates a closer alliance of the clinical and theoretical branches of pragmatics as the most promising route for future evolution in the field. At once a yardstick measuring progress thus far in clinical pragmatics, and also a roadmap for worthwhile future research development, this single-author volume defines where we have reached in the field, as well as where we have to go next.§