Engaging imagination and the future: Frontiers for clinical work

Abstract

Narrative theory indicates that assessment using narratives is expectant, collaborative, and has the potential to begin a process of change. A shift from thinking exclusively about meaning (subjectivity in the child) to thinking also about shared meaning (intersubjectivity between child and clinician-examiner) seems appropriate in the clinical context. Recent knowledge from the cognitive neurosciences makes a shift of this sort compelling and has further implications. More story stem narrative research at the level of assessing individual children needs to be done so there can be explicit links to treatment.

Keywords:

• Narrative theory
• intersubjectivity
• cognitive neuroscience
• young children
• clinical practice

Notes

1 Recently mirror neurons have also been discovered in the posterior parietal cortext that are activated in response to audio-visual directed actions of another (as reviewed in Gallese et al., 2007).

2 For further discussion of this view and a review of brain imaging studies see Emde, 2007