An experimental study of the diagnostic process investigated the influence of a patient’s perceived social characteristics upon use of the psychosomatic diagnostic category. S’s heard recordings of a diagnostic interview in which an ambiguous medical problem was presented. The perceived social characteristics of the patient were manipulated using accent variations. Results showed that the diagnosis of the same presented problem varied as a function of the perceived SES of the patient, and was related to a variety of differences in stereotyped attributions of personality and interview behaviour. An explanation is offered in terms of the relation between a patient’s SES and the doctor’s uncertainty in his relationship with the patient, the psychosomatic diagnosis being used as a means of coping with this uncertainty.

The recent trend towards the introduction of sex education in schools, day centres, and residential homes for people with mental handicaps has created the need for a change in attitude towards an issue that individuals hold deeply personal. This article describes how, in order to facilitate this transition, a multidisciplinary team set up a series of lectures, workshops, and discussion groups. It sets out the main aims of the team's work, which were: to get people to examine their own attitudes towards sexuality and mental handicap; to dispel and clarify existing myths; and to provide information about what sex education is all about.The article shows how the presentation of case histories, the use of role play and role reversal, and small group work not only enabled discussion to be opened up but helped to clarify issues, bring about a consensus of opinion, and offer an avenue of support to parents and professionals who had felt isolated in their attempts to deal with the growing independence of their children or clients.