The description and classification of social disability by means of a taxonomic hierarchy

Many schedules for the description of various forms of disability and handicap have been developed, but even the more satisfactory ones have a limited coverage, and virtually all separate disabilities and handicaps due to physical causes from those with psychological causes. Since the end result of interference with social life is often the same whatever the cause, there is a case for trying to develop a classification of disability and handicap which can be applied to patients with any form of illness. Impairments, disabilities and handicaps, however defined, are all aspects of interference with behaviour, so we are really seeking to classify performance of behaviour. To do this satisfactorily, we first need a general and comprehensive classification of human behaviour. This paper, therefore, attempts to provide a conceptual basis for the development of such a general classification of human behaviour upon which a classification of disabilities and handicaps could be based. The problem is approached in the following steps: a) A brief summary of conclusions about current progress in the classification of behaviour and social disability in social psychology, ethology and psychiatry. b) A discussion of the most successful method of classification in biology, technically known as a taxonomic hierarchy. c) An outline of a taxonomic hierarchy of human behaviour, which makes it clear how the effects of physical and psychological disorders can be encompassed within the same scheme. d) A discussion of how this framework can be used to describe and classify physical and social disabilities and handicaps, and psychiatric symptoms.