Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 3, 2026

Wheel Running and Environmental Complexity as a Therapeutic Intervention in an Animal Model of FASD
Published on: February 2, 2017
The Ashley Treatment: furthering the anthropology of/on disability
Abstract:
Questions regarding access to and the use of medical and surgical treatment for people with disabilities revisit themes central to medical anthropology. The "Ashley Treatment" is named after a nine-year-old girl, Ashley, who has extreme physical and cognitive disabilities. The Treatment refers to extensive medical and surgical procedures that are claimed to improve quality of life and prevent future medical problems. The Treatment has stimulated lively public debate on disability, medicalization, and caregiving. We illustrate how the Ashley Treatment emphasizes the importance of medical anthropological research on the construction of personhood and childhood disability, agency and autonomy, and the rights of representation and control, as well as the ethics of invasive procedures, hormone therapy, and body modification surgery.
Related Concept Videos
Modeling in Therapy
Participant Modeling
Participant modeling involves therapists demonstrating calm and effective behaviors in situations...
Autism Spectrum Disorder
These core symptoms manifest differently among individuals, ranging from mild to severe. The disorder's complexity extends beyond its clinical presentation, encompassing a diverse range of biological, cognitive, and sociocultural influences.
Learning Disabilities
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a...
Social Facilitation
Horney's Sociocultural Approach
Classification of Illness
An illness is a response to a disease in which the person's level of functioning is changed compared with a previous level. The general classification of illness includes acute and chronic.
Acute illness is severe and...

