Mature care and reciprocity: Two cases from acute psychiatry

Abstract

In this article we elaborate on the concept of mature care, in which reciprocity is crucial. Emphasizing reciprocity challenges other comprehensions where care is understood as a one-sided activity, with either the carer or the cared for considered the main source of knowledge and sole motivation for caring. We aim to demonstrate the concept of mature care's advantages with regard to conceptualizing the practice of care, such as in nursing. First, we present and discuss the concept of mature care, then we apply the concept to two real life cases taken from the field of acute psychiatry. In the first example we demonstrate how mature care can grasp tacit reciprocal aspects in caring. In the other, we elucidate a difficulty related to the concept, namely the lack of reciprocity and interaction that affects some relationships.

Against dichotomies

“…56-57). 1 In their reflection on mature care, Pettersen and Hem 1,2 draw upon Gilligan's work, 3 which they consider a source of inspiration for nurses. Especially valuable is the care-ethical emphasis on human interdependence and vulnerability as core traits of human existence.…”

“…Its core idea is to convey a relational ontology into the normative concept of care (p. 218). 1 Thus, reciprocity appears as the normative basis of care instead of any one-sidedness from the part of the caregiver (pp. 218-219).…”

“…2 This alternative is a necessary counterbalance to the altruistic component of care which tends to be overemphasized in our culture leading to an appraisal of caregivers' self-sacrifice (p. 210). 1 The concept of mature care is represented as follows. Its core idea is to convey a relational ontology into the normative concept of care (p. 218).…”

“…[5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20] Special attention has been given to the relation between self and other as described in the third stage of her model of moral development, that is, the stage of mature care. 1,2,[4][5][6][7][8] Norwegian scholars have taken the concept of mature care to oppose the idea of altruistic care that they consider dominant in Norwegian educational nursing textbooks. 1,2,[4][5][6][7]21,22 It is argued that mature care resembles the Aristotelian ''golden mean'' as it is a mean between too little and too much care for the self respectively for others.…”

“…1,2,[4][5][6][7][8] Norwegian scholars have taken the concept of mature care to oppose the idea of altruistic care that they consider dominant in Norwegian educational nursing textbooks. 1,2,[4][5][6][7]21,22 It is argued that mature care resembles the Aristotelian ''golden mean'' as it is a mean between too little and too much care for the self respectively for others.…”