Community Psychology and Public Health Approaches to Social Problems PYC4811 Assignment: 657794 April 2015 Introduction At first community psychology and the public health’s approach to social problems appear to be similar with only some key differences in their explanation of the causes and influences of these problems on the mental wellbeing of individuals. Some of the similarities include their belief that effective treatment should focus on preventative measures that work with the causes of pathology as opposed to curative measures which aim to treat the incidences and/or symptoms. (Guemina, 1995). Some of the other differences include the role of the individual in the development of a mental illness, as well as intervention and/or therapeutic approaches viewed as most successful and beneficial. This essay will attempt to compare and contrast the approaches of community psychology and the public health to social problems, while giving light to their strengths and limitations.
To begin, I would first like to define psychology and applied psychology, and explain how how it is applied. Psychology is the scientific study of the human mind and behavior. Applied psychology is the professional application of psychological theory and principles used to solve problems associated with human behavior. Clinical psychologists aim to understand and treat mental illness. According to Davey (2011), clinical psychologist, “...attempt to help people understand the causes of their difficulties, provide interventions that can help to alleviate specific symptoms associated with their difficulties, and provide support and guidance through the period to recovery”.
The social and ecological influences are taken into consideration. Both form behaviours and principles of the community. From the 1940’s to the mid 1960’s gave rise to Community Health Psychology, as well as The Public Health Psychology. Neither draw solely from psychology alone, but also social, economic and political arenas when tackling cause and effect. Community Psychology strives for education and empowerment, focusing on health aspects concerned with behaviour, such as
To advance the education of the public in the part that counselling and/or psychotherapy can play generally and in particular to meet the needs of those members of society where development and participation in society is impaired by mental, physical or social handicap or disability. Their latest Ethical Framework encompasses all the earlier codes and is intended to steer the practice of counselling and psychotherapy in an ethical, accountable and mindful direction and is supposed to echo the ethical diversity for the practitioners dealing with the all the variety of client’s circumstances and needs. ------------------------------------------------- The Framework can be split into 3 keys features. These are (1)
Harm reduction is a holistic approach, considering problems such as the availability of the drug in the community, the prevalence of its use, and how much is known about the drug and its effects and harms in the community (drug info). Harm reduction supports the traditional abstinence goal of drug treatment services by encouraging an abstinence-based approach, providing drug users with the knowledge and tools to reduce harm until they can achieve and maintain abstinence (WHO, 2006). The focus is on empowering people to make their own choices about their drug use and therefore encouraging more people to participate in treatment and prevention programs (drug info). Zero tolerance is an extreme form of harm reduction, endorsing the prohibition of any drug use (Bonomo & Bowes, 2000). Theoretically, zero tolerance would be the most effective approach to reducing substance-related harm (Bonomo & Bowes, 2000).
Aswitcho STUDENT NUMBER: 1234 A critical comparison between the Community Psychology and public Health Approaches to social problems PYC 4811 ASSIGNMENT 01 Unique code:657794 l 19 April 2015 PYC4811 ASSIGNMENT 01 Community psychology and Public health approaches might share similar theories and conceptual models for example the empowerment theory, the social change theory, the dissemination of innovation and the ecological theory but they differ in their explanation of causes and influences of mental illness. I will start by giving a historical background of these two approaches that is, how they originated and their historical developments. I will then give a few pointers with regards to the approaches strengths and weaknesses then conclude by highlighting how these approaches complement each other. According to The Cambridge Dictionary of Psychology, “Community psychology is a branch of applied psychology that focuses on person- environment interactions usually at the level of the community and is aimed at improving the general quality of life within a community”. It is the interaction that is seen between people and the environment within a certain community.
1. Evaluate the development of your communication skills with reference to the literature and peer / tutor feedback. 2. Evaluate how the psycho-social theories informed your understanding of the chosen case scenario A social worker must utilise a variety of communication skills to ensure effective delivery of service levels within the community. This essay will evaluate the development of my communication skills with reference to the literature, peers and tutor’s feedback in the role play I recently undertook as a social worker interviewing Mrs Susan Peters.
Introduction to Mental Health And Therapeutic Interventions DO130023S Introduction to Mental Health and Therapeutic Interventions Mental health nursing is, first and foremost, concerned with helping people find meaning in their lives and assisting them in the process of recovery. However we cannot do this effectively unless we are prepared to hear service users’ accounts of their difficulties and recognise the value of their own preferences for a meaningful life (Norman and Ryrie, 2009).The nation’s current mental health care model, like the broader field of health, is rooted in a population based public health model. The public health model is characterised by the concern for the health of a population in its entirety. It also helps in awareness to the link between health and the physical and psycho-social environment (Schafer, 2009). Public health focuses not only on traditional areas of diagnosis, treatment, and aetiology, but also disease prevention, and access to evaluation of services (Friedli, 2010).
Clinical Psychologists are involved in research, teaching and supervision, program development and evaluation, consultation, public policy, professional practice, and other activities that promote psychological health in individuals, families, groups, and organizations. Their work can range from prevention and early intervention of minor problems of adjustment to dealing with the adjustment and maladjustment of individuals whose disturbance requires them to be hospitalized. Clinical Psychologists work directly with individuals at all developmental levels, infants to older adults, as well as groups for example families and organizations, using a wide range of assessment and intervention methods to promote positive mental health and to alleviate discomfort and maladjustment. Researchers study the theory and practice of Clinical Psychology, and through their publications, document their findings with assist the field. Consultants, Teachers, and Clinical Supervisors share the Clinical Psychology knowledge base with students, other professionals, and non-professionals.
Running head: ETHICS IN GROUP COUNSELING Ethics in Group Counseling Arthur Silver Rio Salado College Group Interventions with the Chemically Dependent CHD 250 Sections 10929 Michelle McGuire August 15, 2011 Ethics in Group Counseling When confronted with the subject of ethics different people have different ideas or conceptions based on their own interpretation, morals, beliefs, cultural influences, and personal experiences. In the realm of group counseling a high standard of ethical behavior is essential to protect the members of the group, the facilitators and anyone else involved in the group dynamics. This paper will explore the subject of ethics in group counseling by looking at how we define ethics, the ACA code of ethics, the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners, and a brief interview with a member of the Board of Behavioral Health Examiners Dr. Kirk Bowden. The paper will then focus on issues of informed consent, rights of group members, confidentiality, as well as cultural issues as they apply to ethics. Ethics can be defined several different ways.