1. The History And Background Of Community Psychology

Question 1

Give a brief of the history of community psychology

Answer 1

1. Community psychology is a young discipline still in its developmental stages and not yet a professional registration category in South Africa
2. Psychology in the community focuses on the individual’s role within the community by trying to understand the symbolizes within group’s, organizations and societies and how individual’s reacts within that environment
3. The community psychologist works holistically with people and their environment to assist in the development of mental health of the community as a whole

Question 2

Define the Ubuntu philosophy

Answer 2

Ubuntu refers to humanity to others or I am because of others

Question 3

Why is community psychology challenging in an approach and intervention? (UBUNTU PHILOSOPHY)

Answer 3

1. All combinations of the social context must be taken into consideration at any given time.
2. Complicated due to the fact of out deeply-seated historical background, many languages and marginalized and disadvantaged families

Question 4

Define various concepts that pertain to community psychology .

Answer 4

The community psychologist is not only concerned with identifying challenges and intervention programmes in the community, but also with identifying potential risks that could lead to mental health issues and developing strategies to prevent mental health problems

1.The community psychologist is involved in studying predisposing and precipitating factors, evaluating the perpetuating factors and removing the barriers that prevent people to their full potential.

2.The community psychologist is involved in strengthening and supporting protective factors in the community

3. They promote diversity in communities
4. Strives to understand that an individual’s behavior is not a result of their own thinking but they try to see that an individual’s behavior is in the context of social groups and communities
5. Attempt to improve the quality of life of individual’s within the organization, institutions and any other social settings

Question 5

What is the value framework for community psychology?

Answer 5

1. To prevent mental health from becoming serious they consider trigger factors and factors that make the problem to continue and try to remove obstacles to wellness by promoting success.
2. It offers mental health access to areas where that would not have access to facilities in a controlled, clinical setting.
3. They work hand in hand with communities to facilitate community participation through open participation before advising or suggesting problem solving solutions.
4. They measure the success of the intervention by observing change in the community
5. It looks at environmental factors that affect intrinsic motivation, social functioning and needs expectations

Question 6

How does community psychology link individuals and communities

Answer 6

1. Community psychologists and volunteers need to ask the cheif of the councilor to bring their services in to the community
2. The local chief of counselor are the people in whom permission is requested and they need to prepare the community for the arrival of the health care services.

Question 7

What is the role of the community psychologist?

Answer 7

1. Is to not only look at the lives of individuals but attempts to integrate social, cultural, economic and political influences from the environment to promote helpful change, health and gainful empowerment.
2. Is to work in opposition to the traditional psychologist whose primary concern is orientated toward understanding from an individual perspective.
3. Is to work closely with local networks to adress issues of violence, crime, trauma, substance abuse, poverty and hiv/aids.
4. Promote working together with community structures to better understand the environment influences on the physical and mental health and well-being of communities.

Question 8

What are multidisciplinary network of community psychology?

Answer 8

1. Nurses
2. Doctors
3. Traditiona healers
4. Social worked
5. Occupational therapists

Question 9

What do nurses Do?

Answer 9

1. They are the first person the patients see when looking for help and are usually situated in clinic or hospital
2. They do the initial intake and decide whether the patient should be referred to the doctor or psychologist.
3. They prepare the paperwork and the patient for the doctor or psychologist

Question 10

What do doctors do?

Answer 10

1. Patients see them in emergency rooms, consultation rooms or clinics
2. Make diagnosis about what is wrong with the patient and treat them or refer them to specialists.

Question 11

What do traditional healers do?

Answer 11

1. They use herbs that has been passed down by one healer to another.
2. They treat people suffering from many illnesses.

Question 12

What do social worked do?

Answer 12

1. Help people to function optimally in their environments
2. Deal with concens such as housing, unemployment, disability and domestic violence.

Question 13

What do occupational psychologists do?

Answer 13

1. They assist patients the effects of functional disabilities that impair activities of daily living.

Question 14

In order to work effectively with the community, community psychologists must do what?

Answer 14

1. The ability to look, listen, find and build theory
2. The capacity to persuade, represent and refrain in order to deal with individuals and group differing agendas.
3. Excellence organizational, managerial and group skills.
4. A willingness to interact and respond within the environment and to build socially oriented skills of collaboration and inter-organizational task that requires networking, social marketing and public information.
5. A readiness to be active socially as to evaluate situations and advocate and lobby with specific skillsets to get the community’s buy in.
6. Dedication to social justice and client and community empowerment and the ability to learn new theories and skills.