Sociology in Social Work

Running Head: SOCIOLOGY IN SOCIAL WORK
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Sociology in Social Work
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

2SOCIOLOGY IN SOCIAL WORK
Introduction
As per the societal perspectives, the development of the mental illness emerges when
certain symptoms are molded and initiated towards the imputation of the reaction of the
society towards a stable and an organized role of the society (Rogers et al. 2014, p. 35-44).
Individuals in the society are generally thrust in the role and being labelled a mentally ill.
Towards the contrasts, the concept of the psychiatric involves the assumption that the concept
of the mental illness is a disease (Weber 2017). The paper illustrates the thorough explanation
of the case study of Ms K and her mental issues related to paranoid schizophrenia which has
enabled her to consult health care professionals. The paper will identify the essential
sociological theories in the context of the case of Ms K together with the application of these
theories for the understanding of the position of the social workers.
Discussion
The practises related to the psychiatry are basically multiparadigmatic in nature.
Rooted on the based on the six essential schools of the sociological theories related to the
behavioural, social, existential, psychodynamic, and cognitive and theories related to the
biology, these schools of the theories generally have theory own understanding related to the
origin and the management of the psychiatric disorders (Perry et al. 2015, p.116). In a
broader sense, the sociological perspectives and the models of the mental illness explains and
regards the mental illness as one of the deviant behaviour that is basically marked by the
feelings, thoughts and the behaviours that are basically the fragmented issues and the
problems of the society together with the problem for the dysfunction of the body and the
mind (Cockerham 2016). The positive aspects of the sociological model are thoroughly based
on the cultural and the sociological context. One of the negative aspects of the sociological
perspectives and the models is leading towards the generalization since every individual.

3SOCIOLOGY IN SOCIAL WORK
Mental disorder is basically and initially manifested in the nature or the behaviour.
There are a dozens and variety of the physical symptoms that are associated with the mental
disorder. As per the current study, the concept of the mental illness lies o the advocacy of the
societal reactions and the approaches towards the mental illness.
As per the given case study, the mental health of Ms K is on a toll after her
relationship with the local men which lead her to get pregnant for the second time.
Furthermore the detachment from her eight year son due to the report of negligence towards
the child, made her more prone to retarded mental health and mental issues. With the
diagnosis of the paranoid schizophrenia, Ms K receives visits from nurses from the
psychiatric communities who are under the care of the consultant psychiatrist. Further
diagnosis revealed her details and the status of the admissions related to the hospital
regarding the section 2 of the mental health act which leads to compulsory detention in the
hospital. This situation raised concern regarding her situation and can thus be explained with
the help of the sociological theories as illustrated below.
The sociological theories
The disorders related to the mental health and mental illness has been long considered
as an essential topic regarding the sociological interests. Initiated by famous psychiatrists and
theory of the sick role, the discussion regarding the mental disorder generally circulate
around the boundaries and the categories of the mental disorders targeting the explanations of
the factors of aetiology, relation among the various groups and the perspectives of the health
care professionals. One of the two major sociological theories that will be explained are the
symbolic interactionism that includes the connection to the theories of the deviancies,
labelling and the social model. The second sociological perspectives selected is the
functionalism that incorporates the theories related to the sick role, the role of the family in

4SOCIOLOGY IN SOCIAL WORK
the society and the medical model. These two theories will be illustrated for the purpose of
the understanding the case study of Ms K.
Theory 1
Symbolic interactionism is basically the sociological perspectives which is
particularly essential in the context of the micro sociology which is the study of the
connection or the interaction among the individuals in the society. These particular
sociological perspectives interpret the behaviour of the human and their causes towards the
identification of the hidden meanings behind the labels given by the individual. Labelling
individuals with mental health issues as violent, unsafe entails the identity assigned to the
discredits. Originated by Becker as the labelling theory in relations to the deviances, the
theory states how the individuals with mental disorder are being forced to believe that they
are potentially dangerous. Some of the other theorists such as the Wilkins and Lemert
support the labelling theory.
Application of theory
The outcome of the depression has been variously linked with the factor of the stress
in such a way that severe depression with the stress of life is connected with the poor
recovery as compared to the less severe depression. The theory tried to link the biological
factors with the sociological perspectives regarding the case study of Ms K. In the domain of
the effect of the stress on the psychiatric disorders, the theory explains how stress and the
factors connected to stress in the scenario of Ms K in her second pregnancy and the removal
of her first child due to the report of negligence. From the perspectives of social and health
care professionals, the theory explains how stress had a pathoplastic effect rather the
pathogenic effect on Ms K. The stress and the vulnerability model explains how stress