Psychology of Health and Social Care: Theories and Behavior Analysis

This report delves into the psychology of health and social care, examining key psychological theories and their practical applications. It begins by exploring lifespan development theories, comparing and contrasting stage versus open-ended and static versus dynamic theories, and then discusses Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and Erikson's theory, highlighting their significance for care providers. The report further analyzes biological and social determinants of eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia, and the importance of social roles within a given scenario. It also addresses psychological stress among care workers, analyzing causes, the role of personality, and suggesting coping strategies. The report concludes by analyzing psychological theories like social learning and behaviorist theory related to behavior disturbances and evaluating the application of psychological principles to affect behavior change, enhancing understanding of relationships in health and social care.

Psychology of HSC

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction .....................................................................................................................................3
TASK 1 ...........................................................................................................................................3
A) Giving practical health and social care-related examples to support your.............................3
points, compare and contrast:.....................................................................................................3
B) Maslow and Erikson theories that underpin the role of care providers .................................4
TASK 2 ...........................................................................................................................................5
A) Biological and social determinants of bulimia and anorexia in the given scenario...............5
B) Importance of different social roles in the given scenario......................................................6
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................6
A) ................................................................................................................................................6
B) Analyzing Psychological theories related to behavior disturbances.......................................7
C) Challenges faced by a support worker while treating people with depressive illness............8
D) Evaluating the application of psychological principles to affect behavior change................9
E)Analysis of psychological theories in enhancing understanding of relationship in health and
social care..................................................................................................................................10
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................10
References......................................................................................................................................12
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INTRODUCTION
Psychology refers to the scientific study of mental processes and human behavior. It
plays very important role in health and social care (Ogden, 2012). The present report explores
the significance of study of psychological factors that influence the behavior of individuals
throughout their lifespan. In addition to this it also aims to explore its importance in the health
and social care setting. The report also features different lifespan development theories and their
application to underpin the role of care providers at each stage of service users lifespan in health
and social care.
TASK 1
A) Giving practical health and social care-related examples to support your
points, compare and contrast:
There are several theories related to lifespan development theory that explains how
children grow and develop in their lifespan. The theory is useful in understanding the factors that
are responsible for growth and development of individuals in their lifespan.
i.Stage versus open-ended theories of lifespan development
Stage theories explains the development of individuals from the moment they born into
this world. They grow and develop with same levels of maturity. The theory assumes that
humans choose one or two ways based on their choices which determines their future. Example
of Stage theory include Erik Erickson Theory of Psychological Development (Buunk, Gibbons,
and Buunk, 2013).
On the contrary Open ended theories assume nothing. It explains that all individuals are
different from each other and respond either in negative or positive manner to their surroundings.
The responses are based on various factors that include physiological, psychological and cultural
aspects. These factors interplay throughout the lives of individuals. It proposes that there are
numerous choices and one cannot presupposes their outcomes. The work of Dr. Jaan Valsiner in
his book “Culture and Development of Children's Action” features dynamic approach to
developmental psychology. He developed a systematic model that presents development as an
open ended process (Stroebe, 2011).
ii Static versus dynamic theories of lifespan development
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The static theory explains the development of children by relating the process to a step on
a ladder. Each step in the child development ladder is linear and directs to the next step. A child
progresses from one one step to the next without any variation.
On the contrary the the dynamic theory of child development explains that development
initiates and end at various stages. The theory states that learning at each level make base for the
learning in the next level. The child learn to connect information from one level to another
through his experience.
B) Maslow and Erikson theories that underpin the role of care providers
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Theory states that that there are five types of motivational
needs of an individual which are depicted in hierarchical level in a form of pyramid. These needs
are categorized as physiological, safety, social, self respect and self actualization needs. These
levels need to be fulfilled for the psychological well being of individuals. The care givers need to
understand these needs of individuals at every stage of their life (Maslach and Jackson,
2013).For example: patients who suffer from severe depression are those individuals who seek
love, care and attention. Care givers need to give them support to overcome this condition by
treating them with care and attending their issues and concerns by implementing person centric
approach. Similarly while treating older patients the care workers need to support then in a
dignified manner by taking taking in account their social and self respect needs.
Erikson theory of lifespan development states that there is plenty of room for the growth
and development of an individual throughout his life (Lowes and Hulatt, 2013). The theory
emphasizes on the adolescence stage of an individual which is a vital stage for developing his
identity. There are eight stages of psychological development in an individuals life which need
to be considered by care givers in health and social care. For example at the infancy stage the
person is uncertain about the world and is dependent on parents and care providers for stability
and consistency of care. The psychological crisis in this stage can be resolved by developing a
sense of trust.
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TASK 2
A) Biological and social determinants of bulimia and anorexia in the given scenario
In order to discuss the social and biological determinants of the Bulimia and Anorexia in
middle class college going females the following points can be discussed in length:
Bulimia is referred to an eating disorder that is often characterized by eating large
quantity of food followed by frantic efforts to avoid weight gain (Emerson, 2012). Similarly
Anorexia is also an emotional disorder related to eating which is characterized by obsessive
desire to reduce body weight as low as possible by avoiding food. These two eating disorders are
life threatening mental conditions (Engel, Reiss and Dombeck, 2007). There are various
biological and social predispositions related to these eating disorders.
Biological Factors
Researchers have provided evidences for an inherited tendency for development of
Bulimia and Anorexia in individuals. It has been found that inherited biological factors
contribute to 56 percent of the risk of developing these eating orders in young females. In the
families where any member is affected by eating disorders are more likely to develop these
disorders themselves (Hirst, 2002). Due to some abnormalities in brain structures particularly
hypothalamus and neurotransmitter levels that regulate the eating behavior in individuals leads to
development of these two eating disorders. In addition to this irregular hormone functioning and
levels are also found to be responsible for causing Bulimia Nervosa and Anorexia Nervosa in
individuals. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that influences binging behavior in bulimics.
Social Factors
Eating disorders are more likely to occur in industrialized cultures where being thin is
considered as an important factor to achieve success. Television, fashion magazines and other
media create strong influence on young girls about unrealistic body image to become successful.
In addition to this there are certain professions such as modeling, acting, figure skating, ballet
and performing arts lay emphasis on thin and lean body structure. These professions indirectly
promote eating disorders among young females.
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B) Importance of different social roles in the given scenario
1) In the given scenario the heart surgeon need to take care of his three kids under the age of
12 as well as his elderly mother who suffers from a severe heart condition. In addition to
this role he is heart surgeon who has hectic work life as well. His children belong to a
stage where they start to learn specific skills to show their competencies at school. Thus
the surgeon has a prime responsibility to help the children with their studies in order to
avoid inferiority complex (Lawrence and et.al., 2014). On the other hand her elderly
mother need support and medication to treat her health condition and help her to do
everyday activities. Failing to meet her needs may develop feeling of isolation and
hopelessness leading to depression. Thus as a carer his roles become very crucial to
support his family needs as well as maintaining work life balance.
2) A popular athlete who became disabled face certain psychological conflicts due to his
disability. As an athlete he has several dreams and goals which he wanted to achieve in
his life (Sheldon, 2011). He wanted to enjoy high recognition and social success by
fulfilling his dreams. However his disability has negatively affected his psychology
causing frustration and hopelessness in the athlete.
TASK 3
A)
1) Causes of psychological stress among care workers: Occupational stress: Care workers who are involved in caring individuals with learning
disability often face physiological and psychological fatigue due to occupational stress.
The occupational stress occur due to extreme pressure at workplace (Argyle, 2013). Burn out syndrome: It is an extreme response to job pressure. The care workers who
support disabled individuals with learning disorders have a demanding job which requires
their resources such as time and energy for supporting them in the best possible manner.
This leads to exhaustion and dissatisfaction among care workers. Work life balance issues: The inability to maintain proper work life balance due to
highly demanding role of a care professionals leads to psychological stress.
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 Lack of productivity and skills: The inefficiency at work also leads to psychological
stress. In addition to this lack of skills to handle disabled people also demoralizes care
workers (Currie and Lockett, 2011).
2) Analyzing role of personality and individual differences in the levels of stress
The levels of job related stress differ in care workers in the team which can be explained
on the basis of personality and individual differences. Care workers who are highly skilled and
good at managing their work handle occupational stress effectively as compared to less skilled
and non experienced staff. Further the personalities of care workers also play major role in
responding to stressful situations. Care professionals who are bold, outrageous and adventurous
in nature tend to feel less stressed. On the other hand care workers who are introvert and docile
feel constant pressure of performing in a responsible manner to support the disabled patient.
3. Suggestions for helping care workers to deal with their stress Recognizing signs of stress: In order to deal with stress it is very important to identify the
signs related to stress among care workers. These include irritable behavior, depression,
fatigue and feeling of anxiety. If such signs are visible in care workers then proper
measures should be taken to reduce their job pressure. Maintaining work life balance: Care staff of the team can be encouraged to maintained
work life balance by managing their job roles effectively. By proper delegation of roles
and responsibilities among care staff can reduce burden on any one team member. Reducing stress by taking personal care: Care workers can be encouraged to take proper
personal care. The care plan should include healthy diet and meditation and exercising
sessions to pacify agitated mental state (Sarafino and Smith, 2014 ).
 Resolving work related issues effectively: Regular and open interactive sessions with
care workers team will enable them to discuss their work related issues effectively which
will assist management to take steps to resolve them.
B) Analyzing Psychological theories related to behavior disturbances
There are various psychological theories that are used to analyses the behavioral changes
in individuals. These include: Social Learning Theory: Social Learning Theory is a psychological theory that states
that humans learn by observing other people behavior, attitude, actions and outcomes of
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their behavior. It has been observed that behavior of individuals can be changed through
effective modeling. Human behavior is described in terms of reciprocal interaction
between behavioral, cognitive and environmental determinants (Fisher and Dickinson,
2014). For example: kids behavior can be changed by projecting a desirable behavior
before them. Such as if parents want their kids to exercise and play instead of watching
television then they need to depict the same behavior before them to encourage them to
behave in a similar manner.
 Behaviorist Theory: The theory explains that individuals can be motivated to change
negative behavior by positive reinforcement of a derivable behavior (Cacioppo and
Cacioppo, 2014).The chances of adopting a positive behavior through positive
reinforcement increases the repetition of the behavior. For example: Cooperative attitude
of care workers create positive impact of care takers and they are more likely to follow
their advise and consultation to improve their condition. On the contrary the non
cooperative and non humanistic behavior of care workers can demotivate care takers and
they refuse to follow their advise in future.
C) Challenges faced by a support worker while treating people with depressive illness
As a support worker I encounter various challenges while treating small group of people
with depressive and anxiety related illness. In order to handle these challenges following points
can be discussed:
Challenges Difficulty in identifying category of depression: Depression comes in many forms. The
severity of the illness is very difficult to recognize in a very first stage. Some are mild
while some are very severe that develops suicidal thoughts among affected persons.
Depression tend to memory loss, drastic mood swings, hallucinations and delusions.
Sometimes the affected person becomes violent and may harm other individuals.
Therefore it is very important to safeguard the affected person and other people from
potential harm (Moorhead and et.al., 2013). Violent behavior of patients: Sometimes the affected person becomes violent and may
harm other individuals. Therefore it is very important to safeguard the affected person
and other people from potential harm.
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Measures to handle challenges Offering supporting: People with depressive illness need care and support to overcome
their psychological condition. This can be done by opting a sympathetic approach to
listen to their problems and feelings (Sarafino and Smith, 2014). Communicating effectively: Communicating with the patients on a regular basis will
build a familiarity in the given scenario. As a support worker I will try to interact with
people to talk to them in an empathetic manner in order to pacify their anxiety levels. Using therapies: In order to treat depression I will make use of various therapies to
reduce anxiety levels of patients. These therapies include developing recreational hobbies
related to patient's choice (Israel and et.al., 2014). Monitoring progress: Once the patient has recovered from the depression I will make
sure to monitor their progress on a regular basis.
 Giving reassurance: I will reassure patients to keep their motivation high with regard to
treatment and support services. This will build their trust on care services and thus
beneficial to achieve the objectives of care services.
D) Evaluating the application of psychological principles to affect behavior change
In order to design a successful campaign to promote behavior change regarding use of
drugs in schools of Inner London the following psychological principles can be evaluated : Social Learning Theory: The theory explains that people learn by observing others
behavior, attitudes and outcomes of those actions and behavior. The theory can be
applied to change their behavior of school children regarding use of drug. It is observed
that individual behavior is learned through modeling(Stroebe, 2011). The important
factors for effective modeling are attention , retention, reproduction and motivation. The
attention of children is considered for designing a successful campaign. To increase their
retention include symbolic coding, images that depict the negative consequences of drug
use.
 Behaviorist Theory : The theory uses that a positive behavior can be reinforced in an
individual through positive reinforcement (Sheldon, 2011). The school children can be
encouraged to avoid the use of drugs by telling them the negative consequences of drug
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intake. Positive reinforcement increases the probability of behavior change in school
children.
E)Analysis of psychological theories in enhancing understanding of relationship in health and
social care.
1)
As a care worker and an elderly resident at a care home the understanding of psychological
theories play important role in performing my duties in the most effective manner. I make sure
that I will support care takers by understanding their needs and meeting them in a timely manner.
Further I make sure to deliver best services to people suffering from physical and mental
conditions (Lawrence and et.al., 2014). I will talk to care takers in an empathetic manner to
understand their feelings and concerns . This will help in pacifying their agitated mental state and
reduce their anxiety level. Further I will protect them from suicidal thoughts and involve them in
recreational hobby. As
2) Relation with other care worker colleagues.
As a care worker I will try to have cooperative relation with fellow colleagues. I will
make sure to help them as much as possible to build strong rapport with them. In case of any
conflict I will make sure to handle it an effective manner without indulging in an arguments. In
addition to this, I will always work in team and encourage healthy partnership with co workers.
Listening out to their issues and suggest them practical ideas to resolve their problems ( Argyle,
2013).
CONCLUSION
In a nutshell, the present report provide essential learning on critical aspects of psychology in
health and social care. There are various psychological development theories that explain the
growth and development of individuals throughout their lifespan. These psychology theories play
important role in understanding various factors such as biological, cultural and social factors that
influence the behavior of individuals. In health and social care, health professionals need to
consider the psychological aspects of patient to give him support and care in the most effective
manner. It has also been observed that care workers who are involved in giving support to
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disabled people often face psychological stress due occupational pressure. Thus it becomes very
crucial for care authorities to handle job related stress of care staff through effective measures.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
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Buunk, B.P., Gibbons, F.X. and Buunk, A., 2013. Health, coping, and well-being: Perspectives
from social comparison theory. Psychology Press.
Cacioppo, J.T. and Cacioppo, S., 2014. Social relationships and health: The toxic effects of
perceived social isolation. Social and personality psychology compass. 8(2). pp.58-72.
Currie, G. and Lockett, A., 2011. Distributing leadership in health and social care: concertive,
conjoint or collective?. International Journal of Management Reviews. 13(3). pp.286-300.
Emerson, E., 2012. Clinical psychology and people with intellectual disabilities (Vol. 97). John
Wiley & Sons.
Fisher, L. and Dickinson, W.P., 2014. Psychology and primary care: New collaborations for
providing effective care for adults with chronic health conditions. American Psychologist.
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Israel, S., and et.al., 2014. Translating personality psychology to help personalize preventive
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Lawrence, W., and et.al., 2014. ‘Making every contact count’: Evaluation of the impact of an
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Lowes, L. and Hulatt, I., 2013. Involving service users in health and social care research.
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