Critically Compare and Contrast Community Psychology and Public Health Approaches to Social Problems
In this essay, I will critically compare and contrast community psychology and public health approaches to social problems. I will do this by comparing strengths and weaknesses of both approaches, as well as similarities between these approaches.
To compare these two concepts, one should first have a basic understanding of the origins and historical development of community psychology and public health.
According to the American Heritage Medical dictionary (www.ahdictionary.com) Community Psychology is “the application of psychology to community programs for the prevention of mental health disorders and the promotion of mental health.” Community psychology has its roots in the mental health reform movements in the USA, according to Tutorial letter 102/0/2013for Pyc4811 (2013). The three most important reform movements were the “moral treatment” (early 1800’s), the “mental hygiene” (early 1900’s) and “deinstitutionalisation” (1960’s) (Tutorial letter 102/0/2013for Pyc4811). Each of these movements was intended to view and treat mental illness as a social problem rather than an individual problem. It was also a move towards ‘prevention rather than cure’ concerning mental illness. (Tutorial letter 102/0/2013for Pyc4811)
According to Tutorial letter 102/0/2013for Pyc4811 (2013) there are two major models of community psychology: the Mental Health model and the Social action model. The location of mental illness, according to the Mental Health model, is at the method of interaction between individual and environmental factors. The Social Action model places the location of mental illness ‘within oppressive and exploitative social and economic structures’ (Tutorial letter 102/0/2013for Pyc4811, 2013)
Public health, like community psychology, focuses on prevention of disease. It is defined as “the science and practice of protecting and improving the health of a community as by preventative medicine; health education; control of communicable diseases;
To compare these two concepts, one should first have a basic understanding of the origins and historical development of community psychology and public health.
According to the American Heritage Medical dictionary (www.ahdictionary.com) Community Psychology is “the application of psychology to community programs for the prevention of mental health disorders and the promotion of mental health.” Community psychology has its roots in the mental health reform movements in the USA, according to Tutorial letter 102/0/2013for Pyc4811 (2013). The three most important reform movements were the “moral treatment” (early 1800’s), the “mental hygiene” (early 1900’s) and “deinstitutionalisation” (1960’s) (Tutorial letter 102/0/2013for Pyc4811). Each of these movements was intended to view and treat mental illness as a social problem rather than an individual problem. It was also a move towards ‘prevention rather than cure’ concerning mental illness. (Tutorial letter 102/0/2013for Pyc4811)
According to Tutorial letter 102/0/2013for Pyc4811 (2013) there are two major models of community psychology: the Mental Health model and the Social action model. The location of mental illness, according to the Mental Health model, is at the method of interaction between individual and environmental factors. The Social Action model places the location of mental illness ‘within oppressive and exploitative social and economic structures’ (Tutorial letter 102/0/2013for Pyc4811, 2013)
Public health, like community psychology, focuses on prevention of disease. It is defined as “the science and practice of protecting and improving the health of a community as by preventative medicine; health education; control of communicable diseases;
References: 1.) The American Heritage Dictionary, (http://www.ahdictionary.com/) 2.) Perkins, Douglas. D, An Introduction To Community Psychology, (https://my.vanderbilt.edu/perkins/2011/09/intro-to-community-psychology/) 3.) Tutorial letter 102/0/2013for Pyc4811 (2013) 4.) Zimmerman, M, Community Psychology, Gale Encyclopaedia of Public Health, (http://www.answers.com)