ASSIGNMENT

Introduction and background notes (vocational context)

As a health and social care worker in East London, you must understand psychological factors which influence human behavior and the effects that these factors have on users of health and social care services. As a health and social care worker you must also understand the basic approaches to understanding human behavior drawn from psychology as throughout your career you will experience the changing roles of individuals throughout the life stages.

Task 1: Understand theories of lifespan development (Recommended word limit maximum 1000 words)

You have worked in a range of health and social care organisation with a variety of service users throughout their various life stages. (*Life stage means infancy; early childhood; adolescence; adulthood; late adulthood; final stages of life and death). You are preparing to submit a report for the next health and social care conference. In your report you will:

1. Compare the different theories of life span development (for example stage versus open ended; continuity versus discontinuity)

2. In your report explain how all the following psychological theories (behavioural; cognitive; psychodynamic and humanistic) relate to different life stages in health and social care.

* Life stage refers to life span

- To achieve M1, complex problems with more than one variable have been explored when comparing the different theories of lifespan development.
- To achieve M2, a relevant theories and techniques have been applied when explaining how psychological theories and concepts are related to the specific life stages.

Task 2: LO2 - Understand social and biological determinants of human behavior displayed in health and social care context (Link to Unit 4)

Case Scenario

You work as a manager in a residential care home with patients with degenerative diseases.

Sam is a new patient who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease for 6 years now. He has been placed to your care home by the local authority as he was living independently through supported living.

There has been several complaints provided to the local authority regarding Sam's behaviour changes such as irritable behaviour, confusion, stress, suicidal tendency and verbal abuse to the community mental health team and neighbours.

Sam's family has expressed concerns about his wellbeing and health. You intend to support your client and his family. The family has little understanding of Sam's condition.

Produce a report for your health care staff and family on the following questions.

1. Explain social and biological factors that influence human behaviour in the case study above.

2. Using the case study above analyse the importance of social roles in the context of health and social care settings.

- To achieve M1, an effective approach to study and research has been demonstrated in the theory of nature versus nurture and its implication on human development and behaviour.

- To achieve D3, effective thinking has taken place in justifying the impact of social roles in multiple contexts in health and social care.

Task 3A: LO3 - Understand how psychological theories are applied to health and social care practice (Group Presentation) - Part 1

Scenario

You have recently been hired as the chief social worker for the local authority for the borough of Tower Hamlets. One of the other social workers have a client named Karen (see case study below). You have asked the social worker to give a 15 minute presentation at the next team meeting on understanding how psychological theories are applied to health and social care practice use the case study below to illustrate your answer.

Case Study

Karen is a 45 year-old mother of two teenagers, a girl and a boy. Her husband has been diagnosed as a schizophrenia and is unemployed and is an alcoholic as well as a gambler and is worried that he is not able to provide for his family. Her daughter suffers from an eating disorder that has been diagnosed recently by the GP as bulimia. Her son has been diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder.

Karen has had a successful, well-paying career for the past several years in upper-level management where she works 10 hours a day. Even though she has worked for the same, thriving company for over 6 years, she found herself worrying constantly about losing her job and being unable to provide for her family. This worry has been troubling her for the past 8 months as well as the breakdown of her marriage. Despite her best efforts, she hasn't been able to shake the negative thoughts which has led to depression and also to seek counselling.

What you must do

1. In the first part of your group presentation you must analyse the application of psychological theories in relation to individuals in the case study who are experiencing elevated levels of stress. [P3.1, D1]

2. In the second part of your presentation you will analyse how psychological theories relate to behaviour disturbances and relate your answers to the case study. [P3.2, M3]

- To achieve M3, in your presentation the content of your work shows coherent, logical development on the use of psychological theories in health care for the intended audience.

- To achieve D1, realistic improvements have been proposed on the advantages and disadvantages of the psychological approaches of stress management.

Task 3B: - Understand how psychological theories are applied to health and social care practice - Part 2

Report Writing

You have been selected by your manager to represent your hospital in a 3 day Mental Health Conference held by world renowned Psychiatrist, Psychologist and Neuroscientist.

The conference involved discussion on various types/ causes of mental illness such as schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), depression, anxiety disorders and eating disorders. (Day 1)

Dealing with patients at different stages of treatment i.e. diagnosis, treatment, intervention techniques and medication. (Day 2)

The psychological theories and its application to mental health and treatment. (Day 3)

The Chief Executive Officer in your hospital wants you to write an article in the monthly NHE (National Health Executive) newspaper on how psychological theories are applied to health and social care practice.

What you must do

1. The first part of your article you will analyse how psychological theories informs understanding of mental disorders.

2. The second part of your article you will evaluate the application of psychological principles affecting behaviour change in health and social care setting.

3. In the final section of your article you will analyse how psychological theories can enhance understanding of relationships in health and social care.