Community psychology

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The community psychology (Engl. Community psychology ) is a part of the field of psychology and deals with social inequalities. It is about the relationship between socially and culturally determined living conditions and individual mental health. Based on this, community psychology tries to develop forms of psychosocial help in a regional context.

Historical background

This discipline of psychology is still a young form of social influence. It emerged from a changed understanding of how to deal with psychological problems from the criticism of the psychological boom of the 1960s and 1970s, the therapeuticization and thus the individualization of problems that developed in social work (Gildemeister 1992).

It was sobering that these approaches hardly brought any improvements, especially for the lower-class clientele. The focus so far has been too much on the individual treatment of disorders and personality deficits. If problems related to the real world are viewed and understood too “psychologically”, the social conditions z. B. too much of the view for the emergence of poverty . Various studies have confirmed that a lack of material resources has a major impact on a person's well-being. For example , having to support a family on a tight budget is very stressful . A “ community health movement ” developed with the aim of providing free, low-threshold care for the community. This resulted in everyday therapeutic intervention methods.

Subject of community psychology

Community psychology understands the space as a living environment and tries to improve their situation by strengthening disadvantaged population groups. In this context , she wants to promote well-being and health . Community psychology sees a connection between social developments and psychosocial problems. These should be treated less deficit-oriented and more resource-oriented . Community psychology is not a form of treatment that a psychologist carries out on patients in a practice, but rather reflects a wide range of societal design processes and interventions.

Practical approaches in community psychology can be, for example:

  • Analysis of familiar ways of life ( rituals , cultural norms etc.), also and especially against the background of different nationalities ;
  • Strengthening internal (mental) and external (physical) resources and knowledge and elimination of the causes of diseases;
  • Cultivating and promoting community and promoting factors that positively influence attachment and social support (hence the origin of the word 'Community Psychology');
  • Critical reflection on the undesirable side effects of extensive professionalization ;
  • Accompanying the social and political discussion in the context of the current restructuring of psychosocial and health care ( health reform ) and restructuring of community health care ;
  • Redefinition of the terms “ participation ” or “strengthening personal responsibility ” in the health and social policy discourse for the benefit of the citizens concerned.

Central terms and branches of work in community psychology are prevention (to ward off the consequences of disadvantages), empowerment (to enable oneself to act), lifeworld orientation (start where the client “stands”), resource orientation (use and expand the client's skills), community work and Network intervention (cooperation between institutions for the benefit of people).

Many framework conditions are currently changing. The discussion about community psychology is shaped by the question of what community psychology and the related sciences can contribute to ensuring that social issues are taken into account in relation to the economy and are expressed sustainably in health and socio-political orientations. The “sense of community” and the social support required for it are important prerequisites for achieving personal goals as well as for a functioning community with functioning organizations . Thus the community psychological approach is self-reflective. The actions of professionals or institutions should be consistent with the actions of those affected .

literature

  • JH Dalton, MJ Elias, A. Wandersman: Community Psychology - Linking Individuals and Communities. Wadsworth, Belmont ca. 2001.
  • Heiner Keupp : Action perspectives of community psychology . History and core ideas of a project. In H. Keupp: encouragement to walk upright. dgvt-Verlag, Tübingen 1997, pp. 191-206.
  • H. Keupp: Psychology. In: Dieter Kreft, Ingried Mielenz: Dictionary of social work. Tasks, fields of practice, terms and methods of social work and social education. 5th, completely revised and expanded edition. Juventa Verlag, Weinheim / Basel 2005.
  • A. Lenz, W. Stark (Ed.): Empowerment. New perspectives for psychosocial practice and organization. dgvt-Verlag, Tübingen 2002.
  • J. Rappaport, E. Seidman (Eds.): Handbook of community psychology. Kluwer, New York 2000.
  • B. Röhrle, G. Sommer (Ed.): Community Psychology: Inventories and Perspectives. dgvt-Verlag, Tübingen 1995.
  • B. Röhrle, G. Sommer, F. Nestmann (eds.): Network intervention. dgvt-Verlag, Tübingen 1998.
  • G. Sommer, H. Ernst (Ed.): Community psychology. Urban & Schwarzenberg, Munich 1977.
  • A. Trojan, H. Legewie: Sustainable health and development - guiding principles, politics and practice of designing health-promoting environmental and living conditions. VAS - Publishing House for Academic Writings, Frankfurt 2001.

Footnotes

  1. ^ Research on family counseling in a district in Munich (Buchholz / Höfer 1987, p. 218)

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