Community Psychology Week 1

A branch of psychology that examines individuals within their community context to improve mental health, well-being, and social conditions.

A type of psychology that focuses mainly on individual factors affecting a person.

A group of people sharing common characteristics, values, beliefs, or cultural practices, often located geographically, or in this case, in South Africa, racial groups.

In South Africa, community is frequently viewed through the lens of race, due to the influence of the apartheid era.

Community Psychology emerged as a response to the gap between traditional psychology's individualistic approach and the reality of social and political unrest.

CP emphasizes prevention, promotion, and addressing structural and historical factors that affect well-being.

Community psychology emphasizes the importance of social contexts, cultural differences, and socio-economic factors when considering mental health.

Community psychology acknowledges the importance of social and cultural factors, such as socioeconomic conditions and historical context, in influencing mental health.

A field focused on community empowerment, social justice, and well-being.

CP challenges traditional psychology's focus on individuals, emphasizing social justice & broader contexts.

A key figure in CP, known for critical pedagogy and community action.

Known for introducing the concept of empowerment in CP.

CP in South Africa emerged as a response to apartheid, emphasizing social resistance and political activism.

CP values social justice, equity, community participation, and ecological perspective.

CP considers the social, cultural, political, and economic contexts affecting individuals and communities.

CP emphasizes understanding the dynamic interplay between individuals and their environments to promote well-being.

CP works to make mental health services accessible and fair to everyone.

CP recognizes that social factors like poverty and inequality have an impact on well-being.

A model that shows how individual behavior is influenced by multiple interacting levels of influence, from personal relationships to societal systems.

A model of mental health that focuses on the community and population, considering risk factors and prevention, rather than focusing solely on the individual.

Interventions aimed at modifying risk factors and promoting well-being to prevent problems in living.

Preventing a problem from occurring in the entire population, aiming to reduce the incident rate, by identifying and addressing risk factors before issues arise.

Early identification and management of problems to reduce severity and impact, identifying disorders in early stages, like high-risk groups or early symptoms.

Limiting the impact and recurrence of an existing disorder. It's often difficult to distinguish from treatment.

Interventions targeted at the entire population, aiming for wider impact than those tailored to specific groups.

Interventions targeting high-risk groups likely to develop disorders.

Interventions for high-risk groups that are exhibiting early symptoms of a disorder.

A mental health framework that treats mental disorders as illnesses and focuses on brain abnormalities as primary causes.

Considers biological, psychological, & social factors in mental disorders, going beyond just biological factors.

A framework considering individual, family, and community interactions, where all the systems (individual, family, community) mutually influence each other (risk and protective factors).

The study of characteristics of a target population in mental health studies.

Study of populations, helping to specify the size of the health problem.

Distribution of a health problem within a study population.

Total number of cases of a health problem in a population.

An act of violence is distinct from a violation; a violation infringes on rules, laws, or rights, while violence compels action against one's will.

Violence can be collective (group-based) or interpersonal (between individuals). Collective violence encompasses social, political, and economic violence.

Collective violence includes social violence (mob action), political violence (state-sponsored), and economic violence (blocking access to resources).

Interpersonal violence targets vulnerable groups like children, women, and the elderly, often stemming from societal inequalities.

Violence against women is a significant interpersonal issue in SA, with rates far exceeding global averages due to societal inequalities.

Child abuse encompasses physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, alongside neglect and exploitation; it often goes unreported due to difficulty in communication.

Acts of sexual violence are primarily driven by power and control, not sexual desire, often targeting vulnerable groups like girls.

Poverty is the inability to meet basic living standards, defined by income needed for necessities.

South Africa's history of apartheid has led to racial disparities in poverty, with the state facilitating systemic poverty amongst specific racial groups.

Poverty directly negatively impacts well-being, leading to malnutrition, disease susceptibility, and reduced life expectancy.

Unemployment can lead to various challenges, with impoverished outcomes likely for those who lack social support systems.

People who are not economically active at all, possibly working informally or in an unregulated sector.

People working irregularly, often as casual laborers.

The regulated part of the economy, with higher wages and organized labor.

The unregulated part of the economy, often with lower wages and lacking legal protections.

Providing basic needs like food, water, shelter, and safety to the poor.

Improving the poor's economic situation by creating opportunities for income, education, employment, and business.

Changing societal structures to empower the poor to address the systemic causes of poverty.

A social construct based on superficial physical differences, used to justify the oppression of groups.

The process of labeling someone a part of a specific race based on assumed biological attributes.

An ideology that justifies the domination and marginalization of racial groups.

Children's rights to basic nutrition, shelter, healthcare, social services, and protection from abuse.

Addressing the social, economic, and political factors that affect healthcare access & racial health disparities.

Focusing on improving healthcare access and quality specifically for racialized groups.

South Africa's former system of racial segregation and discrimination.

Factors like culture, politics, history which affect the HIV epidemic.

Negative attitudes that reinforce discrimination towards those with HIV.

Negative attitudes and beliefs about people with HIV/AIDS, often leading to discrimination.

Lack of a permanent dwelling, encompassing various situations like rooflessness, insecure housing, and substandard conditions.

Homelessness is viewed as influenced by interrelated factors outside individuals' control, such as poverty and lack of housing.

Programs aiming to lower the factors that spread HIV, making communities stronger against it.

Provides mental health services like counseling and therapy, especially for communities lacking access.

Areas without legal land tenure, lacking access to necessities like clean water and sanitation.

Children without parental care, often forced into harmful situations like substance abuse, crime, and unsafe sex.

Often overlooked in research, despite being an integral part of South African households.

Linked to poor health, social upheaval, and increased crime rates.

Older people's ability to overcome hardship and thrive.