Module 11: Applying psychological theories

1. Module 11: Applying psychological theories

2. How do psychological theories apply to care settings? • Individuals in various care settings may need help dealing with social, psychological or developmental issues. • Care workers need to understand the theories that could explain these issues, and which strategy could be used to help. Module 11: Applying psychological theories

3. What are the care settings? Think of examples of different care settings under the three categories below. Pre-school and educational Day care Residential Day care • day centres for individuals with disabilities • crèches • residential homes • playschools • nursing homes • day centres for elderly individuals • mother and toddler sessions • sheltered housing • childminders Which individuals can these care settings be for? • children from birth to school age • teenagers and adults • retired older people • disabled children • teenagers and adults • elderly with medical needs • elderly with limited mobility Module 11: Applying psychological theories

4. Adopting a psychological theory If a concern in a care setting is identified, a care worker has to decide which theory best explains the issue and which strategy or treatment to use.An issue can often be explained by more than one theory and treated by more than one strategy. Behaviourist (1 click) Behaviour therapy e.g. flooding or aversion therapy An initial fearful reaction to a spider has been reinforced by others (conditioning) Psychodynamic (2 clicks) Psychoanalysis Spiders are associated with a startling childhood experience e.g. a sibling dropping a large toy spider on a child’s face. Below are two theories that could help to explain a phobia of spiders. Click the descriptions and strategies on the right to highlight the colour that matches the theories. Module 10: Strategies associated with theories Module 11: Applying psychological theories Module 3: Multi-disciplinary Teams

5. Choosing an appropriate strategy What three things need to be considered when choosing an appropriate strategy for an individual? Look at the images to help you. The age of the individual The care setting Level of training needed to use the strategy Module 11: Applying psychological theories

6. Pre-school and educational settings Consider these issues which might occur with pre-school children. Click on the arrow buttons to sort them under the two categories below. Developmental issues Behavioural/ emotional issues Delayed gross motor skills • Developmental issues: • Delayed gross motor skills – • crawling, walking, etc. • Delayed fine motor skills – • grasping, threading, etc. • Delayed language/speech for • age group. • Behavioural/emotional issues: • Hyperactivity • Bullying/aggression • Difficulty socialising with other • children Delayed gross motor skills Delayed gross motor skills Hyperactivity Hyperactivity Hyperactivity Bullying/aggression Bullying/aggression Bullying/aggression Delayed fine motor skills Delayed fine motor skills Delayed fine motor skills Difficulty socialising with other children Difficulty socialising with other children Difficulty socialising with other children Delayed language/ speech for age group Delayed language/ speech for age group Delayed language/ speech for age group Hide answers Module 11: Applying psychological theories Module 6: The impact of national policy and legislation

7. Pre-school case study (1) Four year old Harry is very hyperactive and runs around a lot refusing to settle to anything for long. He has temper tantrums and is aggressive towards the other children in the playgroup. How would the Behaviourist approach explain his behaviour? What strategies could be used? He has learned his behaviour from his environment and those around him. • Behaviour modification • Token economy Module 11: Applying psychological theories

8. Pre-school case study (2) Vicky is three and a half years old and has recently been adopted. Her language skills are still those of a two-year old. Her poor motor skills are also causing concern. Discuss how Cognitive strategies could help develop Vicky’s language and motor skills. Record your ideas here: • She should: • have access to age appropriate toys to help develop her motor skills. • be taken to playgroups to interact with others and develop her language skills. • be read to from picture books so she can look at the pictures and listen to the words. Module 11: Applying psychological theories

9. Day care settings In day care settings, individuals with disabilities or older individuals might suffer from issues such as lack of self confidence or low self-esteem. Can you think of four more possible issues? Depression/anxiety Communication difficulties Lack of self confidence/shyness Issues in day care settings Low self-esteem ? Stress caused by family problems Lack of appropriate social skills Module 11: Applying psychological theories

10. Day care case study Julia is a disabled teenager who lives at home but attends a day care centre. She is rude to the staff and makes fun of some of the other people who attend the centre. How would the Social Learning approach explain Julia’s behaviour? What strategies from the Social Learning approach could be used? She has learned her behaviour from her environment and those around her. • social skills training • modelling • family therapy Module 11: Applying psychological theories

11. Singing for the brain Now watch this video clip about an uplifting strategy for elderly people suffering from dementia and their carers. While you watch, think about the following questions: • How do these individuals sometimes feel when they are at home? • Which psychological approach might explain these feelings? • How does this singing session help both dementia sufferers and their carers ? Click here see some suggested answers. Module 11: Applying psychological theories

12. Residential settings Some of the same issues might occur in residential settings as in day care, such as depression, anxiety and lack of self confidence. Can you think of five more issues? grief feelings of inadequacy depression/anxiety ? lack of self confidence/shyness Issues in residential settings ? resentment at loss of independence obsessive behaviour /phobias loneliness boredom Module 11: Applying psychological theories

13. Residential setting case study Elizabeth is an 85 year old widow. After several bad falls at her home she was persuaded to sell her house and move into a residential home. She is very unhappy there and sometimes tries to return to her home. She does not sleep well and suffers from nightmares. Discuss a psychological approach that may help to explain Elizabeth’s behaviour. One example might be the Humanistic approach. She may be experiencing low self esteem from her move into a residential home and resenting her loss of independence. What strategy could be used to help Elizabeth settle into the residential home? Person centred therapy might enable her to talk through her feelings about the move and help her to find ways to adapt to her new surroundings. Module 11: Applying psychological theories

14. Choosing a strategy Some strategies can only be used with certain individuals or groups of people. Click on the arrow buttons to sort the strategies below under the two individuals. Pre-school child Elderly individual • Pre-school child: • Behaviour modification • Token economy • Play therapy • Elderly individual: • Cognitive-behavioural • therapy • Person-centred therapy • Psychoanalysis Psychoanalysis Psychoanalysis Psychoanalysis Behaviour modification Behaviour modification Behaviour modification Cognitive-behavioural therapy Cognitive-behavioural therapy Cognitive-behavioural therapy Token economy Token economy Token economy Person-centred therapy Person-centred therapy Person-centred therapy Play therapy Play therapy Play therapy Hide answers Module 11: Applying psychological theories Module 6: The impact of national policy and legislation

15. Qualified practitioners Which of these strategies would only be used by a fully qualified practitioner? Relaxation Person-centred therapy Psychoanalysis Token economy Encounter groups Fully qualified practitioner Behaviour modification Family therapy Drug treatments Social skills training Module 11: Applying psychological theories

16. Checklist for applying theories Discuss what care workers need to do to help individuals in the various care settings. Care workers need: • to understand the different theories. • to know which theory may best explain the problem. • to understand the strategies associated with each psychological approach. • to know how a particular strategy could be used to help an individual. • to know which strategies are appropriate to the care setting and the age of the individual. • to understand the strengths and limitations of any strategy, in general and for that particular individual. Module 11: Applying psychological theories