Human Growth And Development Analysis

Human Growth And Development Analysis As a social care worker I have often learned through trial and error what works in the real world, basing my practice on common-sense and not on abstract theories. But I recognise my views are often based on opinion and prejudice rather than evidence-based, peer-reviewed knowledge and as Beckett suggests, our own theories and ideas about why people are as they are and behave as they behave, are usually quite inconsistent and arbitrary, based on our own experience and on our own needs (Beckett, 2002:8). Human growth and development theory is concerned with understanding how people grow and change throughout their lives, from the vital early stages to old age, and therefore is essential for informing social work practice. The theory can be applied to a variety of areas within human life and conduct including social, cultural, emotional and psychological, and also, moral, intellectual, spiritual and biological viewpoints. In this assignment I will focus on the psychological and cultural significance of the stages of development in relation to a 12 year old in foster care. Jake, a dual heritage British male, was taken into care 4 years ago following him being removed from his mother Maggie an African Caribbean female aged 32. Jake and Maggie lived in a 3rd floor, 2 bedroom flat in an area where drug dealing and drug related crime is common place. In Jakes bedroom he had a plastic box for his clothes and mattress on the bare floor with a bucket for a toilet as Maggie would lock him in his room when she went out. Maggie had been using drugs for many years and her previous partner (Jakes father) introduced her to heroin 5 years ago. She quickly became addicted and the relationship broke down shortly afterwards. Jakes father has not had any contact or attempted to make contact since the break up. Jake and Maggie had been known to Social Services as Maggie was a victim of domestic violence and spent 4 months in a womens refuge. Jake has had a number of placement breakdowns and has been unable to form any attachments with any of the foster carers. Jake would often defecate around the house and his last placement broke-down because Jake defecated in the foster carers bed then went on to smear their bedroom walls. Jake displayed difficulties in using a knife and fork and would often get frustrated and either eat with a spoon or his hands. Maggie had been diagnosed as suffering from a severe depression, worsened by her drug addiction. It is thought that whilst Maggie was going through a depressive episode she would physically abuse Jake. Jake was often left on his own for long periods whilst Maggie would be out in search of drugs. When she returned home Jake was subjected to emotional abuse and was often blamed by Maggie for their situation. Jake has been in the fostering system for a number of years and in that time he has not formed any meaningful attachments. Whilst in placement Jake disclosed events and thoughts which alerted foster carers to the fact that there may be some unresolved issues that need to be addressed before Jake can move on with his own growth and development. Jake would often revert to pulling his hair and banging his head on the wall if he felt he had done something wrong and was going to be blamed for it. For example, when he accidentally breaking a cup. Jake is being assessed by CAMHs as he has been displaying behaviour that indicates there may be an underlying depressive mental health problem. Theories of human development have produced explanations about the origins of mental disorder in the areas of psycho-analysis and child psychology, from the early grand theories of Freud and Bowlby and further developed by Klein and Ainsworth. Freud saw psychodynamic theory as a more informative model in relating past psychological events to present day symptoms. Freud believed behaviour is not ruled by conscious processes but conflicting unconscious processes, he saw a persons psychological processes involving counteracting forces competing in an intra psychic conflict, a concept shared by many theorists of human growth and development. In Freuds model a child starts life with specific basic instinctual needs, such as for food or sexual gratification. Internally, the id continually seeks to meet these needs, while the ego mediates between the desires of the id and the restraints of the external world, particularly the demands of significant and powerful adults in the childs life, such as his mother and teachers. According to Freud these adult figures are eventually internalised in the form of the superego, or adult conscience. The childs ego attempts to negotiate the competing demands placed upon him, developing his own d istinct personality and progressing to adulthood (Freud, 1949). Eriksons psychosocial stages of development have Freudian psychodynamic origins. The idea that unconscious processes cause conflict within humans is also central to Eriksons theory. His staged development model is based on the idea that these intra-psychic conflicts occur throughout our lives and need to be resolved satisfactorily if we are to avoid psychological distress and mental illness (Erikson, 1995). Eriksons psychosocial theory of human development builds on Freuds psychodynamic model, but while Erikson accepts ideas, such as the unconscious, he rejects concepts of the personality which are described exclusively in terms of sexuality. Again, like Freud, Erikson believed childhood was central in the development of personality, but that the personality continued to develop beyond the age of five (Erikson, 1995). Eriksons psychosocial model describes eight stages from infancy and adulthood. At each stage a person encounters new challenges. If they are not successful in meeting these challenges, they may reappear as problems in the future. However, while each stage presents new challenges, they also provide opportunities to deal with the unresolved issues. In Eriksons model there is no assumption that one stage has to be fully completed or that the most favourable outcome has to be achieved before moving on. In fact, he acknowledges that it is likely that everyone will have unresolved issues from previous stages and there is a favourable ratio between favourable and unfavourable outcomes (Erikson, 1987). However, the more unresolved issues carried forward, will impede successful progressionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦an unfavourable outcome in one stage makes it more difficult to meet fully the challenge of the next stage (Beckett, 2006:42). Eriksons model proposes a first stage that involves establishing a sense of trust (0 1 yrs.). If partly or completely unsuccessful at this stage, then it will be more difficult to achieve a sense of autonomy at the next stage (1 3 yrs.), and then more difficult still to develop a capacity for initiative in the next stage (3 5 yrs). The next stage in Eriksons model (6 11 yrs) involves establishing a sense of competence and achievement, confidence in ones own ability to make and do things (Beckett, 2006: 43). It is difficult to conclude how successful Jake was able to negotiate previous stages, however it has been suggested that despite adversities some children are able to develop reasonably well-adjusted personalities demonstrating resilience and normal development under difficult circumstances (Crawford Walker, 2003: 48). One of the weaknesses of Freuds and Eriksons theories of human growth and development using stages as the model, is the underlying assumption that everyones lives follow these particular linear lines, and that we all, more or less, achieve the same milestones at the same time. However, we know this is rarely the case. It appears, for instance, that these theories were based solely on a white, male Eurocentric model, and do not consider specifically customs from other cultures or perspective. Baltes (1987), for example, suggests human development is multidimensional, involving biological, cognitive and social dimensions, and multidirectional, not to be viewed as a single fixed route which represents the norm, but as periods of varying growth and differing paths. Bowlby differs from Freud in that he saw an attachment between child, and mother or primary attachment figure (which may differ according to the social and cultural background of family), as an essential need in itself and not simply to meet basic needs, such as, food and sex: Mother love in infancy and childhood is as important for mental health as are vitamins and proteins for physical health (Bowlby, 1953). Attachment theorists maintain that the way we relate to other people through our lives is influenced significantly by our first relationship with our mother or primary attachment figure (Howe, 1995; Howe et al, 1999). They suggest, like Erikson and Freud, that many problems in adulthood stem from unresolved issues in these early attachment relationships and these early relationships can shape an adults ability to form relationships, to parent, to deal with loss, and influence mental health in adulthood (Bowlby, 1990). While accepting much of his work, critics of Bowlby claim he placed too much emphasis on the child/mother relationship and suggest children may form several attachments which can be equally important (Rutter, 1981; Fahlberg 1991). However, children who experience trauma are sometimes unable to progress without repressing or closing down part of their conscious awareness of these events. We can imagine Jake needing to shut out his experiences of childhood neglect and, according to Freud, automatically and unconsciously repress the events of neglect and abuse. We can see how blocking out these unresolved issues could emerge in the form of depression at some point in the future. There is evidence of the social origins of depression in women, suggesting that specific life events, losses and major long term problems, such as childhood abuse, are significant causes of depression (Brown Harris, 1978). I feel that this best reflects Maggies current situation. We can imagine Jake experiencing a sense of loss or maternal deprivation (Crawford Walker, 2003) when faced with his mothers depression. This is a common emotional reaction in carers of adults with depression, the seemingly most central and common experience was the feeling that the person they had known who had become ill had gone away: they had become someone elseà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦there is the loss of the person that was, and secondly, and more complexly, there is the experience of the loss of the previous possibilities (Jones, 1996: 98-99). Although Maggie may have experienced depression continuously before Jakes birth, it is more probable that she had periods of respite when her capacity for emotional warmth and attentiveness to her sons needs was greater than during times of relapse. The difference in the consistency and intensity of a childs attachment relationships is considered an important factor by a number of attachment theorists (Ainsworth, 1973). The theories of human growth and development discussed above suggest that Jakes experience of abuse as a child may prevent him from developing into a mentally healthy adult. He may have automatically and unconsciously repressed the trauma of these events, only to experience the mental distress of depression in the future. Jake may have experienced physical abuse from an early age and failed to successfully achieve a sense of trust or autonomy or develop a capacity for initiative while growing up. Even relatively short periods of physical abuse at crucial stages may have placed severe pressures on his relationship with his mother. Jake may have only known his mother as depressed, but their relationship may have determined Jakes future capacity to form relationships, for instance, with foster carers or at school with friends and teachers. The method of intervention in Jakes life could be usefully informed by research that links mental distress with experiences of powerlessness. It has been suggested that mental distress may be seen as extreme internalisations of powerlessness placing a paralysing power both over those who may experience such forms of distress, and those who share their lives (Tew, 2005: 72). Using social models, Tew suggests two complementary ways to understand mental distress, internalisation or acting out of stressful social experiences and a coping or survival strategyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦to deal with particular painful or stressful experiences (Tew, 2005: 20). A persons mental health needs may, to a certain extent, be determined by their membership of certain social groups that experience systematic oppression (Fernando, 1995; Gomm, 1996). Oppression, exclusion and powerlessness are the central themes of many social models of mental health needs, related to structural inequalities in terms of age, gender, race and class and so on, and involving families in terms of abuse. As social workers we occupy a relatively powerful position and may collude with the systematic oppression of black people with mental health needs: Factors such as oppression, injustice, social exclusion or abuse at the hands of powerful others may be implicated in the sequences of events that lead up to many peoples experiences of mental and emotional breakdown. Power issues may also shape the reactions that people receive from professionals and the wider community-for example, evidence suggests that African-Caribbean people may be more likely than many white groups to b e dealt with more coercively (Tew, 2005: 71). When coming to a stage where we may be better able to understand Jakes current circumstances and making initial judgments about the type of intervention most effective in this case, we need to recognise the limitations of our insights and avoid the pitfalls of making uncritical assumptions. Tew suggests that empowerment can be an integral part in the process of Jakes recovery. He outlines a model of power in terms of protection and co-operation and oppressive and collusive: In its more negative forms (oppressive or collusive power) it may be seen to play a role in constructing social situations which contribute to distress or breakdownà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦in its more positive forms (protective or co-operative power) it starts to define the territory for effective partnership working, anti-oppressive practice and the enabling of recovery and social inclusion (Tew, 2005, p. 86). According to the psychodynamic model of human growth, Jake may have grown up with many intra-psychic conflicts which may be emerging in the form of a neurotic or reactive depression. He may have many conscious and unconscious needs which she has suppressed and repressed. In denying and blocking out the fulfilment of these needs, he may have shut down areas of his consciousness which allows him to: experience emotion; interact with others in a spontaneous way; or experience fulfilling close and intimate relationships with carer and their spouse. Depending on the extent of physical abuse he encountered during his upbringing, it would be reasonable to assume that he may have been completely or partly unsuccessful in: achieving a capacity for trust with his parent; achieving autonomy; or developing a capacity for taking initiative, as described in Eriksons psychosocial model. For these reasons, it seems likely he will have failed to maintain a healthy, consistent and sustained relationsh ip with his mother or other primary attachment figure in the abusive situation he found himself. Intervention must aim to address issues of power and powerlessness, both in the foster carer/child relationship and outside it. As a man, as a person with mental health needs, and as a member of a black or minority ethnic group, Jake may experience oppression, abuse and social exclusion. To address these issues elements of empowerment and partnership should be part of the approach with an intervention designed to address Jakes mental health needs should involve building on his efforts to achieve his own full potential. This will include his ability to form and maintain healthy relationships with others, that would lessen any dependence on formal agencies and develop an alternative source of positive support and increase social inclusion.

Negative Peer Pressure Essay -- Peer Pressure Speech

Go on." "Everybody's doing it." "It's only one drink." "You're such a loser." I didn't know what to do. All these voices were repeating themselves over and over in my head. I didn't want to give into them because I knew what I was doing was wrong. I didn't want everyone to think I was scared but what if my parents found out. Why was I here? Are these people really my friends if they are really doing this to me? These were the vital questions that I didn't know the answers to. I knew in my heart it was wrong but I gave in. This is usually the typical outcome of a scene like this. It is called peer pressure. It can be disguised in many different forms. In this essay I am going to look at different ways in which teenagers can be influenced by peer pressure. Many teenagers experiment with cigarettes, drugs or alcohol. It is likely that they take their first cigarette, drink or drug because of pressure from peers or friends. The influence of friends who smoke is the main reason teenagers start, although you are also more likely to start if your parents do. Cigarettes, like alcohol, are an acquired taste but over eight per cent of people who smoke in their teens become permanently hooked. Often adolescents drink to feel less uncomfortable and more relaxed with friends and peers and because they are encouraged to do so by other teenagers. Regular excessive drinking can lead to poor school work, social and emotional problems, the use of other drugs and sometimes even suicide, The main difference between alcohol or cigarettes and other drugs is that once you are over a certain age you can legally buy alcohol and cigarett... ...y develop other symptoms such as headaches or stomachaches. Some sufferers feel short of energy and want to sleep all the time; others will have difficulty in sleeping and become very tired. Tiredness, lack of interest and difficulty in concentrating can affect schoolwork. Depressed people often lose interest in hobbies and activities and feel cut off from the people around them. They feel worthless and believe they have no power to change the situation they are in. some young people turn to drug or alcohol abuse, sleeping around, crime, skipping school or running away from home. These can all be ways of distracting themselves from their feelings. Depression has to be taken seriously and sufferers need to seek immediate help. Counselling, psychotherapy or sometimes medication can make recovery quicker and easier.

Life’s Path Is A Maze Essay

As a writer, I feel I am going through a maze. In the beginning I realized there is more than one path to take, either it can lead me toward success or it can lead to a dead end. In my mind I know it can be easy at times, but other times when I come to a stopping point I overthink things. I feel like my choices need to be made right away. I think of it as temptations being called from every direction. One way will lead me to the finish line and the other path will only take me back to where I had started. When I’m given a writing assignment I feel the pressures is on. I’m ready to step up and face the biggest challenge I have in English class which is essays. As I was told, it is okay to write my first draft essay badly to make it easier, but as we get further along everything seems to be going faster. â€Å"When we are finished with the essay the pressure on my decisions are finally over.† I am relieved and confident in my first draft. Hopefully this will lead m e to the key to life in English. A Radiology Technologist performs imaging of the human body for diagnosis or treating medical problems. My dream is to become a Radiology Technologist and day after day it had transformed me into an ambition which I wanted to move towards. A Radiology Technologist requires you to gain four top skills throughout your learning experience; Communication, Physical, Clinical, and Education. First, I will keep working hard at Seward so I’m able to get the appropriate basic skills for me to get into the Radiology program in Weatherford. I will acquire a variety of classes that will challenge me to write many different papers. In order for me to become successful in my career I will focus on becoming a better writer. Writing will be a huge part of my career because I will need to interview patients to learn about their medical history, write reports for referring doctors, and also communicate Therapeutic and Diagnostic position. Although this will be a challenge, I will try my best to achieve this goal. My goals for school are ridiculously challenging. I want to be able to  understand critically and accurately, which means I have to develop my own reasoning and stand up for what I believe in. My second goal is to learn to write clearly and precisely. I am determined to be able to expand my vocabulary so that I can paint a strong mental picture in someone’s mind when I’m explaining something. My third goal is to be exposed to ideas outside of my own background. I need to be able to get out of my comfort zone, I’m a shy person when it comes to doing activities that I’m not familiar with. This goal will give me the opportunity to use personal and professional skills which I will gain as I get further along in my studies. My last goal is to learn how to interact reasonably and responsibly with others. Interacting with others provide great working relationships, and successful communication. This goal helps build strong character with others as a Radiology T echnologist. â€Å"When life hands you lemons, have someone else make you some lemonade.† This is a quote I found on the internet that I’ve followed through life which has helped me now and will also allow me to face many challenges in the future. In my eyes it means when something negative happens try to make the best of it and when something positive happens you make it sweet. When I hear someone say smart goals I think of Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely. My English teacher from sophomore and senior year taught me this. It means, my specific goal would be to become a Radiology Technologist. I would then ask myself how much time will this take. How will I know when my goal is accomplished? When I look at these questions it helps me realize how important my goal. I also have to think about how my goal is realistic? In my opinion yes, because it isn’t impossible to go into the medical field. You have to be willing to put others before yourself. The last part I think about is how much time this will take. I want to be able to transfer to a four year university in order for me to get the right training for my career. Dreams are the most amazing thing people can strive for. We all love to dream, to hope, and to see ourselves get better each day. Every one of us dreams of being something big in life whether it’s becoming a lawyer, doctor, or maybe a police officer. In order to pursue my dreams I have to become a stronger writer. Which means I have to complete my studies and work hard to achieve many more goals in life. If I put my best abilities forward I can accomplish my goals in the best way possible. There’s no doubt that there will be times when I feel  like giving up, but I know I can’t give up on myself and my family. I have to learn to just stand up and try even if I have to try for a thousand times. when I finally reach my goals I’ll feel happy from deep inside my heart because then I’ll l be doing exactly what I love to do and I’ll be testing my wildest dreams . I believe nothing can be compared to this moment because when you set your dreams in front of your eyes and work for them, there will be no d oubt in my mind that I will achieve them someday. I will also be able to say I’m proud of myself because I proved that there’s nothing impossible when I actually was determined to do.

Origins of the Vietnam War From 1945â€1954

The causes of the Vietnam War trace their roots back to the end of World War II. A French colony, Indochina (made up of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia) had been occupied by the Japanese during the war. In 1941, a Vietnamese nationalist movement, the Viet Minh, was formed by their leader Ho Chi Minh (1890–1969) to resist the occupiers. A communist, Ho Chi Minh waged a guerrilla war against the Japanese with the support of the United States. Near the end of the war, the Japanese began to promote Vietnamese nationalism and ultimately granted the country nominal independence. On August 14, 1945, Ho Chi Minh launched the August Revolution, which effectively saw the Viet Minh take control of the country. The French Return Following the Japanese defeat, the Allied Powers decided that the region should remain under French control. As France lacked the troops to retake the area, Nationalist Chinese forces occupied the north while the British landed in the south. Disarming the Japanese, the British used the surrendered weapons to rearm French forces that had been interned during the war. Under pressure from the Soviet Union, Ho Chi Minh sought to negotiate with the French, who desired to retake possession of their colony. Their entrance into Vietnam was only permitted by the Viet Minh after assurances had been given that the country would gain independence as part of the French Union. First Indochina War Discussions soon broke down between the two parties and in December 1946, the French shelled the city of Haiphong and forcibly reentered the capital, Hanoi. These actions began a conflict between the French and the Viet Minh, known as the First Indochina War. Fought mainly in North Vietnam, this conflict began as a low level, rural guerrilla war, as Viet Minh forces conducted hit and run attacks on the French. In 1949, fighting escalated as Chinese communist forces reached the northern border of Vietnam and opened a pipeline of military supplies to the Viet Minh.   French paratroopers taking part in Operation Castor, a parachute drop on Dien Bien Phu in the Thai district during the Indo-China war. Hulton Archive/Stringer/Getty Images  Ã‚   Increasingly well-equipped, the Viet Minh began more direct engagement against the enemy and the conflict ended when the French were decisively defeated at Dien Bien Phu in 1954. The war was ultimately settled by the Geneva Accords of 1954, which temporarily partitioned the country at the 17th parallel, with the Viet Minh in control of the north and a non-communist state to be formed in the south under Prime Minister Ngo Dinh Diem (1901–1963). This division was to last until 1956, when national elections would be held to decide the future of the nation. The Politics of American Involvement Initially, the United States had little interest in Vietnam and Southeast Asia, but as it became clear that the post-World War II world would be dominated by the U.S. and its allies and the Soviet Union and theirs, isolating communist movements took an increased importance. These concerns were ultimately formed into the doctrine of containment and domino theory. First spelled out 1947, containment identified that the goal of Communism was to spread to capitalist states and that the only way to stop it was to â€Å"contain† it within its present borders. Springing from containment was the concept of domino theory, which stated that if one state in a region were to fall to Communism, then the surrounding states would inevitably fall as well. These concepts were to dominate and guide U.S. foreign policy for much of the Cold War. In 1950, to combat the spread of Communism, the United States began supplying the French military in Vietnam with advisers and funding its efforts against the â€Å"red† Viet Minh. This aid nearly extended to direct intervention in 1954, when the use of American forces to relieve Dien Bien Phu was discussed at length. Indirect efforts continued in 1956, when advisers were provided to train the army of the new Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) with the goal of creating a force capable of resisting Communist aggression. Despite their best efforts, the quality of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) was to remain consistently poor throughout its existence. The Diem Regime South Vietnam President Ngo Dinh Diem (1901 - 1963) watching an agricultural show just minutes after an assassination attempt had been made on his life. Keystone/Stringer/Getty Images  Ã‚   A year after the Geneva Accords, Prime Minister Diem commenced a â€Å"Denounce the Communists† campaign in the south. Throughout the summer of 1955, Communists and other opposition members were jailed and executed. In addition to attacking the communists, the Roman Catholic Diem assaulted Buddhist sects and organized crime, which further alienated the largely Buddhist Vietnamese people and eroded his support. In the course of his purges, it is estimated that Diem had up to 12,000 opponents executed and as many as 40,000 jailed.  To further cement his power, Diem rigged a referendum on the future of the country in October 1955 and declared the formation of the Republic of Vietnam, with its capital at Saigon. Despite this, the US actively supported the Diem regime as a buttress against Ho Chi Minh’s communist forces in the north. In 1957, a low-level guerrilla movement began to emerge in the south, conducted by Viet Minh units that had not returned north after the accords. Two years later, these groups successfully pressured Ho’s government into issuing a secret resolution calling for an armed struggle in the south. Military supplies began to flow into the south along the Ho Chi Minh Trail, and the following year the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam (Viet Cong) was formed to carry out the fight. Failure and Deposing Diem The situation in South Vietnam continued to deteriorate, with corruption rife throughout the Diem government and the ARVN unable to effectively combat the Viet Cong. In 1961, the newly elected John F. Kennedy and his administration promised more aid and additional money, weapons, and supplies were sent with little effect. Discussions then began in Washington regarding the need to force a regime change in Saigon. This was accomplished on November 2, 1963, when the CIA aided a group of ARVN officers to overthrow and kill Diem. His death led to a  period of political instability that saw the rise and fall of a succession of military governments. To help deal with the post-coup chaos, Kennedy increased the number of US advisers in South Vietnam to 16,000. With Kennedys death later that same month, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson ascended to the presidency and reiterated the U.S. commitment to fighting communism in the region. Sources and Further Information Kimball, Jeffrey P., ed. To Reason Why: The Debate about the Causes of U.S. Involvement in the Vietnam. Eugene OR: Resources Publications, 2005.Morris, Stephen J. Why Vietnam Invaded Cambodia: Political Culture and the Causes of War. Stanford CA: Stanford University Press, 1999.Willbanks, James H. Vietnam War: The Essential Reference Guide. Santa Barbara CA: ABC-CLIO, 2013.