Sociological and Psychoanalytic Perspectives on Adolescents - Assignment Example

Psychology/ Sociology Question 1. In what ways might it still be relevant to describe the transition from childhood to adulthood as a crisis. Discuss with reference to contemporary sociological and psychoanalytic perspectives on adolescents.1000 words) There are many ways in which it is relevant to describe the transition from childhood to adulthood as a “crisis”. This researcher will look into this transition via mental health services. Singh (2005) sees the importance relevant to mental illness. He states how the transition from childhood to adulthood severs during the process of obtaining mental health services. He further states that there is not a clear mechanism of how to treat the patient in the United Kingdom. For instance, there is no clear cut-off age in terms of when the transition may take place. It could be either between 16 and 18 years or only for students in full-time education. He contends that communication between the child and adult services are not adequate. He states that adult psychiatry evolved from neurology, phenomenology, psychology, and sociology and that these patients were treated in an asylum-based, whereas, today these services are given in the community. He states that child psychiatry started later given a sociological context (vagrant, traumatised or delinquent youth) and that at a later date it included developmental concerns and the family. Scott (January 17) posits that much is written about the human aggression in: molecular genetics, endocrinology, ethology, social anthropology, education, criminology, and town planning, but, that he however will address psychology, psychiatry, and medicine. There is a conflict according to Singh (2005), between the young person that has behavioural problems and an unstable family, who is referred to adult services without taking into consideration the diagnostic phenomenology. He continues with the fact that when the child is taken into consideration with the family elements better services are possible. He states that there is a predicament between the young people that deal with independence, sexuality, career, and independence because they fall into the family unit and within the adult and autonomous stage. In the case of the latter the families feel that they are not part of the process. Scott (January 17) states that conduct disorders are prevalent in the psychiatric disorder of childhood. That these disorders in younger children are characterised by temper tantrums, hitting and kicking people, destruction of property, disobeying rules, lying, stealing, and spitefulness. Hinshaw (1992) contends that “antisocial behavior and delinquency are clearly associated with underachievement.” Hinshaw continues in that, “Low socioeconomic status, family adversity, subaverage IQ, language deficit, and neurodevelopmental delay are explored as possible underlying factors”. Rutter, Kim-Cohen, and Maughan (2006) call this behaviour, antisocial. If these symptoms are not taken care of at an early age and continue through adult age there may be problems with the law or the misuse of substances (Singh, 2005). He recommends that by having specialised workers of child and adult services working together there may be advantages during the process of serving them. That training and research in this area is important to improve professionals who treat these cases, in their phenomenological and diagnostics skills. This researcher concurs with the scientists mentioned above, insofar, to acknowledge the importance of the transition from childhood to adulthood as a crisis that needs to be addressed for a healthy upbringing of future children making the transitions in adulthood. Many aspects were brought up to identify the causes of why this transition was not as effective as it could have been. Some of these were: that there was a lack of parental involvement or negative involvement; that agencies dealing with these adolescents did not communicate amongst themselves; that due to low academic achievement the youngsters were identified as becoming delinquents; that the parents did not have training as to know how to deal with their offspring; and, that the professionals dealing with these youngster needed further training in their areas of expertise. Given the above it is notwithstanding that this transition is not a smooth one. Given today’s advancement in technology, updated theories, and professionals that are willing to do a better job, services should be rendered to these youngsters in order to make the transition a better one. This researcher suggests the following: that once these youngster having difficulties in making a smooth transition from childhood to adulthood are identified, a series of battery tests should be administered to identify what elements should be addressed immediately. Youngsters should constantly be exposed to positive conduct patterns rather than just listening to what these patterns are and how these techniques will be positively adapted according to their needs. Professionals in this area should constantly be trained given the outcomes of the battery tests and within the interests of these professionals. Parents should be educated in the upbringing of their children. The youngsters and their parents should be involved in the process. Organisations should develop a mechanism where there is constant communication, coordination, development of programs to attack this ailment, and follow-up on these administrative responsibilities as professionals in their field. This indeed is not an easy task. The elements involving the care of the transition from childhood to adulthood should be a priority for the professionals in this area, if: they want their patients to succeed in the therapy; they want their patients to become better citizens within the constraints of their limitations; they want healthier family settings; and, if they want to excel in their areas of expertise. Although, there is much to be done, if it started from a systematic point of view, services to these youngster will not only be better for them, but for the rest that may need these services in the future. It may become a revolving door. Some come in and some go out. REFERENCES Hinshaw, S. P. (1992). Externalizing behavior problems and academic underachievement in childhood and adolescence: Causal relationships and underlying mechanisms. Psychological Bulletin, 111, 127-155. Rutter, M., Kim-Cohen, J., and Maughan, B. (2006). Continuities and discontinuities in psychopathology between childhood and adult life. J Child Psycho Psychiatry. 2006 Mar-Apr ; 47 (3-4): 276-95. Singh, S. P. (2005). Mind the gap: The interface between child and adult mental health services. Psychiatric Bulletin (2005) 29: 292-294 (mcr 1/3/2007, 3:00am) Scott, S. (January 17). Fortnightly review: Aggressive behaviour in childhood. BMJ 1998;316:202-206 (17 January) Read 1/4/07 2:02 pm Psychology/ Sociology Question 2 2) Is there such a thing as a good death? Discuss with reference to sociological and developmental psychological perspectives on death and dying. (1000 words) It is superfluous to mention that everyone that is alive will die at a given time. That is the only sure thing that humanity has. Why think of death as a “good” thing or as a “bad” thing? Different societies visualise death in a different way (Walter, 26 July). The Eskimos, for instance, leave their elderly behind in the event they are not able to keep up with travelling. That is the right way for the Eskimos and the elderly understand this concept. They do not wish to cause burden. In other societies, death is probably good if a person dies under the care of palliative care teams. That it may be a bad experience if the person dies in acute hospitals or nursing homes (BMJ, 2000). Death is death, good or bad. Some African tribes and their descendants believe that if a child is born, there is reason to cry. They cry because the child will suffer as a human being. While other cultures, celebrate the coming of a newborn. The same as dying, some cultures cry for the dearly departed. The people that stay behind are the ones that suffer. While other cultures celebrate the departure because that person will no longer suffer. The same situation happens with those that believe that it is alright to go through a “good death”. Smith (January 15), editor of BMJ, cites twelve principles as good death, from Debate of the Age Health and Care Study Group. The future of health and care of older people: the best is yet to come. These are the following: “To know when death is coming, and to understand what can be expected; To be able to retain control of what happens; To be afforded dignity and privacy; To have control over pain relief and other symptom control; To have choice and control over where death occurs (at home or elsewhere); To have access to information and expertise of what kind is necessary; To have access to any spiritual or emotional support required; To have access to hospice care in any location, not only in hospital; To have control over who is present and who shares the end; To be able to issue advance directives which ensure wishes are respected; To have time to say goodbye, and control over other aspects of timing; and, To be able to leave when it is time to go, and not to have life prolonged pointlessly.” Smith states that it is important to maintain these standards of “good death”. Walter (26 July) argues that there are three cultural norms: secularisation, individualism, and length of a typical death. He states that in tribal societies religion is what partly “glues” the society. He contends that nowadays this is seen by societies “dominated as Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and Catholicism.” He continues, by differentiating those groups with many modern Westerns societies. He makes these distinctions by the Protestant influence increase in the European secular sector, and religion becoming a personal choice. He also states that from a multicultural point of view the good death may not be seen as positive due to the influence of religion, family, or community. He contends that although palliative care is against voluntary euthanasia, that the two of them have common areas, which is to promote personal autonomy, in individualistic societies. In this case there is a good death and a bad death. According to Walter (26 July) in both the palliative care and euthanasia the good death is when the person makes the choice of their length in living. The bad death is when a person is not able to make these choices due to lack of autonomy, like in the cases of a patient with a stoke or Alzheimer’s disease. According to Orpett (ND) Japan has not passed a law recognising living wills, however, concerning voluntary active euthanasia a criteria has been accepted. These are the following: 1) the patient’s suffering from unbearable physical pain; 2) the patient’s death is unavoidable and imminent; 3) all possible palliative measures have been provided and there are no alternative treatments available; and, 4) it is done with the clear consent of the patient. Everyone will die at a given time. The twelve principles of “good death” seem to be humanistic and allowing the dying person to lead to a proactive death. Although medical practitioners, religious leaders, family members may have a say concerning death, given a palliative care; the dying person would have an active voice of how s/he will depart from this world. Different societies are taking a step into understanding death, good or bad, and how to alleviate the patients waiting on “death row”. Although the Japanese have considered these criteria due to England’s influence (hospice, palliative care) according to Orpett, they are still imbedded into their customs, traditions, religion, and family ways of thinking. In order to respond to the question, “Is there such a thing as a good death?” It is in the eyes of the beholder, how each cultural group will envision good death, what influences from other cultures they will accept or not accept, and, how the practitioners of good death will convince legislators upon accepting the good death into law so that the patients will be respected and taken into consideration. This is not an easy task, as you may have observed in this essay, since there are too many elements to consider, however, it is not an impossible one. This, however, may take centuries in some cultures to accept this philosophy of death. REFERENCES BMJ 2000;320:129-130 ( 15 January ) Read on 1/5/07 3:00 am Debate of the Age Health and Care Study Group. The future of health and care of older people: the best is yet to come. London: Age Concern, 1999 http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/320/7228/129 BMJ 2003; 327:218-220 (26 July), doi:10.1136/bmj.327.7408.218 Read on 1/5/07 5am Walter, T. (26 July). Historical and cultural variants on the good death. Orpett, S. (ND). Negotiating the “good death”: Japanese ambivalence about new ways to die (1) http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5000949537 Read More