Mental Health and SES - Essay Example

Mental health and SES Mental health and SES Question one: effects of low SES and unemployment on adults and children, social and psychological implications of socio-economic status (SES) Socio-economic status (SES) and employment have implications on the social and psychological wellbeing of adults and children. SES affects the quality of parent-child relationships and developmental outcomes of the child (Plotnik & Kouyoumdjian, 2013). SES will influence the stability of the family relationships and satisfaction in marriage.

The perceptions of economic stress among adults lead to emotional depression thus lowering the quality of life among adults (McKenzie & Harpham, 2006). There is a link between the SES and learning disabilities since lower SES is associated with negative psychological outcomes that impair the academic achievements of the child. Children with lower SES will display problems in their learning behaviors and some of the common problems include lack of co-operation in teamwork and inattention (Plotnik & Kouyoumdjian, 2013).

Such children harbor intentions of dropping out of school due to feelings of social exclusion. Children with lower SES may not have access to necessary academic resources such as books; computers and good tutors thus will ultimately have low academic success (McKenzie & Harpham, 2006). Question two: risk factors of low SES on children, protective factors in families, communities, and children (themselves) which can offset the risk factors of low SES The risk factors refer to the individual and environmental factors that increase the child’s vulnerability to low socio-economic status (SES).

One of the risk factors is unemployment or lower incomes levels. Unemployment hinders the children from accessing good health care, better nutrition and schooling opportunities. Prejudice, discrimination and social exclusion increases the risk of low SES since parents and children are denied access to equal opportunities and resources that are essential to attaining high SES (McKenzie & Harpham, 2006). Family violence and family disorganization such as parental drug abuse will lead to poor parenting and violent attitudes among the children thus leading to low SES.

Academic failure, low educational opportunities and aspirations may lead to bullying by fellow students and labeling by teachers thus leading to poor social and psychological development of the child. Accordingly, cultural norms that support gang behavior and social conflicts with control institutions like the police will lead to feelings of social exclusion thus ultimately leading to low SES (Plotnik & Kouyoumdjian, 2013). Dangerous environmental exposures like carbon dioxide and asbestos will negatively affect the quality of health thus leading to low SES.

In addition, residential noise and crowding will lead to high risk of diseases and poor-memory development among children due to high noise levels in the communities (Plotnik & Kouyoumdjian, 2013). The protective factors are the conditions that shield the child from the low SES. The parenting strategies is one of the protective factors for low SES since quality parent-child relationships is associated with warmth, consistent child discipline and positive social adjustment that facilitates child’s development (Plotnik & Kouyoumdjian, 2013).

Another protective factor is access to opportunities for prosocial involvement and support groups that enable an individual to develop positive self-esteem. Family bonding and healthy beliefs will enable the child to develop self-confidence and trust that is essential in attaining high SES. Redistributive economic policies like Earned income tax credits and welfare benefits will act as protective factors through addressing the high income inequality and disparities in the access of basic services like health care services.

Labor-market policies that promote self-employment, job training and job creation among the low-skilled individuals will reduce the unemployment rate thus boasting the socio-economic status of individuals (McKenzie & Harpham, 2006). Child IQ is a protective factor since children with high IQ have higher information-processing and problem-solving skills that enable them to counter challenges and stress in their learning environment. Such children have higher intellectual skills that enable them to attain higher academic success.

Question three: How prejudice and discrimination, social change and uncertainty, and urban stress can have adverse effects on the development of abnormal behaviorPrejudice, discrimination, social change and uncertainty and also urban stress have adverse effects on the development of abnormal behavior. Prejudice and discrimination leads to feelings of social exclusion and low self-esteem thus making individuals to engage in abnormal behaviors or join delinquent groups in the society (McKenzie & Harpham, 2006).

Accordingly, social change and uncertainty erodes the existing societal values and creates new abnormal behaviors through reducing the social cohesion, social bonds and eroding the moral values of the society. Urban stress is mainly associated with violent neighborhood, crowding and noise that leads to stressful lifestyle and inadequate access to basic needs like good housing. Urban stress may results from dangerous neighborhoods that are associated with criminal gangs and drug abuse (McKenzie & Harpham, 2006).

Question four: Ways in which diagnostic and assessment processes (DSM 5 and previous editions) have acknowledged the importance of socio-cultural factors in mental disorders Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM 5) and previous editions have acknowledged the importance of social-cultural factors in mental disorders. Mental disorders are caused by various factors that entail social and cultural factors. The social-cultural context of mental disorders asserts that the age, marital status, gender and cultural values will influence the development of the disorders (McKenzie & Harpham, 2006).

For instance, some disorders are associated with aged citizens. Accordingly, women openly express emotional distress thus highly likely to develop mental disorders. Psychological problems like sexual abuse, discrimination, poverty and cultural factors like religion will influence the social functioning thus leading to possibility of developing mental disorders. Social exclusion and discrimination in the society leads to stressing life that contributes to development of certain mental disorders (McKenzie & Harpham, 2006).

References:McKenzie, K & Harpham, T. (2006). Social capital and mental health. New York: Routledge.Plotnik, R & Kouyoumdjian, H. (2013). Introduction to psychology. New Jersey: John Wiley.