PYC4811 Assignment 1 
Daniela Ineli Fernandes
57420025
PYC4811 Assignment 1
Unique Assignment No: 657794
Community Psychology looks beyond the individual and focuses on social, cultural, economic, political and environmental influences. It looks at endorsing positive change, health and empowerment within communities (SCRA, 2015). The Public Health Approach is concerned with the health of communities as a whole and looks at preventing diseases by improving the standards of health (WHO, 2015). This assignment will be comparing and contrasting community psychology and public health approaches with regards to social problems.
Historical Developments:
The community psychology movement developed in the United States of America when there was a great concern for the lack of resources and treatment amenities with mental illnesses. Due to various movements in America there was a shift between when mental illnesses were treated as a social problem rather than an individual problem. These movements therefore moved from cure towards a preventative approach. This is a more viable approach as finding cures can take decades, whereas finding ways to prevent illnesses would be beneficial to present and future societies. The Public Health approach has been developing since the Industrial Revolution due to the unhealthy social conditions in various industrial urban areas as well as rural areas. “It emerged as a ‘social action’ to combat the spread of infectious diseases” (Afifi & Breslow, 1994, as citied in
Gilbert, 1995: 117).
Both developments looked to combat diseases and mental health problems mainly in America at the time. They looked at treating problems as social problems in communities and not simply as individual problems. It also became more important to prevent mental illnesses/diseases rather than finding a cure. Therefore one can see how both approaches can complement each other.
Developments within South Africa:
Community Psychology Models:
1
Daniela Ineli Fernandes
57420025
PYC4811
57420025
PYC4811 Assignment 1
Unique Assignment No: 657794
Community Psychology looks beyond the individual and focuses on social, cultural, economic, political and environmental influences. It looks at endorsing positive change, health and empowerment within communities (SCRA, 2015). The Public Health Approach is concerned with the health of communities as a whole and looks at preventing diseases by improving the standards of health (WHO, 2015). This assignment will be comparing and contrasting community psychology and public health approaches with regards to social problems.
Historical Developments:
The community psychology movement developed in the United States of America when there was a great concern for the lack of resources and treatment amenities with mental illnesses. Due to various movements in America there was a shift between when mental illnesses were treated as a social problem rather than an individual problem. These movements therefore moved from cure towards a preventative approach. This is a more viable approach as finding cures can take decades, whereas finding ways to prevent illnesses would be beneficial to present and future societies. The Public Health approach has been developing since the Industrial Revolution due to the unhealthy social conditions in various industrial urban areas as well as rural areas. “It emerged as a ‘social action’ to combat the spread of infectious diseases” (Afifi & Breslow, 1994, as citied in
Gilbert, 1995: 117).
Both developments looked to combat diseases and mental health problems mainly in America at the time. They looked at treating problems as social problems in communities and not simply as individual problems. It also became more important to prevent mental illnesses/diseases rather than finding a cure. Therefore one can see how both approaches can complement each other.
Developments within South Africa:
Community Psychology Models:
1
Daniela Ineli Fernandes
57420025
PYC4811