Comparison of Community Psychology

A CRITICAL COMPARISON OF THE COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY

AND PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACHES TO SOCIAL PROBLEMS.

PYC4811- Community and Health Psychology

Student number- 4550-773-2

Assignment 01

Unique assignment no: 657794

April 2015

A critical comparison of the community psychology

and public health approaches to social problems.

Introduction to community psychology and public health approaches.

Although Community Psychology and Public Health share many of the same theories, methods, topics and values, there are key differences in their explanation of the causes and influences on mental health. A shared belief between the two similar, yet different, approaches is that effective treatment is a result of focusing on preventative measures addressing the root of the problem rather than curative measures that simply treat the incidences and symptoms.

It is important though, that we first understand the origins and historical developments before discussing the strengths and weaknesses of the two approaches.

Origins and historical development.

Community Psychology originated from mental reform movements in the USA, such as the “moral treatment” in the 1800’s, the “mental hygiene” movement in the 1900’s and “deinstitutionalisation” in the 1960’s. All these movements primary focus was on treating mental illness as social rather than individual problem. The discipline of Community Psychology was only formalised as a separate entity at the Swampscot Conference in Boston in 1965. Community Psychology now attempted to concern itself not only with mental health but with social behaviours as well.

Public Health is an applied science that originated as early as the 1850’s and is designed to respond to the challenges posed by the problems of daily life and a quest for longer, better lives. It is practised in most industrialized countries with its focus not only on the individual but on the public and society in general. The Public Health approach emerged from...