Christmas is a celebration of Jesus birth.Christmas is sharing of blessings to others to make them happy.Giving gift to the beggar and to other people who does not received any gift can make people smile once of their life.Christmas is very important occasion to the Christian. Popular modern customs of the holiday include gift-giving, music, an exchange of greeting cards, church celebrations, a special meal, and the display of various decorations; including Christmas trees, lights, garlands, mistletoe, nativity scenes, and holly.
As I observe now a days,the true essence of Christmas is change. The one reason of this is the advertisement in television. Because advertisement is one impact that influence people to become a materialistic person. Advertisement is all about the material things that you can give during Christmas to your friends, to your relatives, to your love ones, and to your family.But all of this material things is not important to make people happy. Gift giving, sharing blessings to others can make us happy when it comes from the bottom of our heart. Because the true essence of Christmas is not about material things but it is in our heart.
Many people take vocation during Christmas to their family in their hometown to celebrate Christmas, to bond each other, to feel that they are important.Because the true essence of christmas is about love, hope, faith and how you care your family and other people.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
MAKATURO: HAPPY THOUGHTS
HAPPY THOUGHTS
1.Christmas- I remember those happiness moments when I'm with my family and my childhood friend at my hometown because we bond each other.we sing along the Christmas song..
2.field trip- Because when i was in elementary and high school i didn't experienced this kind of activity.
3.family reunion-
HINDRANCES
1.fear
2.myself
3.financial problem
4.siblings
WHAT CAN HELP YOU TO MAINYAIN THESE HAPPY THOUGHTS
1.pray, pray and pray to god.
2.self confident
3.i keep on remembering my mama's memory..
4.faith to god
1.Christmas- I remember those happiness moments when I'm with my family and my childhood friend at my hometown because we bond each other.we sing along the Christmas song..
2.field trip- Because when i was in elementary and high school i didn't experienced this kind of activity.
3.family reunion-
HINDRANCES
1.fear
2.myself
3.financial problem
4.siblings
WHAT CAN HELP YOU TO MAINYAIN THESE HAPPY THOUGHTS
1.pray, pray and pray to god.
2.self confident
3.i keep on remembering my mama's memory..
4.faith to god
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
SAMPLE PROBLEM CHECKLIST
Sensory Problem Checklist
Here is a list from a professional diagnostic about different sensory disorder symptoms. Many children exhibit a variety of these symptoms occasionally, but should get over them with time or experience them in a mainly isolated way. Clusters of symptoms, or ones that are getting worse or more intrusive with time should encourage you to seek professional help. If the symptoms are mostly confined to sensory issues, an occupational therapist can be a great help. If the symptoms are compounded with other cognitive/emotional problems (see my other lists), an autistic spectrum disorder will be investigated.
Also keep in mind that a child can have both hypersensitive and hyposensitive behaviors simultaneously. His or her behavior may be erratic or inconsistent (like lights or smells bother them on bad days but on good days does not), and you should still consider that symptom a problem because “normal” sensory kids are usually very consistent unless there is a special circumstance.
• Has a body tic or twitch s/he seems unable to control
• makes sounds sh/he seems unable to control
• holds food in cheeks
• chokes or gags easily
• is very worried about getting dirty (or sticky)
• Hates to get wet
• needs things to be clean or neat
• plays with own private parts
• pulls own hair out (or eyelashes, eyebrows)
• worries about own body
• plays with bowel movements or overly loves/hates the bowel process
• runs fingers along wall, sticks them in gaps, pushes buttons repetitively
• shreds or destroys clothes, blankets, fabric
• has nervous habit, twitches
• chews on things s/he shouldn’t
• eats paper or other inedible things
• hugs too hard or too soft
• is overly gentle or forceful in nature
• can’t hold pencil or grips too hard
• can’t bang or bangs too hard, too much
• can’t squeeze clay, get lids off, turn knobs, twist wind-up toy
• can’t dress self or do large buttons
• spits out food, refuses to chew or otherwise strange eating habits
• hugs, bites, kicks, shoves, or is overly aggressive with touch (when not angry)
• runs from hugs, pats, or physical touch; wipes off kisses
• touches, leans on, picks at, or otherwise “bothers” others when in proximity (often not noticing)
• complains about lights being too bright and/or sounds being too loud
• overly responds to humming, buzzing, or white noise sounds
• chokes or gags on smells
• covers ears when watching TV
• complains of going to fast when in car, too high when lifted up
• has trouble with stairs
• doesn’t run
• doesn’t catch self when falls
• slow reflexes
• picky eater; refuses crunchy, sticky, or rough foods
• shreds food, pushes it around, puts too much in mouth, or combines/mixes in unusual ways
Here is a list from a professional diagnostic about different sensory disorder symptoms. Many children exhibit a variety of these symptoms occasionally, but should get over them with time or experience them in a mainly isolated way. Clusters of symptoms, or ones that are getting worse or more intrusive with time should encourage you to seek professional help. If the symptoms are mostly confined to sensory issues, an occupational therapist can be a great help. If the symptoms are compounded with other cognitive/emotional problems (see my other lists), an autistic spectrum disorder will be investigated.
Also keep in mind that a child can have both hypersensitive and hyposensitive behaviors simultaneously. His or her behavior may be erratic or inconsistent (like lights or smells bother them on bad days but on good days does not), and you should still consider that symptom a problem because “normal” sensory kids are usually very consistent unless there is a special circumstance.
• Has a body tic or twitch s/he seems unable to control
• makes sounds sh/he seems unable to control
• holds food in cheeks
• chokes or gags easily
• is very worried about getting dirty (or sticky)
• Hates to get wet
• needs things to be clean or neat
• plays with own private parts
• pulls own hair out (or eyelashes, eyebrows)
• worries about own body
• plays with bowel movements or overly loves/hates the bowel process
• runs fingers along wall, sticks them in gaps, pushes buttons repetitively
• shreds or destroys clothes, blankets, fabric
• has nervous habit, twitches
• chews on things s/he shouldn’t
• eats paper or other inedible things
• hugs too hard or too soft
• is overly gentle or forceful in nature
• can’t hold pencil or grips too hard
• can’t bang or bangs too hard, too much
• can’t squeeze clay, get lids off, turn knobs, twist wind-up toy
• can’t dress self or do large buttons
• spits out food, refuses to chew or otherwise strange eating habits
• hugs, bites, kicks, shoves, or is overly aggressive with touch (when not angry)
• runs from hugs, pats, or physical touch; wipes off kisses
• touches, leans on, picks at, or otherwise “bothers” others when in proximity (often not noticing)
• complains about lights being too bright and/or sounds being too loud
• overly responds to humming, buzzing, or white noise sounds
• chokes or gags on smells
• covers ears when watching TV
• complains of going to fast when in car, too high when lifted up
• has trouble with stairs
• doesn’t run
• doesn’t catch self when falls
• slow reflexes
• picky eater; refuses crunchy, sticky, or rough foods
• shreds food, pushes it around, puts too much in mouth, or combines/mixes in unusual ways
THEORIES OF DEFENSE MECHANISM
THEORIES OF DEFENSE MECHANISM
In Freudian psychoanalytic theory, defence mechanisms are unconscious[1] psychological strategies brought into play by various entities to cope with reality and to maintain self-image. Healthy persons normally use different defences throughout life. An ego defence mechanism becomes pathological only when its persistent use leads to maladaptive behavior such that the physical and/or mental health of the individual is adversely affected. The purpose of ego defence mechanisms is to protect the mind/self/ego from anxiety, social sanctions or to provide a refuge from a situation with which one cannot currently cope.[2]
They are more accurately referred to as ego defence mechanisms, and can thus be categorized as occurring when the id impulses are in conflict with each other, when the id impulses conflict with super-ego values and beliefs, and when an external threat is posed to the ego.
The term "defence mechanism" is often thought to refer to a definitive singular term for personality traits which arise due to loss or traumatic experiences, but more accurately refers to several types of reactions which were identified during and after daughter Anna Freud's time.
Structural model: The id, ego, and superego
The concept of id impulses comes from Sigmund Freud’s structural model. According to this theory, id impulses are based on the pleasure principle: instant gratification of one's own desires and needs. Sigmund Freud believed that the id represents biological instinctual impulses in ourselves, such as aggression (Thanatos or the Death instinct) and sexuality (Eros or the Life instinct). For example, when the id impulses (e.g. desire to have sexual relations with a stranger) conflict with the superego (e.g. belief in societal conventions of not having sex with unknown persons), unsatisfied feelings of anxiousness or feelings of anxiety come to the surface. To reduce these negative feelings, the ego might use defence mechanisms (conscious or unconscious blockage of the id impulses).
Freud also believed that conflicts between these two structures resulted in conflicts associated with psychosexual stages.
The iceberg metaphor is often used to explain the psyche's parts in relation to one another.
Definitions of individual psyche structures
Freud proposed three structures of the psyche or personality:
• Id: a selfish, primitive, childish, pleasure-oriented part of the personality with no ability to delay gratification.
• Superego: internalized societal and parental standards of "good" and "bad", "right" and "wrong" behaviour.
• Ego: the moderator between the id and superego which seeks compromises to pacify both. It can be viewed as our "sense of time and place",
Primary and secondary processes
In the ego, there are two ongoing processes. First there is the unconscious primary process, where the thoughts are not organized in a coherent way, the feelings can shift, contradictions are not in conflict or are just not perceived that way, and condensations arise. There is no logic and no time line. Lust is important for this process. By contrast, there is the conscious secondary process, where strong boundaries are set and thoughts must be organized in a coherent way. Most unconscious thoughts originate here.
The reality principle
Id impulses are not appropriate in civilized society, so society presses us to modify the pleasure principle in favor of the reality principle; that is, the requirements of the external world.
Formation of the superego
The superego forms as the child grows and learns parental and social standards. The superego consists of two structures: the conscience, which stores information about what is "bad" and what has been punished and the ego ideal, which stores information about what is "good" and what one "should" do or be.
The ego's use of defence mechanisms
When anxiety becomes too overwhelming, it is then the place of the ego to employ defence mechanisms to protect the individual. Feelings of guilt, embarrassment and shame often accompany the feeling of anxiety. In the first definitive book on defence mechanisms, The Ego and the Mechanisms of Defense (1936),[6] Anna Freud introduced the concept of signal anxiety; she stated that it was "not directly a conflicted instinctual tension but a signal occurring in the ego of an anticipated instinctual tension". The signaling function of anxiety is thus seen as a crucial one and biologically adapted to warn the organism of danger or a threat to its equilibrium. The anxiety is felt as an increase in bodily or mental tension and the signal that the organism receives in this way allows it the possibility of taking defensive action towards the perceived danger. Defence mechanisms work by distorting the id impulses into acceptable forms, or by unconscious or conscious blockage of these impulses.
Theories and classifications
The list of defence mechanisms is huge and there is no theoretical consensus on the number of defence mechanisms. Classifying defence mechanisms according to some of their properties (i.e. underlying mechanisms, similarities or connections with personality) has been attempted. Different theorists have different categorizations and conceptualizations of defence mechanisms. Large reviews of theories of defence mechanisms are available from Paulhus, Fridhandler and Hayes (1997)[7] and Cramer (1991).[8] Also, the Journal of Personality (1998) published a special issue on defence mechanisms.[9]
Otto F. Kernberg (1967) developed a theory of borderline personality organization of which one consequence may be borderline personality disorder. His theory is based on ego psychological object relations theory. Borderline personality organization develops when the child cannot integrate positive and negative mental objects together. Kernberg views the use of primitive defence mechanisms as central to this personality organization. Primitive psychological defences are projection, denial, dissociation or splitting and they are called borderline defence mechanisms. Also, devaluation and projective identification are seen as borderline defences.[10]
In George Eman Vaillant's (1977) categorization, defences form a continuum related to their psychoanalytical developmental level.[11] Vaillant's levels are:
• Level I - pathological defences (i.e. psychotic denial, delusional projection)
• Level II - immature defences (i.e. fantasy, projection, passive aggression, acting out)
• Level III - neurotic defences (i.e. intellectualization, reaction formation, dissociation, displacement, repression)
• Level IV - mature defences (i.e. humour, sublimation, suppression, altruism, anticipation)
Robert Plutchik's (1979) theory views defences as derivatives of basic emotions. Defence mechanisms in his theory are (in order of placement in circumplex model): reaction formation, denial, repression, regression, compensation, projection, displacement, intellectualization.[12]
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) published by the American Psychiatric Association (1994) includes a tentative diagnostic axis for defence mechanisms.[13] This classification is largely based on Vaillant's hierarchical view of defences, but has some modifications. Examples include: denial, fantasy, rationalization, regression, isolation, projection, and displacement.
Vaillant's categorization of defence mechanisms
Level 1 - Pathological
The mechanisms on this level, when predominating, almost always are severely pathological. These four defences, in conjunction, permit one to effectively rearrange external experiences to eliminate the need to cope with reality. The pathological users of these mechanisms frequently appear irrational or insane to others. These are the "psychotic" defences, common in overt psychosis. However, they are found in dreams and throughout childhood as well.
They include:
• Delusional Projection: Grossly frank delusions about external reality, usually of a persecutory nature.
• Denial: Refusal to accept external reality because it is too threatening; arguing against an anxiety-provoking stimulus by stating it doesn't exist; resolution of emotional conflict and reduction of anxiety by refusing to perceive or consciously acknowledge the more unpleasant aspects of external reality.
• Distortion: A gross reshaping of external reality to meet internal needs.
• Splitting: A primitive defence. Negative and positive impulses are split off and unintegrated. Fundamental example: An individual views other people as either innately good or innately evil, rather than a whole continuous being.
• Extreme projection: The blatant denial of a moral or psychological deficiency, which is perceived as a deficiency in another individual or group.
Level 2 - Immature
These mechanisms are often present in adults and more commonly present in adolescents. These mechanisms lessen distress and anxiety provoked by threatening people or by uncomfortable reality. People who excessively use such defences are seen as socially undesirable in that they are immature, difficult to deal with and seriously out of touch with reality. These are the so-called "immature" defences and overuse almost always leads to serious problems in a person's ability to cope effectively. These defences are often seen in severe depression and personality disorders. In adolescence, the occurrence of all of these defences is normal.
They include:
• Acting out: Direct expression of an unconscious wish or impulse in action, without conscious awareness of the emotion that drives that expressive behavior.
• Fantasy: Tendency to retreat into fantasy in order to resolve inner and outer conflicts.
• Idealization: Unconsciously choosing to perceive another individual as having more positive qualities than he or she may actually have.[14]
• Passive aggression: Aggression towards others expressed indirectly or passively such as using procrastination.
• Projection: Projection is a primitive form of paranoia. Projection also reduces anxiety by allowing the expression of the undesirable impulses or desires without becoming consciously aware of them; attributing one's own unacknowledged unacceptable/unwanted thoughts and emotions to another; includes severe prejudice, severe jealousy, hyper vigilance to external danger, and "injustice collecting". It is shifting one's unacceptable thoughts, feelings and impulses within oneself onto someone else, such that those same thoughts, feelings, beliefs and motivations are perceived as being possessed by the other.
• Projective identification: The object of projection invokes in that person precisely the thoughts, feelings or behaviors projected.
• Somatization: The transformation of negative feelings towards others into negative feelings toward self, pain, illness, and anxiety.
Level 3 - Neurotic
These mechanisms are considered neurotic, but fairly common in adults. Such defences have short-term advantages in coping, but can often cause long-term problems in relationships, work and in enjoying life when used as one's primary style of coping with the world.
They include:
• Displacement: Defence mechanism that shifts sexual or aggressive impulses to a more acceptable or less threatening target; redirecting emotion to a safer outlet; separation of emotion from its real object and redirection of the intense emotion toward someone or something that is less offensive or threatening in order to avoid dealing directly with what is frightening or threatening. For example, a mother may yell at her child because she is angry with her husband.
• Dissociation: Temporary drastic modification of one's personal identity or character to avoid emotional distress; separation or postponement of a feeling that normally would accompany a situation or thought.
• Hypochondriasis: An excessive preoccupation or worry about having a serious illness.
• Intellectualization: A form of isolation; concentrating on the intellectual components of a situation so as to distance oneself from the associated anxiety-provoking emotions; separation of emotion from ideas; thinking about wishes in formal, affectively bland terms and not acting on them; avoiding unacceptable emotions by focusing on the intellectual aspects (e.g. Isolation, Rationalization, Ritual, Undoing, Compensation, Magical thinking).
• Isolation: Separation of feelings from ideas and events, for example, describing a murder with graphic details with no emotional response.
• Rationalization (making excuses): Where a person convinces him or herself that no wrong was done and that all is or was all right through faulty and false reasoning. An indicator of this defence mechanism can be seen socially as the formulation of convenient excuses - making excuses.
• Reaction formation: Converting unconscious wishes or impulses that are perceived to be dangerous into their opposites; behavior that is completely the opposite of what one really wants or feels; taking the opposite belief because the true belief causes anxiety. This defence can work effectively for coping in the short term, but will eventually break down.
• Regression: Temporary reversion of the ego to an earlier stage of development rather than handling unacceptable impulses in a more adult way.
• Repression: The process of attempting to repel desires towards pleasurable instincts, caused by a threat of suffering if the desire is satisfied; the desire is moved to the unconscious in the attempt to prevent it from entering consciousness;[15] seemingly unexplainable naivety, memory lapse or lack of awareness of one's own situation and condition; the emotion is conscious, but the idea behind it is absent.[citation needed]
• Undoing: A person tries to 'undo' an unhealthy, destructive or otherwise threatening thought by engaging in contrary behaviour.
Level 4 - Mature
These are commonly found among emotionally healthy adults and are considered mature, even though many have their origins in an immature stage of development. They have been adapted through the years in order to optimize success in life and relationships. The use of these defences enhances pleasure and feelings of control. These defences help us integrate conflicting emotions and thoughts, while still remaining effective. Those who use these mechanisms are usually considered virtuous.
They include:
• Altruism: Constructive service to others that brings pleasure and personal satisfaction.
• Anticipation: Realistic planning for future discomfort.
• Humour: Overt expression of ideas and feelings (especially those that are unpleasant to focus on or too terrible to talk about) that gives pleasure to others. Humor, which explores the absurdity inherent in any event, enables someone to "call a spade a spade", while "wit" is a form of displacement (see above under Level 3). Wit refers to the serious or distressing in a humorous way; rather than fully disarming it, the thoughts are partially defused. The thoughts retain a portion of their innate distress, but they are "skirted round" by witticism.
• Identification: The unconscious modeling of one's self upon another person's character and behavior.
• Introjection: Identifying with some idea or object so deeply that it becomes a part of that person.
• Sublimation: Transformation of negative emotions or instincts into positive actions, behavior, or emotion.
• Thought suppression: The conscious process of pushing thoughts into the preconscious; the conscious decision to delay paying attention to an emotion or need in order to cope with the present reality; making it possible to later access uncomfortable or distressing emotions while accepting them.
In Freudian psychoanalytic theory, defence mechanisms are unconscious[1] psychological strategies brought into play by various entities to cope with reality and to maintain self-image. Healthy persons normally use different defences throughout life. An ego defence mechanism becomes pathological only when its persistent use leads to maladaptive behavior such that the physical and/or mental health of the individual is adversely affected. The purpose of ego defence mechanisms is to protect the mind/self/ego from anxiety, social sanctions or to provide a refuge from a situation with which one cannot currently cope.[2]
They are more accurately referred to as ego defence mechanisms, and can thus be categorized as occurring when the id impulses are in conflict with each other, when the id impulses conflict with super-ego values and beliefs, and when an external threat is posed to the ego.
The term "defence mechanism" is often thought to refer to a definitive singular term for personality traits which arise due to loss or traumatic experiences, but more accurately refers to several types of reactions which were identified during and after daughter Anna Freud's time.
Structural model: The id, ego, and superego
The concept of id impulses comes from Sigmund Freud’s structural model. According to this theory, id impulses are based on the pleasure principle: instant gratification of one's own desires and needs. Sigmund Freud believed that the id represents biological instinctual impulses in ourselves, such as aggression (Thanatos or the Death instinct) and sexuality (Eros or the Life instinct). For example, when the id impulses (e.g. desire to have sexual relations with a stranger) conflict with the superego (e.g. belief in societal conventions of not having sex with unknown persons), unsatisfied feelings of anxiousness or feelings of anxiety come to the surface. To reduce these negative feelings, the ego might use defence mechanisms (conscious or unconscious blockage of the id impulses).
Freud also believed that conflicts between these two structures resulted in conflicts associated with psychosexual stages.
The iceberg metaphor is often used to explain the psyche's parts in relation to one another.
Definitions of individual psyche structures
Freud proposed three structures of the psyche or personality:
• Id: a selfish, primitive, childish, pleasure-oriented part of the personality with no ability to delay gratification.
• Superego: internalized societal and parental standards of "good" and "bad", "right" and "wrong" behaviour.
• Ego: the moderator between the id and superego which seeks compromises to pacify both. It can be viewed as our "sense of time and place",
Primary and secondary processes
In the ego, there are two ongoing processes. First there is the unconscious primary process, where the thoughts are not organized in a coherent way, the feelings can shift, contradictions are not in conflict or are just not perceived that way, and condensations arise. There is no logic and no time line. Lust is important for this process. By contrast, there is the conscious secondary process, where strong boundaries are set and thoughts must be organized in a coherent way. Most unconscious thoughts originate here.
The reality principle
Id impulses are not appropriate in civilized society, so society presses us to modify the pleasure principle in favor of the reality principle; that is, the requirements of the external world.
Formation of the superego
The superego forms as the child grows and learns parental and social standards. The superego consists of two structures: the conscience, which stores information about what is "bad" and what has been punished and the ego ideal, which stores information about what is "good" and what one "should" do or be.
The ego's use of defence mechanisms
When anxiety becomes too overwhelming, it is then the place of the ego to employ defence mechanisms to protect the individual. Feelings of guilt, embarrassment and shame often accompany the feeling of anxiety. In the first definitive book on defence mechanisms, The Ego and the Mechanisms of Defense (1936),[6] Anna Freud introduced the concept of signal anxiety; she stated that it was "not directly a conflicted instinctual tension but a signal occurring in the ego of an anticipated instinctual tension". The signaling function of anxiety is thus seen as a crucial one and biologically adapted to warn the organism of danger or a threat to its equilibrium. The anxiety is felt as an increase in bodily or mental tension and the signal that the organism receives in this way allows it the possibility of taking defensive action towards the perceived danger. Defence mechanisms work by distorting the id impulses into acceptable forms, or by unconscious or conscious blockage of these impulses.
Theories and classifications
The list of defence mechanisms is huge and there is no theoretical consensus on the number of defence mechanisms. Classifying defence mechanisms according to some of their properties (i.e. underlying mechanisms, similarities or connections with personality) has been attempted. Different theorists have different categorizations and conceptualizations of defence mechanisms. Large reviews of theories of defence mechanisms are available from Paulhus, Fridhandler and Hayes (1997)[7] and Cramer (1991).[8] Also, the Journal of Personality (1998) published a special issue on defence mechanisms.[9]
Otto F. Kernberg (1967) developed a theory of borderline personality organization of which one consequence may be borderline personality disorder. His theory is based on ego psychological object relations theory. Borderline personality organization develops when the child cannot integrate positive and negative mental objects together. Kernberg views the use of primitive defence mechanisms as central to this personality organization. Primitive psychological defences are projection, denial, dissociation or splitting and they are called borderline defence mechanisms. Also, devaluation and projective identification are seen as borderline defences.[10]
In George Eman Vaillant's (1977) categorization, defences form a continuum related to their psychoanalytical developmental level.[11] Vaillant's levels are:
• Level I - pathological defences (i.e. psychotic denial, delusional projection)
• Level II - immature defences (i.e. fantasy, projection, passive aggression, acting out)
• Level III - neurotic defences (i.e. intellectualization, reaction formation, dissociation, displacement, repression)
• Level IV - mature defences (i.e. humour, sublimation, suppression, altruism, anticipation)
Robert Plutchik's (1979) theory views defences as derivatives of basic emotions. Defence mechanisms in his theory are (in order of placement in circumplex model): reaction formation, denial, repression, regression, compensation, projection, displacement, intellectualization.[12]
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) published by the American Psychiatric Association (1994) includes a tentative diagnostic axis for defence mechanisms.[13] This classification is largely based on Vaillant's hierarchical view of defences, but has some modifications. Examples include: denial, fantasy, rationalization, regression, isolation, projection, and displacement.
Vaillant's categorization of defence mechanisms
Level 1 - Pathological
The mechanisms on this level, when predominating, almost always are severely pathological. These four defences, in conjunction, permit one to effectively rearrange external experiences to eliminate the need to cope with reality. The pathological users of these mechanisms frequently appear irrational or insane to others. These are the "psychotic" defences, common in overt psychosis. However, they are found in dreams and throughout childhood as well.
They include:
• Delusional Projection: Grossly frank delusions about external reality, usually of a persecutory nature.
• Denial: Refusal to accept external reality because it is too threatening; arguing against an anxiety-provoking stimulus by stating it doesn't exist; resolution of emotional conflict and reduction of anxiety by refusing to perceive or consciously acknowledge the more unpleasant aspects of external reality.
• Distortion: A gross reshaping of external reality to meet internal needs.
• Splitting: A primitive defence. Negative and positive impulses are split off and unintegrated. Fundamental example: An individual views other people as either innately good or innately evil, rather than a whole continuous being.
• Extreme projection: The blatant denial of a moral or psychological deficiency, which is perceived as a deficiency in another individual or group.
Level 2 - Immature
These mechanisms are often present in adults and more commonly present in adolescents. These mechanisms lessen distress and anxiety provoked by threatening people or by uncomfortable reality. People who excessively use such defences are seen as socially undesirable in that they are immature, difficult to deal with and seriously out of touch with reality. These are the so-called "immature" defences and overuse almost always leads to serious problems in a person's ability to cope effectively. These defences are often seen in severe depression and personality disorders. In adolescence, the occurrence of all of these defences is normal.
They include:
• Acting out: Direct expression of an unconscious wish or impulse in action, without conscious awareness of the emotion that drives that expressive behavior.
• Fantasy: Tendency to retreat into fantasy in order to resolve inner and outer conflicts.
• Idealization: Unconsciously choosing to perceive another individual as having more positive qualities than he or she may actually have.[14]
• Passive aggression: Aggression towards others expressed indirectly or passively such as using procrastination.
• Projection: Projection is a primitive form of paranoia. Projection also reduces anxiety by allowing the expression of the undesirable impulses or desires without becoming consciously aware of them; attributing one's own unacknowledged unacceptable/unwanted thoughts and emotions to another; includes severe prejudice, severe jealousy, hyper vigilance to external danger, and "injustice collecting". It is shifting one's unacceptable thoughts, feelings and impulses within oneself onto someone else, such that those same thoughts, feelings, beliefs and motivations are perceived as being possessed by the other.
• Projective identification: The object of projection invokes in that person precisely the thoughts, feelings or behaviors projected.
• Somatization: The transformation of negative feelings towards others into negative feelings toward self, pain, illness, and anxiety.
Level 3 - Neurotic
These mechanisms are considered neurotic, but fairly common in adults. Such defences have short-term advantages in coping, but can often cause long-term problems in relationships, work and in enjoying life when used as one's primary style of coping with the world.
They include:
• Displacement: Defence mechanism that shifts sexual or aggressive impulses to a more acceptable or less threatening target; redirecting emotion to a safer outlet; separation of emotion from its real object and redirection of the intense emotion toward someone or something that is less offensive or threatening in order to avoid dealing directly with what is frightening or threatening. For example, a mother may yell at her child because she is angry with her husband.
• Dissociation: Temporary drastic modification of one's personal identity or character to avoid emotional distress; separation or postponement of a feeling that normally would accompany a situation or thought.
• Hypochondriasis: An excessive preoccupation or worry about having a serious illness.
• Intellectualization: A form of isolation; concentrating on the intellectual components of a situation so as to distance oneself from the associated anxiety-provoking emotions; separation of emotion from ideas; thinking about wishes in formal, affectively bland terms and not acting on them; avoiding unacceptable emotions by focusing on the intellectual aspects (e.g. Isolation, Rationalization, Ritual, Undoing, Compensation, Magical thinking).
• Isolation: Separation of feelings from ideas and events, for example, describing a murder with graphic details with no emotional response.
• Rationalization (making excuses): Where a person convinces him or herself that no wrong was done and that all is or was all right through faulty and false reasoning. An indicator of this defence mechanism can be seen socially as the formulation of convenient excuses - making excuses.
• Reaction formation: Converting unconscious wishes or impulses that are perceived to be dangerous into their opposites; behavior that is completely the opposite of what one really wants or feels; taking the opposite belief because the true belief causes anxiety. This defence can work effectively for coping in the short term, but will eventually break down.
• Regression: Temporary reversion of the ego to an earlier stage of development rather than handling unacceptable impulses in a more adult way.
• Repression: The process of attempting to repel desires towards pleasurable instincts, caused by a threat of suffering if the desire is satisfied; the desire is moved to the unconscious in the attempt to prevent it from entering consciousness;[15] seemingly unexplainable naivety, memory lapse or lack of awareness of one's own situation and condition; the emotion is conscious, but the idea behind it is absent.[citation needed]
• Undoing: A person tries to 'undo' an unhealthy, destructive or otherwise threatening thought by engaging in contrary behaviour.
Level 4 - Mature
These are commonly found among emotionally healthy adults and are considered mature, even though many have their origins in an immature stage of development. They have been adapted through the years in order to optimize success in life and relationships. The use of these defences enhances pleasure and feelings of control. These defences help us integrate conflicting emotions and thoughts, while still remaining effective. Those who use these mechanisms are usually considered virtuous.
They include:
• Altruism: Constructive service to others that brings pleasure and personal satisfaction.
• Anticipation: Realistic planning for future discomfort.
• Humour: Overt expression of ideas and feelings (especially those that are unpleasant to focus on or too terrible to talk about) that gives pleasure to others. Humor, which explores the absurdity inherent in any event, enables someone to "call a spade a spade", while "wit" is a form of displacement (see above under Level 3). Wit refers to the serious or distressing in a humorous way; rather than fully disarming it, the thoughts are partially defused. The thoughts retain a portion of their innate distress, but they are "skirted round" by witticism.
• Identification: The unconscious modeling of one's self upon another person's character and behavior.
• Introjection: Identifying with some idea or object so deeply that it becomes a part of that person.
• Sublimation: Transformation of negative emotions or instincts into positive actions, behavior, or emotion.
• Thought suppression: The conscious process of pushing thoughts into the preconscious; the conscious decision to delay paying attention to an emotion or need in order to cope with the present reality; making it possible to later access uncomfortable or distressing emotions while accepting them.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
COMMON PROBLEMS BY ECED CHILDREN (physical,intellectual,social,emotional,moral)
COMMON PHYSICAL PROBLEMS OF CHILDREN
Overview
In honor of World Mental Health Day, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon stated in 2008, "Let us recognize that there can be no health without mental health." His speech precipitated an appeal by the World Health Organization for countries around the globe to invest in mental health care for citizens. According to WHO, most countries spend less than 2 percent of health care budgets on mental health, yet researchers continue to find evidence that mental and physical health are closely linked.
Brain And Congenital Disorders
A 2007 study of Vietnamese children found that those suffering from long-term physical health problems, such as anemia, birth defects and physical disabilities, were more than twice as likely to have a mental disorder, regardless of socio-economic status. The Royal College of Psychiatrists reports that this comorbidity is especially profound in the case of physical illness affecting the brain, such as cerebral palsy and epilepsy. A Canadian study found that 42 percent of children with developmental delays also had a psychiatric disorder, but concluded that it is unknown "whether the comorbid illnesses share common origins."
PTSD And Physical Health
Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is an anxiety disorder that sometimes occurs after experiencing a traumatic event. PTSD is about twice as common in females as it is in males. A study published in "Pediatrics" journal found that female adolescents suffering from PTSD were at an elevated risk for developing physical health problems, including digestive disorders, circulatory disorders and chronic fatigue. The study also revealed that adolescent girls with PTSD "were nearly twice as likely to have a sexually transmitted infection."
Anxiety/Depression and Asthma
A study of Puerto Rican children between the ages of 4 and 17 demonstrates the link between asthma and anxiety/depressive disorders. The report showed that 11.2 percent of children with asthma had also experienced an anxiety disorder, compared with just 5.6 percent of non-asthmatic children. Asthmatic children were also nearly twice as likely as non-asthmatic children to experience depressive symptoms.
Depression And Obesity
Researchers have long known of a link between depression and obesity; this comorbidity extends to childhood obesity as well. Not surprisingly, obese children report low levels of self-esteem; in a 2003 study, they "rated their quality of life with scores as low as those of young cancer patients on chemotherapy." A University of Maryland School of Medicine study of children found that depression was a significant predictor for obesity at the one-year follow up survey. Researchers cannot yet definitively state whether one condition causes the other.
Possible Causes
The Royal College of Psychiatrists speculates on possible causes of poor mental health among children with physical health problems. They believe that the stress of social problems associated with physical health issues may lead to depression and anxiety disorders. These social issues include dealing with numerous health professionals, missing school, experiencing learning problems, feeling that other children see them as different and vulnerability to bullying.
COMMON PROBLEMS IN SOCIAL OF CHILDREN
Social competence deficits and peer rejection
Many children experience difficulties getting along with peers at some point during their youth. Sometimes these problems are short-lived and for some children the effects of being left out or teased by classmates are transitory. For other children, however, being ignored or rejected by peers may be a lasting problem that has lifelong consequences, such as a dislike for school, poor self-esteem, social withdrawal, and difficulties with adult relationships.
Considerable research has been undertaken to try to understand why some children experience serious and long-lasting difficulties in the area of peer relations. To explore factors leading to peer difficulties, researchers typically employ the sociometric method to identify children who are or are not successful with peers. In this method, children in a classroom or a group are asked to list the children they like most and those whom they like least. Children who receive many positive ("like most") nominations and few negative ("like least") nominations are classified as "popular." Those who receive few positive and few negative nominations are designated "neglected," and those who receive few positive and many negative nominations are classified as "rejected."
Evidence compiled from studies using child interviews, direct observations, and teacher ratings all suggest that popular children exhibit high levels of social competence. They are friendly and cooperative and engage readily in conversation. Peers describe them as helpful, nice, understanding, attractive, and good at games. Popular and socially competent children are able to consider the perspectives of others, can sustain their attention to the play task, and are able to remain self-controlled in situations involving conflict. They are agreeable and have good problem-solving skills. Socially competent children are also sensitive to the nuances of "play etiquette." They enter a group using diplomatic strategies, such as commenting upon the ongoing activity and asking permission to join in. They uphold standards of equity and show good sportsmanship, making them good companions and enjoyable play partners.
Children who have problems making friends, those who are either "neglected" or "rejected" by their peers, often show deficits in social skills. One of the most common reasons for friendship problems is behavior that annoys other children. Children, like adults, do not like behavior that is bossy, self-centered, or disruptive. It is simply not fun to play with someone who does not share or does not follow the rules. Sometimes children who have learning problems or attention problems can have trouble making friends, because they find it hard to understand and follow the rules of games. Children who get angry easily and lose their temper when things do not go their way can also have a hard time getting along with others. Children who are rejected by peers often have difficulties focusing their attention and controlling their behavior. They may show high rates of noncompliance, interference with others, or aggression (teasing or fighting). Peers often describe rejected classmates as disruptive, short-tempered, unattractive, and likely to brag, to start fights, and to get in trouble with the teacher.
Not all aggressive children are rejected by their peers. Children are particularly likely to become rejected if they show a wide range of conduct problems, including disruptive, hyperactive, and disagreeable behaviors in addition to physical aggression. Socially competent children who are aggressive tend to use aggression in a way that is accepted by peers (e.g., fighting back when provoked), whereas the aggressive acts of rejected children include tantrums , verbal insults, cheating, or tattling. In addition, aggressive children are more likely to be rejected if they are hyperactive, immature, and lacking in positive social skills.
Children can also have friendship problems because they are very shy and feel uncomfortable and unsure of themselves around others. Sometimes children are ignored or teased by classmates because there is something "different" about them that sets them apart from other children. When children are shy in the classroom and ignored by children, becoming classified as "neglected," it does not necessarily indicate deficits in social competence. Many neglected children have friendships outside the classroom setting, and their neglected status is simply a reflection of their quiet attitude and low profile in the classroom.
Developmentally, peer neglect is not a very stable classification, and many neglected children develop more confidence as they move into classrooms with more familiar or more compatible peers. However, some shy children are highly anxious socially and uncomfortable around peers in many situations. Shy, passive children who are actively disliked and rejected by classmates often become teased and victimized. These children often do have deficits in core areas of social competence that have a negative impact on their social development. For example, many are emotionally dependent on adults and immature in their social behavior. They may be inattentive, moody, depressed, or emotionally volatile, making it difficult for them to sustain positive play interactions with others.
The long-term consequences of sustained peer rejection can be quite serious. Often, deficits in social competence and peer rejection coincide with other emotional and behavioral problems, including attention deficits, aggression, and depression. The importance of social competence and satisfying social relations is life-long. Studies of adults have revealed that friendship is a critical source of social support that protects against the negative effects of life stress. People with few friends are at elevated risk for depression and anxiety.
Childhood peer rejection predicts a variety of difficulties in later life, including school problems, mental health disorders, and antisocial behavior . In fact, in one study, peer rejection proved to be a more sensitive predictor of later mental health problems than school records, achievement, intelligence quotient (IQ) scores, or teacher ratings.
It appears, then, that positive peer relations play an important role in supporting the process of healthy social and emotional development. Problematic peer relations are associated with both present and future maladjustment of children and warrant serious attention from parents and professionals working with children. When assessing the possible factors contributing to a child's social difficulties and when planning remedial interventions, it is important to understand developmental processes associated with social competence and peer relations.
Common problems
Many children who are rejected by peers have lower self-esteem, feel lonelier, and are more dissatisfied with their social situations than are average or popular children. These feelings can cause them to give up and avoid social situations, which can in turn exacerbate their peer problems. Interestingly, not all rejected children feel badly about their social difficulties. Studies have shown that aggressive-rejected children, who tend to blame outside factors for their peer problems, are less likely to express distress than withdrawn-rejected children, who often attribute their problems to themselves.
COMMON PROBLEMS IN MORAL OF CHILDREN
Common problems
Religious development often goes hand in hand with moral development. Children's concepts of divinity, right and wrong, and who is ultimately responsible for the world's woes are shaped by the family and by the religious social group to which each child belongs. Their concepts also mirror cognitive and moral developmental stages.
In general, in the earliest stage (up to age two years), the child knows that religious objects and books are to be respected. The concept of a divine being is vague, but the child enjoys the regularity of the religious rituals such as prayer.
In the next stage (from two to 10 years), children begin to orient religion concepts to themselves as in the catechism litany, "Who made you? God made me." The concept of a divine being is usually described in anthropomorphic ways for children around six years old. In other words, children perceive God to look like a human being only bigger or living in the sky. At this stage, God is physically powerful and often is portrayed as a superhero. God may also be the wish-granter and can fix anything. Children embrace religious holidays and rituals during this stage.
In the Intermediate Stage during pre-adolescence, children are considered to be in the pre-religious stage. The anthropomorphized divinity is pictured as being very old and wise. God is also thought of as doing supernatural things: having a halo, floating over the world, or performing miracles. Children in this stage understand the panoply of religious or divine beings within the religious belief system. For example, Christian children will distinguish between God and Jesus and the disciples or saints.
The last stage in adolescence focuses on personalizing religious rituals and drawing closer to a divine being. Teenagers begin to think of God in abstract terms and look at the mystical side of the religious experience. They may also rebel against organized religion as they begin to question the world and the rules around them.
Some adults who are considered highly religious consider God to be an anthropomorphized divine being or may reject the supernatural or mystical religious experience. This does not mean that these adults have somehow been arrested in their religious development. This just means that the variation among these stages is great and is determined by the particular religious community in which the individual is involved.
COMMON PROBLEMS IN INTELLECT OF CHILDREN
Cognitive impairment is the general loss or lack of development of cognitive abilities, particularly autism and learning disabilities. The National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH) describes learning disabilities as a disorder that affects people's ability to either interpret what they see and hear or to link information from different parts of the brain. These limitations can show up in many ways, such as specific difficulties with spoken and written language, coordination, self-control, or attention. Such difficulties extend to schoolwork and can impede learning to read or write or to do math. A child who has a learning disability may have other conditions, such as hearing problems or serious emotional disturbance. However, learning disabilities are not caused by these conditions, nor are they caused by environmental influences such as cultural differences or inappropriate instruction.
COMMON PROBLEMS IN EMOTIONAL OF CHILDREN
Emotional problems in children have become more widely recognized. A child's emotional problem can become a chronic problem if it's not attended to properly and in a timely manner. Many adult emotional problems can also affect children, but these problems may not be as easily recognized in children. Some emotional problems in children can be treated quite easily, but some require long-term care that can be complicated.
Childhood Bipolar Disorder
1. Childhood bipolar disorder is an emotional problem that can affect children. This childhood emotional problem can be hard to diagnose, because its symptoms are also symptoms of many other childhood emotional problems. Common symptoms include mood swings, irritability, episodes of extreme happiness and episodes of severe depression. Childhood bipolar disorder is a serious condition and should be treated as such. Treatment most often includes a combination of medication (sometimes more than one) and behavior therapy (teaching the child how to handle certain situations better).
Childhood Depression
2. Childhood depression is an emotional problem that can affect children. This childhood emotional problem is considered serious, but it can be difficult to diagnose because its symptoms are not unique. Common symptoms include irritability, fatigue, hopelessness, social withdrawal and poor performance in school. Childhood depression is most often treated with medication and behavior therapy.
Autism
3. Autism is an emotional problem that can affect children. This childhood emotional problem is often serious and consists of three distinctive behaviors. These autism behaviors include trouble interacting socially, obsessive and competitive behavior and difficulty with nonverbal and verbal communication. Medications (often more than one) and behavioral and educational therapies and interventions are used to treat autism. Family counseling is also used to help families learn about autistic children and to help them cope.
Childhood Schizophrenia
4. Childhood schizophrenia is an emotional problem that can affect children. This emotional disorder often affects a child's ability to develop normal social, educational and emotional skills and habits. Children with emotional disorder often have difficulty performing daily tasks, think and act irrationally and have delusions and hallucinations. Childhood schizophrenia is most often treated with a variety of treatments including medications (most often antipsychotics) and psychotherapy (teaches the child to cope with the illness and its challenges).
Tourette Syndrome
5. Tourette syndrome is an emotional problem that can affect children. This emotional problem is also considered a neurological disorder. Tourette syndrome is characterized by stereotyped and repetitive vocalizations and involuntary movements referred to as tics. Tourette syndrome is most often treated with a combination of medication and psychotherapy.
Overview
In honor of World Mental Health Day, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon stated in 2008, "Let us recognize that there can be no health without mental health." His speech precipitated an appeal by the World Health Organization for countries around the globe to invest in mental health care for citizens. According to WHO, most countries spend less than 2 percent of health care budgets on mental health, yet researchers continue to find evidence that mental and physical health are closely linked.
Brain And Congenital Disorders
A 2007 study of Vietnamese children found that those suffering from long-term physical health problems, such as anemia, birth defects and physical disabilities, were more than twice as likely to have a mental disorder, regardless of socio-economic status. The Royal College of Psychiatrists reports that this comorbidity is especially profound in the case of physical illness affecting the brain, such as cerebral palsy and epilepsy. A Canadian study found that 42 percent of children with developmental delays also had a psychiatric disorder, but concluded that it is unknown "whether the comorbid illnesses share common origins."
PTSD And Physical Health
Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is an anxiety disorder that sometimes occurs after experiencing a traumatic event. PTSD is about twice as common in females as it is in males. A study published in "Pediatrics" journal found that female adolescents suffering from PTSD were at an elevated risk for developing physical health problems, including digestive disorders, circulatory disorders and chronic fatigue. The study also revealed that adolescent girls with PTSD "were nearly twice as likely to have a sexually transmitted infection."
Anxiety/Depression and Asthma
A study of Puerto Rican children between the ages of 4 and 17 demonstrates the link between asthma and anxiety/depressive disorders. The report showed that 11.2 percent of children with asthma had also experienced an anxiety disorder, compared with just 5.6 percent of non-asthmatic children. Asthmatic children were also nearly twice as likely as non-asthmatic children to experience depressive symptoms.
Depression And Obesity
Researchers have long known of a link between depression and obesity; this comorbidity extends to childhood obesity as well. Not surprisingly, obese children report low levels of self-esteem; in a 2003 study, they "rated their quality of life with scores as low as those of young cancer patients on chemotherapy." A University of Maryland School of Medicine study of children found that depression was a significant predictor for obesity at the one-year follow up survey. Researchers cannot yet definitively state whether one condition causes the other.
Possible Causes
The Royal College of Psychiatrists speculates on possible causes of poor mental health among children with physical health problems. They believe that the stress of social problems associated with physical health issues may lead to depression and anxiety disorders. These social issues include dealing with numerous health professionals, missing school, experiencing learning problems, feeling that other children see them as different and vulnerability to bullying.
COMMON PROBLEMS IN SOCIAL OF CHILDREN
Social competence deficits and peer rejection
Many children experience difficulties getting along with peers at some point during their youth. Sometimes these problems are short-lived and for some children the effects of being left out or teased by classmates are transitory. For other children, however, being ignored or rejected by peers may be a lasting problem that has lifelong consequences, such as a dislike for school, poor self-esteem, social withdrawal, and difficulties with adult relationships.
Considerable research has been undertaken to try to understand why some children experience serious and long-lasting difficulties in the area of peer relations. To explore factors leading to peer difficulties, researchers typically employ the sociometric method to identify children who are or are not successful with peers. In this method, children in a classroom or a group are asked to list the children they like most and those whom they like least. Children who receive many positive ("like most") nominations and few negative ("like least") nominations are classified as "popular." Those who receive few positive and few negative nominations are designated "neglected," and those who receive few positive and many negative nominations are classified as "rejected."
Evidence compiled from studies using child interviews, direct observations, and teacher ratings all suggest that popular children exhibit high levels of social competence. They are friendly and cooperative and engage readily in conversation. Peers describe them as helpful, nice, understanding, attractive, and good at games. Popular and socially competent children are able to consider the perspectives of others, can sustain their attention to the play task, and are able to remain self-controlled in situations involving conflict. They are agreeable and have good problem-solving skills. Socially competent children are also sensitive to the nuances of "play etiquette." They enter a group using diplomatic strategies, such as commenting upon the ongoing activity and asking permission to join in. They uphold standards of equity and show good sportsmanship, making them good companions and enjoyable play partners.
Children who have problems making friends, those who are either "neglected" or "rejected" by their peers, often show deficits in social skills. One of the most common reasons for friendship problems is behavior that annoys other children. Children, like adults, do not like behavior that is bossy, self-centered, or disruptive. It is simply not fun to play with someone who does not share or does not follow the rules. Sometimes children who have learning problems or attention problems can have trouble making friends, because they find it hard to understand and follow the rules of games. Children who get angry easily and lose their temper when things do not go their way can also have a hard time getting along with others. Children who are rejected by peers often have difficulties focusing their attention and controlling their behavior. They may show high rates of noncompliance, interference with others, or aggression (teasing or fighting). Peers often describe rejected classmates as disruptive, short-tempered, unattractive, and likely to brag, to start fights, and to get in trouble with the teacher.
Not all aggressive children are rejected by their peers. Children are particularly likely to become rejected if they show a wide range of conduct problems, including disruptive, hyperactive, and disagreeable behaviors in addition to physical aggression. Socially competent children who are aggressive tend to use aggression in a way that is accepted by peers (e.g., fighting back when provoked), whereas the aggressive acts of rejected children include tantrums , verbal insults, cheating, or tattling. In addition, aggressive children are more likely to be rejected if they are hyperactive, immature, and lacking in positive social skills.
Children can also have friendship problems because they are very shy and feel uncomfortable and unsure of themselves around others. Sometimes children are ignored or teased by classmates because there is something "different" about them that sets them apart from other children. When children are shy in the classroom and ignored by children, becoming classified as "neglected," it does not necessarily indicate deficits in social competence. Many neglected children have friendships outside the classroom setting, and their neglected status is simply a reflection of their quiet attitude and low profile in the classroom.
Developmentally, peer neglect is not a very stable classification, and many neglected children develop more confidence as they move into classrooms with more familiar or more compatible peers. However, some shy children are highly anxious socially and uncomfortable around peers in many situations. Shy, passive children who are actively disliked and rejected by classmates often become teased and victimized. These children often do have deficits in core areas of social competence that have a negative impact on their social development. For example, many are emotionally dependent on adults and immature in their social behavior. They may be inattentive, moody, depressed, or emotionally volatile, making it difficult for them to sustain positive play interactions with others.
The long-term consequences of sustained peer rejection can be quite serious. Often, deficits in social competence and peer rejection coincide with other emotional and behavioral problems, including attention deficits, aggression, and depression. The importance of social competence and satisfying social relations is life-long. Studies of adults have revealed that friendship is a critical source of social support that protects against the negative effects of life stress. People with few friends are at elevated risk for depression and anxiety.
Childhood peer rejection predicts a variety of difficulties in later life, including school problems, mental health disorders, and antisocial behavior . In fact, in one study, peer rejection proved to be a more sensitive predictor of later mental health problems than school records, achievement, intelligence quotient (IQ) scores, or teacher ratings.
It appears, then, that positive peer relations play an important role in supporting the process of healthy social and emotional development. Problematic peer relations are associated with both present and future maladjustment of children and warrant serious attention from parents and professionals working with children. When assessing the possible factors contributing to a child's social difficulties and when planning remedial interventions, it is important to understand developmental processes associated with social competence and peer relations.
Common problems
Many children who are rejected by peers have lower self-esteem, feel lonelier, and are more dissatisfied with their social situations than are average or popular children. These feelings can cause them to give up and avoid social situations, which can in turn exacerbate their peer problems. Interestingly, not all rejected children feel badly about their social difficulties. Studies have shown that aggressive-rejected children, who tend to blame outside factors for their peer problems, are less likely to express distress than withdrawn-rejected children, who often attribute their problems to themselves.
COMMON PROBLEMS IN MORAL OF CHILDREN
Common problems
Religious development often goes hand in hand with moral development. Children's concepts of divinity, right and wrong, and who is ultimately responsible for the world's woes are shaped by the family and by the religious social group to which each child belongs. Their concepts also mirror cognitive and moral developmental stages.
In general, in the earliest stage (up to age two years), the child knows that religious objects and books are to be respected. The concept of a divine being is vague, but the child enjoys the regularity of the religious rituals such as prayer.
In the next stage (from two to 10 years), children begin to orient religion concepts to themselves as in the catechism litany, "Who made you? God made me." The concept of a divine being is usually described in anthropomorphic ways for children around six years old. In other words, children perceive God to look like a human being only bigger or living in the sky. At this stage, God is physically powerful and often is portrayed as a superhero. God may also be the wish-granter and can fix anything. Children embrace religious holidays and rituals during this stage.
In the Intermediate Stage during pre-adolescence, children are considered to be in the pre-religious stage. The anthropomorphized divinity is pictured as being very old and wise. God is also thought of as doing supernatural things: having a halo, floating over the world, or performing miracles. Children in this stage understand the panoply of religious or divine beings within the religious belief system. For example, Christian children will distinguish between God and Jesus and the disciples or saints.
The last stage in adolescence focuses on personalizing religious rituals and drawing closer to a divine being. Teenagers begin to think of God in abstract terms and look at the mystical side of the religious experience. They may also rebel against organized religion as they begin to question the world and the rules around them.
Some adults who are considered highly religious consider God to be an anthropomorphized divine being or may reject the supernatural or mystical religious experience. This does not mean that these adults have somehow been arrested in their religious development. This just means that the variation among these stages is great and is determined by the particular religious community in which the individual is involved.
COMMON PROBLEMS IN INTELLECT OF CHILDREN
Cognitive impairment is the general loss or lack of development of cognitive abilities, particularly autism and learning disabilities. The National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH) describes learning disabilities as a disorder that affects people's ability to either interpret what they see and hear or to link information from different parts of the brain. These limitations can show up in many ways, such as specific difficulties with spoken and written language, coordination, self-control, or attention. Such difficulties extend to schoolwork and can impede learning to read or write or to do math. A child who has a learning disability may have other conditions, such as hearing problems or serious emotional disturbance. However, learning disabilities are not caused by these conditions, nor are they caused by environmental influences such as cultural differences or inappropriate instruction.
COMMON PROBLEMS IN EMOTIONAL OF CHILDREN
Emotional problems in children have become more widely recognized. A child's emotional problem can become a chronic problem if it's not attended to properly and in a timely manner. Many adult emotional problems can also affect children, but these problems may not be as easily recognized in children. Some emotional problems in children can be treated quite easily, but some require long-term care that can be complicated.
Childhood Bipolar Disorder
1. Childhood bipolar disorder is an emotional problem that can affect children. This childhood emotional problem can be hard to diagnose, because its symptoms are also symptoms of many other childhood emotional problems. Common symptoms include mood swings, irritability, episodes of extreme happiness and episodes of severe depression. Childhood bipolar disorder is a serious condition and should be treated as such. Treatment most often includes a combination of medication (sometimes more than one) and behavior therapy (teaching the child how to handle certain situations better).
Childhood Depression
2. Childhood depression is an emotional problem that can affect children. This childhood emotional problem is considered serious, but it can be difficult to diagnose because its symptoms are not unique. Common symptoms include irritability, fatigue, hopelessness, social withdrawal and poor performance in school. Childhood depression is most often treated with medication and behavior therapy.
Autism
3. Autism is an emotional problem that can affect children. This childhood emotional problem is often serious and consists of three distinctive behaviors. These autism behaviors include trouble interacting socially, obsessive and competitive behavior and difficulty with nonverbal and verbal communication. Medications (often more than one) and behavioral and educational therapies and interventions are used to treat autism. Family counseling is also used to help families learn about autistic children and to help them cope.
Childhood Schizophrenia
4. Childhood schizophrenia is an emotional problem that can affect children. This emotional disorder often affects a child's ability to develop normal social, educational and emotional skills and habits. Children with emotional disorder often have difficulty performing daily tasks, think and act irrationally and have delusions and hallucinations. Childhood schizophrenia is most often treated with a variety of treatments including medications (most often antipsychotics) and psychotherapy (teaches the child to cope with the illness and its challenges).
Tourette Syndrome
5. Tourette syndrome is an emotional problem that can affect children. This emotional problem is also considered a neurological disorder. Tourette syndrome is characterized by stereotyped and repetitive vocalizations and involuntary movements referred to as tics. Tourette syndrome is most often treated with a combination of medication and psychotherapy.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)