Community psychology: origins, characteristics and theoretical foundations

How can we contribute more actively to our community? Why can society’s problems affect our health and well-being? They are two of the main topics of interest in the field of community psychology, an area of ​​psychology concerned with how individuals relate to society.

Community psychology is a fairly broad discipline which synthesizes elements from other disciplines such as sociology, cross-cultural psychology, social psychology, public health and political science. Psychologists working in this field analyze the cultural, economic, social, political and environmental aspects that shape and influence the lives of people around the world.

The community psychology approach can be applied and theoretical, but it is often a mix of both.. Some community psychologists conduct research on theoretical issues. Others take this information and immediately use it to identify problems and develop solutions in communities. Therefore, community psychology is a discipline oriented to the study and social transformation.

Origin of community psychology

Community psychology emerged in the 50s and 60s of the 20th century in the USA. The reason was dissatisfaction with clinical psychology’s ability to address broader social problems on the part of a growing group of psychologists.

So, among the factors that contributed to the beginning of community psychologyIn the US, the following stand out:

A move away from socially conservative practices focused on the individual, health and psychology in a period related to issues of public health, prevention and social change after World War II.The growing interest by social psychologists in racial and religious prejudicespoverty, and other social issues.The perceived need for large-scale mental illness treatment for veterans.Questioning the value of psychotherapy as the only treatment for a large number of people with mental illnesses.The development of community mental health centers and the deinstitutionalization of people with mental illness in their communities.

On the other hand, many authors recognize a meeting of psychologists in 1965 during the Conference of Swampscott as the official beginning of contemporary community psychology. At it, attendees concluded that psychology needed to focus more on social and community changes to address mental health and well-being. From that moment, the field began to grow to the present day.

Characteristics and foundations of community psychology

Civil rights, peace activism, feminism, the anti-poverty movement, and environmental awareness provided the context for defining the field of community psychology.

In this sense, the idea that psychology should not only focus on treating people once problems have arisen, but also plays an important role in addressing social conditions (e.g. poverty, racism) that increase the risk of illness and distress

So, Community psychology has an identifiable set of principles that define and guide the field. These principles include:

Personal well-being and access to resources. Social justice and freedom from oppression. A sense of community and connection. Multiple dimensions of diversity (such as gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation and disability). Community collaboration, participation, self-determination and empowerment

In its concern for the interdependence and interaction of individuals and groups, community psychology attempts to foster the creation of person-environment transactions that prevent dysfunction, facilitate empowerment, social justice and promote well-being. By virtue of this, Community psychology insists on multiple levels of analysis:

Individual (attitudes, cognitions, emotions). Microsystem (family, classroom, team). Organizational (school, church, organization). Community (identity, communities of common experience). Macrosystem (ideologies, cultures, social institutions).

Objectives and strategies of Community Psychology

In general terms, what Community Psychology seeks in its interventions is:

That the community is aware of its problems, its situation and its identity. Likewise, it encourages the group to identify its own resources, so that they can be used to resolve common problems.Develop motivational processesso that people are able to organize themselves around the goals set.Encourage self-management and the organized work of the social group in question. Well, since the community is the space, transformations occur; it is the members of the community itself who will have to manage and produce these transformations.Promote socialization within the members of the community.

For its part, to achieve these objectives, The community psychologist uses existing psychological techniques, but creates others, participating with the population. They are between them:

Study of the subjective aspects of the community in question, that contribute to a greater incidence of problems.Pisco popular education, through awareness. Working with organized groups with whom certain objectives are negotiated and providing material for raising awareness.Intervention in community mental health. This is intended to provide support to the highest risk groups. These cases are more aimed at solving mental health problems.Carrying out productive activities, associated with the achievement of self-management. Thus, greater autonomy and power is provided to the community, so that in the future they can address problems independently.

Research in community psychology

Research in community psychology is based on a collaborative model in which the researcher works in partnership with the community to address its needs. So, This type of research should lead to action or have clear implications for action.

Community psychology-based intervention approaches include primary prevention programs, empowerment interventions, mutual support (self-help) groups, and social action strategies (e.g., community organizing and advocacy).

So, The primary goal of community psychology interventions is to address the causes of illness and distress. through strategies that address antecedent and facilitating factors.

As we see, Community psychology is a discipline that is concerned with the use of psychological resources to solve social problems. and thus achieve a social transformation.

Applications of Community Psychology

Among the functions performed by a community psychologist are:

Community intervention: It consists of evaluating situations of group vulnerability and designing programs to overcome them.Direct intervention with families: The professional focuses on evaluating risk situations in minors (neglect, abuse, abandonment…) and can intervene in adoption, counseling, foster care and family mediation processes.Advice from organizations: The community psychologist also intervenes in the business context. Here, it performs functions such as: organizational chart analysis: design and implementation of plans that promote employee well-being; implementation of training programs, etc.Community education in leisure: It consists of the application of recreational and free time activities both at the community or group level. The main objective is to guarantee the social inclusion of at-risk populations and thus prevent crime, drug use or addiction to new technologies.Seniors: This is a new competence of the community psychologist and consists of direct work with this group, whether in institutions or nursing homes. Its functions include: design and application of programs to encourage healthy habits; advice to caregivers and family members who interact with the elderly; occupational guidance for retirees, etc.You might be interested…