SOCIAL THEORIES

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social theories
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BASIC ASSUMPTIONS

• 1. EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT LEADS TO MENTAL
  CONDITION
• LIFE EVENTS, CHRONIC STRAINS, SOCIAL ROLES
• 2. CURRENT ENVIRONMENT MOST IMPORTANT

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ASSUMPTIONS (CONT.)

• 3. GROUPS HAVE DIFFERENT EXPOSURE TO STRESSORS
  AND RATES OF DISORDER
• 4. FOCUS ON COMMUNITY POPULATIONS NOT CLINICAL
  CASES

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HISTORY
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I. DURKHEIM

• SUICIDE (1897)
• SUICIDE RATES VARY SYSTEMATICALLY WITH SOCIAL
  CONDITIONS

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CAUSES OF SUICIDE

• 1. LACK OF SOCIAL INTEGRATION (EGOISTIC)
• 2. LACK OF COHERENT MEANING SYSTEMS (ANOMIC)
• FOCUS ON SOCIAL NOT INDIVIDUAL
• FOCUS ON GROUP RATES

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II. STRESS THEORY

• AMBIGUITY OF STRESS
• HERE STRESSORS CAUSES
• DISTRESS EFFECTS

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HANS SELYE

• PHYSIOLOGIST
• STRESS RESULTED FROM DISTURBANCES OF EQUILIBRIUM
• STUDIED STRESS IN ANIMALS

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SELYE (CONT.)

• ENVIRONMENTAL CAUSES TEMPERATURE, FOOD,
  CROWDING
• STRESSORS CAUSE PROBLEMS BY WEAKENING IMMUNE
  SYSTEM
• GAS - GLOBAL ADAPTATION SYNDROME
• ANY DISTURBANCE OF EQUILIBRIUM CAN LEAD TO GAS

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III. MILITARY PSYCHIATRY

• LESSONS OF WWI
• HUGE PROPORTION OF PSYCHIATRIC CASUALITIES
• LED TO PRESCREENING OF ALL DRAFTEES IN WWII

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MILITARY PSYCHIATRY

• HUGE PROPORTION OF PSYCHIATRIC CASUALTIES IN WWII
• OVERALL 25 OVER 70 FOR LONG STRETCHES
• AVERAGE SOLDIER WOULD BREAKDOWN AFTER 80 DAYS OF
  CONTINUOUS COMBAT

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EFFECT OF COMBAT

• HIGHLY PRESCREENED
• NO INDIVIDUAL PREDISPOSITIONS PREDICTED
  BREAKDOWNS
• WHAT DID?
• LENGTH OF COMBAT BEST PREDICTOR
• CAUSE WAS ENVIRONMENTAL NOT INDIVIDUAL

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EFFECT OF COMBAT

• TREATMENT NEAR UNITS
• 2/3 RETURNED TO UNITS WITHIN 2 DAYS
• MINORITY MORE LASTING PROBLEMS (PTSD)

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MAJOR REORIENTATION

• ENVIRONMENT CAUSE OF MUCH DISORDER - EVERYONE
  HAS THEIR BREAKING POINT
• FOCUS ON ENTIRE POPULATION NOT JUST TREATED CASES
• TREATMENT SHOULD BE IN COMMUNITY NOT HOSPITALS

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HOLMES AND RAHE
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HOLMES AND RAHE

• MILITARY PSYCHIATRISTS
• TRANSLATE STRESS THEORY AND WWII TO CIVILIANS
• STARTED WITH SAILORS
• MANY OTHER GROUPS
• SRRS IN 1968

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HOLMES AND RAHE SRRS

• STANDARDIZED SCORE
• NEGATIVE - DEATH, DIVORCE, JAIL
• AND POSITIVE - MARRIAGE, HAVE CHILD, XMAS
• BOTH CAN DISTURB EQUILIBRIUM
• FOCUS ON CHANGES
• SUM NUMBER AND GET SCORE

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HR LIFE EVENTS

• RELATED TO BOTH MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH
  (NON-SPECIFIC)
• LESS THAN 150 - FEW HEALTH PROBLEMS
• OVER 300 - 80 HAVE PROBLEMS
• OVERALL MODERATE CORRELATION WITH HEALTH PROBLEMS

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CRITICISMS OF SRRS

• IGNORES CONTEXT AND MEANING
• ONLY NEGATIVE ARE STRESSFUL
• WHAT IS CAUSE AND EFFECT?
• NOT UPDATED
• IGNORES DIVERSITY OF RESPONSES

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GRADE DISTRIBUTION

• 90 100 A N 62
• 88 B N 18
• 80 - 86 B N 59
• 78 C N 17
• 60 - 76 C N 99
• 50 - 58 D N 9
• 44 - 46 F N 4