Defining And Understanding Resilience

Defining And Understanding Resilience Drawing on material from the module, critically discuss the extent to which theories relating to resilience inform our understanding of an aspect or aspects of contemporary social work. Resilience is described by Fonagy, et al ( 1994) as an ability to achieve a normal standard of development, within a challenging situation. Within contemporary social work practice therefore, support should be provided to enable children and young people to develop and be resilient when faced with adversity and trauma in their life. Rutter (2000) argues that a childs ability to be resilient when faced with hardship, is comparative as opposed to being conclusive. A child or young persons level of resilience is not a predetermined personal quality, individuals are therefore not either weak or strong. The ability to be resilient to trauma subsequently changes in relation to the situation the child is in and the protective factors which may, or may not be, in place. I will explore this further in respect of the psychosocial theories concerning resilience and vulnerability and the defensive aspects which might underpin this. I will also discuss how an increased understanding of these can be constructively applied within modern social work and the need for development of resilience in social workers, practising within a bureaucratic environment. From a psychoanalytical perspective, Freud (1923, cited in Glassman, 1995) proposes that psychological states are determined in the very early stages of life, arguing that a persons level of resilience or vulnerability may be set in place prior to the Oedipal stage. Therefore, by the end of the childhood development period, reactions such as apprehension and fear, alongside other emotive forces and mechanisms of defence have already been imprinted into a specific individual model (Thomas, 1996). A child experiencing the divorce of his parents for example, may develop polarised split views of each parent for example having positive feelings towards the mother and negative towards the father, as a method of coping with the situation (Rutter, 2000). When a situation as an adult occurs which is causing similar emotive reactions such as anxiety, an individual may fall back on this prefigured defence mechanism of splitting their views very distinctly, without perhaps analysing all of the i nformation fully. Masten Powell (2003) argue that primary structures recognised as qualities of human functioning are adaptive and have significant importance in building resilience throughout a diverse range of traumatic and frightening circumstances, for example the forming of attachment relationships which provide a sense of security. Bowlbys (1969) theory of attachment argues that the establishment of a definite connection to a primary care giver, is a significant and valuable initial relationship. Object relations theory which explores the relationship between mother and child proposes that for a child to feel positive about themselves, a warm, stable relationship is required. Bowlby (1988) proposes that a secure attachment will support a child to make confident enquiries of the world around them, developed from having a strong feeling of integration within an encouraging social structure. Attachment can be divided into secure and insecure attachments, and contains both empirical and hypothetical implications. Throughout practice therefore, a model of insecure attachment for example, can be applied in observing a childs behaviour and their possible inability to form relationships. An insecurely attached individual may have a combination of juxtaposed views such as reliance and closeness, alongside an anxiety of possible criticism and dismissal ( Holmes, 1993) . In practice therefore, an understanding of an individuals lack of connection with other people and difficulties in coping with an adverse situation can begin to be understood further within the attachment theory framework. Henderson et al ( 2007) propose that in respect of young people, the transition from childhood through to adolescence and into adulthood, is greatly strengthened by being part of a group and experiencing a sense of connectedness, as opposed to loneliness. A strong sense of ones own abilities and potential can be bolstered by being part of a social network, and also support a childs perception of school as being a constructive and positive part of life (Glover, 2009). The theory of attachment can be applied in practice not just from a psychoanalytical approach, through analysis of learned behaviour and unconscious processes, but also from a behavioural perspective which may argue that an inadequate attachment to a primary caregiver, explains the difficulty experienced in forming friendships during school years for example. Practitioners should remain mindful, however, that there are children who with a great deal of family encouragement and wider social support, still struggle to have the ability to endure the adversity and stresses which may occur in their lives (Rutter,1999). Therefore, whilst psychological theories such as Bowlbys attachment theory can aid understanding of behaviour each individual is effected by the structural factors impacting on their lives. Skeggs ( 2001) argues a sociological view, postulating that class has a significant impact on access to education for example, due to economic resources and as such restricts an individuals opportunity to develop and move forward with their lives, in a way they might wish to. Giddens (1991), in contrast, argues that people have a great deal of agency and control over their lives and therefore have the ability to make changes within their experienced structure of society. Giddens (1991) argues that we live in a post traditional society in which young people do not fall back on traditional roles which were executed by previous generations. Whilst this level of agency enables greater autonomy it may also add to the vulnerability felt by young adults, some of which may struggle more than others due to factors such as racism, stigma and disability (Banks, 2006). It could be argued therefore, that young people are attempting to move forward in life with very little sense of direction. In a postmodern society the propensity for insecurity of children is almost built into their lifestyle. Eriksons ( 1965) theory of development supports this view, arguing that cultural and social circumstances, rather than inner drives, should be evaluated. This will enable an understanding of a individuals behaviour to be gained and issues which are having a damaging effect, to be addressed. The field of child psychology which is concerned with life events, analyses the context in which the child is experiencing the significant incident. The resilience needed to cope with a life event such as divorce is ongoing. As argued by Rutter (2000) there may be particular turmoil surrounding the life event, but there is a potential for the effects of this trauma to continue throughout all other aspects of life. For example having to move home and therefore change schools, form new friendship groups and cope with the feelings of loss if a parent is no longer maintaining regular contact with the child. Therefore, whilst the divorce if the significant life event the long term loss and vulnerability felt by the child is much broader than this. A child who is experiencing a difficult home situation because of the breakdown of a parental relationship, can shield themselves from some of the mental and emotional anguish of their home life through the formation of a close relationship with an adult who is external to the immediate family unit. Howe (1995) postulates that extended family members such as aunts or uncles who positively acknowledge and nurture their abilities and unique characteristics will encourage and enable the child to form a confident and positive perception of the self, away from their traumatic situation. Achieving a feeling of ownership and confidence in ones own abilities can support the development of coping mechanisms. Fonagy, et al (1994) concur with this, arguing that in regards to building a level of resilience, the development of a strong, close relationship with a supportive adult provides an effective protective factor. In respect of contemporary social work, it is the practitioners role to support a child or young person who does not have a stable network of social support (Charles Wilton, 2004), through enabling access to recreation and social activities as necessary. However whilst this may provide support to form a social network and become part of a friendship group within a structured environment, the provision of encouragement does not have to be as definite or predetermined. The introduction of reliable, regular routines into a childs life may assist greatly in the formation of a sense of identity and well being, as recognised by Sandler et al (1989). For example, recurring daily practices in home life in respect of stories at bedtime for young children or eating meals together at a regular time. All of which help to form a feeling of stability and organisation, encouraging a sense of belonging, attachment and security. If a practitioner can apply this theory when working with a family expe riencing trauma it may serve to provide a sensation of familiarity in a life which may, in all other ways, be in turmoil. Within adult care social work also, exploration of early childhood relationships, presence of attachment and occurrence of significant life events, can be carried out, in order to fully understand how an individual has come to a particular point in their life. For example, Bowlbys (1969) study of adults in prison involved therapeutically working back through their lives, to a point in which their childhood attachments could be identified. An understanding of the construct in which the adult is existing, will enable a practitioner to gain deeper understanding, provide appropriate support and to ensure anti-oppressive practice occurs, supporting empowerment of the service user (Dominelli, 2002). Henderson, et al ( 2007) execute a biographical method in their research carried out with young people regarding their perception of well being, enabling a holistic analysis of their lives to be obtained. The benefits of this study are that the researchers tried to comprehend what the young people really understood as being imperative to their well being, through the discussion of life events which had occurred throughout the research process. Whilst the methods used by Henderson et al ( 2007) could be applied positively within social work practice in order to gain understanding of an individuals specific circumstances, practitioners should be mindful of not overlooking the complexities of situations by using the information disclosed in respect of significant life events as a straight forward method of explanation of why a young persons life has transpired the way it has. Kenny Kenny (2000) identify the possibility for patriarchal and authoritarian practice, in the application of psychosocial theories. The notion of resilience itself is subjective and therefore practitioners should be aware of their own opinion of what constitutes sinking or swimming and ensure that this personal view does not influence their judgement of a situation or an individuals capabilities ( Walker Beckett, 2003). The level of power, therefore held by social workers is vast and should be applied carefully and with an awareness of and respect for, diversity of family structures and relationships within the assessment process (Dominelli, 2002). The qualitative methods executed by Henderson et al ( 2007) in respect of gaining a biography of each participant over time, support the view of Giddens ( 1991) who argues that the self is a reflexive project. Giddens (1991) view of late modernity argues that adulthood is constructed and therefore the most significant method of establishing identity as adults, is the development of self narratives. This view is also proposed by Frosh (1991) who argues that through the development and reflexive nature of narrative construction, an individual will form the skills to endure adversities which he argues can persist throughout life. The construction of a personal narrative and the effects of life events on this, is therefore an ongoing process throughout child and adulthood. This is reflected in the research of Fonagy et al (1994) who identify that mothers presenting as resilient, provided an accurate model of the characteristics of their relationship held with their own mother. This capac ity to possess a consistent paradigm of their personal maternal attachments, which may be positive or negative, created a higher likelihood of establishing strong, secure attachments with their own children. Giddens (1991) postulates that fateful moments occur in individuals lives which shape the way their lives continue. This may be empowering or destructive dependant on the event, the timing of the event and how capable and resilient the individual is to deal with it. For example if a child experiences illness and as a consequence is unable to attend school the effects of this event can be ongoing. Being unable to sit exams, missing lessons etc, impact on their ability to integrate into friendship groups when they return to school which may result in being bullied and a change in their perception of school. The ongoing effects of this could be truancy and a lack of engagement in studying, in order to obtain qualifications and progress into further education ( Henderson, et al, 2007). In practice, gaining an understanding of an individuals narrative may present details of critical moments in their life enabling a deeper understanding of their experiences and resilience to dealing with d ifficulties . To conclude, it is clear that resilience does not represent a distinct personal attribute or quality. Children and young people may demonstrate resilience in regards to particular anxieties and traumas but feel unable to cope with others ( Rutter, 1999). Within social work practice, therefore, it is essential to evaluate how a child is placed within their family unit and also within wider society. As discussed by Gilligan (2004), the presence of other siblings, how the child functions within the family model and their relationship and interactions with family members, are significant, contextual and influential elements of a childs life and their capacity to be resilient. The impact of external environmental factors such as positive relationships with other adults, being part of a friendship group and feeling happy at school all act as protective factors in mitigating the negative elements of their life and promoting their resilience ( Werner Smith, 1992). Within the practice of contemporary social work therefore, attention should also be paid to the level of resilience held by practitioners, working with individuals in traumatic situations whilst existing within their own personal construct of relationships, family and past life events. It is imperative that practitioners are self aware in respect of their own ability to cope with the situations in which they are practising. This is an element which can at times be overlooked in regards to people working in supportive roles, who are often perceived as being highly resilient to the effects of trauma ( Coulshed Orme, 2006). In modern social work there is great emphasis placed on value and proficiency both in respect of time and finances and efficiency of practice (Rogers, 2001). The significance of emotion and resilience can frequently be underestimated within the bureaucratic schema in which social workers practice. Psychosocial theories of resilience therefore, can be applied not just in working with service users but in attempting to maintain resilience of practitioners. Word Count 2472

A Different Life: Comparison Analyze Essay

To start, I will be comparing the novel Night and the film The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. There are many characters that change in emotion and actions during these works. During the novel Night, Elie changed his faith from being a strong Jewish believer in his savior to not being religious and rebelling against his beliefs altogether. In the film The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, Elsa changes from at the beginning being ok with the move of her family and her husbands actions as a high-ranked German solider to not supporting it at all and basically giving up there relationship because her husband is doing something so wrong. However, to compare these two works of literature, the characters both intended to help someone. Elie wanted to protect and be there for his Father through the whole struggle while Elsa also wanted to protect her son Bruno from growing up to be just like his father. See more: The Issues Concerning Identity Theft Essay Conflicts also occurred during this time. When Elie gave up on his faith, he gave up on his god that he served even though he knew that was the main person that kept him alive and helped him survive. Bruno’s father in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas causes a great conflict when he tries to hide all this from his family by calling the concentration camp a farm. The difference and similarity in these to is that in Night, Elie’s a Jew trying to conquer all these battles while in the film, Bruno’s father is the one causing this suffering upon the Jewish people. Now, you will view my reaction to The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Reaction Many emotions went through my mind and body while watching this film The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. I felt anger. Anger arose in me when I saw that Bruno’s father was hiding the Jewish concentration camp from his family. Sadness also arose in me when Bruno was put to death by the gas chamber before his parents discovered where he was. I felt curiosity when Bruno was so interested to go on an â€Å"adventure† to discover the â€Å"farm†. I was curious to understand why he was so thrilled to go see the camp. I guess since he  was so young and did not understand. I will now explain how I felt about the actions of the characters. The characters acted many different ways during the film and thought different decisions and beliefs during the film. Personally, I disagreed with the main percentage of characters during the film. I didn’t agree with any of the soldiers’ decisions to hold the Jewish people in hostage because they are people just like everyone but express their beliefs differently. I agree with Bruno’s decision to become friends with Shmuel but, they could have at least had Shmuel escape the camp and enjoy life. All these people should just realize that the Jewish people are just like the German people, the only difference is they have different beliefs in their religious lives. If I could, I would tell them to treat others the way they want to be treated. Even thought this happened a time ago, I will compare this to the real world now. Reflection In the real world today, we experience many issues but racism and conviction to faith stuck out most. I have personally experienced racism in my life. For me being an African-American living in a predominately white town it’s easy to be selected out for my big difference. Not only myself, but my family experiences it too. On my dad’s job, his life was threatened by a white person with a gun. Going out to places with my family, being the only black people in the building, and seeing the looks we get from people can really hurt. I pray that African-American’s in present day do not get treated like the Jewish people during the Holocaust or slaves back in the day. In addition, being convicted for your faith is a problem in real life. For myself, I have experienced this but not as bad a Shmuel and his fellow people. Because I am a strong Christian believer in God I may get looked down upon, ridiculed, or talked about but I do not let that bring me down. I stick strong to what I have been taught and raised on my whole life. Nobody should be disrespected or looked down upon because they believe in something different then you. Everybody is a human being no matter what. Through this all, I have reflected on my feelings and learned so much that I will now share. During this piece, I felt many emotions. Like I said before, I felt great anger during this film. I also felt distraught during this. A mother losing her only son for something stupid her husband was doing against another race. I have learned one main theme in this story: Treat others the way you want to be treated. Personally, I wouldn’t have wanted to be treated in anyway like the Jewish people were taught during this time. Considering one of my friends, a teenage from Springhill just passed away. He was remembered for nothing but good things. I haven’t heard one bad thing about him! When I die, I want to be remembered as someone that made a difference, lived a great life, and treated others with respect. The Nazi soldiers in this film will have to live with the guilt of the thousands of Jews that they killed. I could never live with myself if I was one of those soldiers. If somebody in my family were to be dealing with killing the Jewish citizens, I would not associate with them anymore. Having someone, my age, which I actually knew pass away hurts a lot! He wasn’t afraid to express his beliefs or be convicted of his faith even if people acted like the Nazis in this film and ridiculed him. Life is to short now to want to kill, harm, or ridicule somebody for being different. Whether they look different, act different, or believe differently then you may. In my everyday life, I will not disrespect others for something they may do or be different then me. This novel and film actually brought a different way of seeing life in my eyes. I do not see what made the Jewish people so terrible that the Germans had to treat them this way! Every time I do something now, I think would I want this done to me or how do I want to be remembered when I’m gone. Bibliographic Entry: The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Dr. Mark Herman. Miramax Film Corp., 2008. Wiesel, Elie. Night. New York: Bantam Books, 1986

Individual Work Motivation Essay

Be it a multi-national company or a small superstore right down the corner of your house, motivated and energetic employees are a pre-requisite everywhere in order to reach the zenith of excellence, success and prosperity. In accordance with a research paper rooting out from The Ohio State University’s Piketon Research and Extension Center and Enterprise Center, enthusiastic employees are desired for the survival and efficiency of a particular organization. (Lindner J. R. 1984) An assortment of theories exist which suggests the reasons that why the employees in this organization were unable to be energized and elated to perform better and portray their true potential and ability in the training program which was chalked out by their respective organization. (Lindner J. R. , 1984) Theories and their implications To begin with, expectancy theory is a theory that has been drafted out by Victor Vroom who belongs to the Yale school of Management. This theory aptly states that employees in any company would be highly motivated if they firmly believe that more hard work and better performance would succumb to better results, improved outcomes and enhanced rewards such as a tremendous increase in one’s salary or fringe benefits. (Vroom, n. d) Vroom also throws lights on this exceptionally important fact that an employee’s motivation and hence his or her performance is based on numerous factors such as aptitude, skills, personality, experience and the amount of knowledge that he or she possesses. Following this, the attention is now turned to the reinforcement theory of motivation. This theory was chalked out by B. F. Skinner and his accomplices. The foundation of this theory is the â€Å"law effect†. This means that an individual behavior have a tendency to be repeated if the consequences and the rewards are positive and tends to declines if the consequence are negative. Some of the note-worthy elements of the reinforcement theory are positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, punishment and extinction. Re-inforcement theories Keeping these two considerably significant theories in mind, the employees at this particular organization are unable to execute well in the training program because they are provided with less rewards and less positive consequences. Their performance in the training program is not co-related with the rewards that they would receive. Each employee is paid the same amount for attending the program, whether that employee is motivated or not, had passed the exam or not. Hence, employees are not at all passionate and energetic for performing well in the program. Following this, the employees are allowed to retake the training till the time they pass the exam. This policy makes the employees motivated to give out their hundred percent at the training program. Recommendations Keeping all these factors into consideration, managers of this organization should tightly relate the rewards with the performance and should make use of the theory of positive reinforcement. Managers should also make sure that the rewards are those that are valued by their employees and are desired by them. Employees should be given the necessary support to boost up their motivation and enthusiasm, such as a mentor or a human resource manager. Last but not the least, negative reinforcement should be used as tool to motivate the employees by informing them that not performing up to a benchmark and hence not passing the training would result in negative rewards such a decrease in one’s pay or the cutting down on some of the fringe benefits.

Idioms and Expressions - Get

The following idioms and expressions use the verb get. Each idiom or expression has a definition and two example sentences to help understanding of these common idiomatic expressions with get. Once you have studied these expressions, test your knowledge with quiz testing idioms and expressions with get. Get someones drift Definition: understand what someone has said Do you get his drift?I dont get his drift. Does he think I should quit? Get a bang / kick out of someone or something Definition: enjoy someone or something greatly I really get a bang out of Tom!She got a kick out of the new video game. Get a life! Definition: Dont worry about such stupid, or petty things Come on. Get a life! Go out and have some fun.I wish Janet would get a life. Shes always complaining about nothing. Get a load off ones feet Definition: sit down, relax Come on get a load off your feet.Come over here and get a load off your feet. Get a load off ones mind Definition: stop worrying about something Im glad he got the job. Im sure hes got a load off his mind.That news gets a load off my mind. Get a load of someone or something Definition: take notice of someone or something Get a load of that boy over there!Get a load of this book. Its excellent! Get a toehold Definition: To begin a relationship with a person or company I got a toehold at Smiths and Sons.Hes trying to get a toehold with Jason. Get away! Definition: I dont believe you He didnt say that! Get away!No, get away! Thats cant be true. To get down on someone Definition: criticize someone Dont get so down on Janet.My boss is getting down on me. Get down to doing something Definition: begin to do something seriously Lets get down to business.I got down to doing the report yesterday afternoon. Get face Definition: be taken seriously Hes really beginning to get face in that company.I wish I could get face. To get in someones face Definition: to annoy or provoke someone Why dont you get in his face!Tim really got in the coachs face. To get in on the act Definition: become a part of something interesting I really wish I could get in on the act.Would you like to get in on the act at work? Get into something Definition: enjoy greatly Hes really getting into that new CD by Japlin.I got into the movie last night. Get it Definition: understand Do you get it?He got it and began having success. Get lost! Definition: go away Come on, get lost!I wish Tom would get lost. Get off on something Definition: enjoy greatly Hes really getting off on jazz these days.Do you get off on cult movies? Get ones act together Definition: become organized about something I wish Mary would get her act together.Yes, I got my act together and found a new job. Get ones lumps Definition: receive punishment She got her lumps for disobeying her parents.I shouldnt have done that. Now Im getting my lumps. Get ones nose out of joint Definition: become upset about something He got his nose out of joint about the new employee.Dont get your nose out of joint. Its not that bad! Get ones teeth into something Definition: do something with a lot of dedication Im getting my teeth into the new project at work.I think you are going to get your teeth into this book. Get on someones case Definition: to criticize someone about a problem Stop getting on my case about homework.My boss is getting on my case about the project. Get out of my face! Definition: stop bothering me Get out of my face! Im going to do it!She told him to get out of her face. Get real! Definition: start acting realistically Get real about her.Forget it. Get real. Get someones goat. Definition: bother someone Shes getting his goat recently.Tom is really getting my goat. Get some shut-eye Definition: go to sleep I need to go home and get some shut-eye.He looks like he needs to get some shut-eye. Get the goods on someone Definition: find out incriminating evidence against someone Janet got the goods on him and they are getting divorced.I cant wait to get the goods on Jack. Get the lead out! Definition: hurry up Come on! Get the load out!Lets get out of here. Get the lead out! Get the message / picture Definition: understand So do you get the picture?I dont think he gets the message. Get the nod Definition: be chosen Peter got the nod for the job.I think Mary should get the nod. Get to someone Definition: bother someone Tom is really getting to Mary.Motor scooter noise gets to me! Get with it Definition: hurry up Get with it. Were late.I wish Tom would get with it.