Session three 29/04/11Mental health cluster A

Shaped by internal and external factors Can be a protective or a risk factor for

mental illness Numerous theories on how personality

is formed

term used to describe the ability to recover readily from any adverse events in one’s life.

An individual’s resilience can be seen as either a risk or protective factor in the development of mental illness.

Social skills e.g. communication, sense of humour etc

Problem solving skills Sense of security and self worth Positive view for the future

Caring and supportive relationships Guidance and boundaries Opportunities for meaningful

participation

Develop a support network Develop a positive self image Goal setting Encourage action Develop strategies in order to assist

the client to accept things beyond their control

Encourage continual learning

Extroversion Pronounced engagement with external

world Enjoy being with people, full of energy,

often experience positive emotions In groups tend to assert themselves

Introversion Quiet, low key and deliberate Needs less stimulation

Concern with co-operation and social Value getting along with others Believe in basic goodness of human

beings Disagreeable people generally

unconcerned about others and unlikely to extend themselves

The way we control, regulate and direct our impulses

Conscientious people may be seen as boring

Unconscientious people may be criticized for their unreliability, lack of ambition, and failure to stay within the lines, but they will experience many short-lived pleasures and they will never be called stuffy.

Neuroticism refers to the tendency to experience negative feelings

Those who score high on Neuroticism may experience primarily one specific negative feeling such as anxiety, anger, or depression, but are likely to experience several of these emotions

They respond emotionally to events that would not affect most people, and their reactions tend to be more intense than normal. They are more likely to interpret ordinary situations as threatening, and minor frustrations as hopelessly difficult

describes a dimension of cognitive style that distinguishes imaginative, creative people from down-to-earth, conventional people

Open people are intellectually curious, appreciative of art, and sensitive to beauty. They tend to be, compared to closed people, more aware of their feelings. They tend to think and act in individualistic and nonconforming ways.

Closed people prefer familiarity over novelty; they are conservative and resistant to change.

Studies link personality and social support characteristics in such a way as to suggest that personality traits drive observed interpersonal behaviors. Extroversion is positively associated with large networks, perceptions of support availability and frequent contact with family and friends

In contrast, neuroticism is linked to conflictual relationships small networks, perceived unavailability of support and negative affect

an individual’s manner of coping with adverse events and stress can influence their mental health

An individual’s emotional development strongly influences their ability to cope effectively, with someone with deficits in emotional development generally using more maladaptive coping strategies which subsequently leads to negative thought processes

Denial; an outright refusal or inability to accept some aspect of reality that is troubling. For example: "this thing has not happened" when it actually has.

Splitting; a person cannot stand the thought that someone might have both good and bad aspects, so they polarize their view of that person as someone who is "all good" or "all bad". Any evidence to the contrary is ignored.

Projection; a person's thought or emotion about another person, place or thing is too troubling to admit, and so, that thought or emotion is attributed to originate from that other person, place or thing. For example: "He hates me", when it is actually the speaker who hates. A variation on the theme of Projection is known as "Externalization". In Externalization, you blame others for your problems rather than owning up to any role you may play in causing them.

Passive-aggression; A thought or feeling is not acceptable enough to a person to be allowed direct expression. Instead, that person behaves in an indirect manner that expresses the thought or emotion. For example: Failing to wash your hands before cooking when you normally would, and happen to be cooking for someone you don't like.

Acting out; an inability to be thoughtful about an impulse. The impulse is expressed directly without any reflection or consideration as to whether it is a good idea to do so