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1808 Words
Introduction To Jack's Behaviour: Attachment & Social Identity Theory Analysis
This paper explores the complex behavioural patterns of Jack, a seven-year-old boy, using fundamental psychological theories to comprehend and provide treatments for his problematic behaviours. Jack's situation is complex and calls for a tailored approach as a young person coping with the effects of unstable family dynamics, such as the loss of his biological father and the presence of a stepfather who has a history of substance misuse. Attachment Theory, which provides insights into Jack's possible vulnerabilities and coping methods resulting from early childhood events, will serve as the foundation for this investigation. Furthermore, the Social Identity Theory will be employed to investigate the potential impact of Jack's self-perception and group associations on his behaviour. We'll add a third psychological theory to offer a more thorough comprehension. This paper will apply these theories to explain why Jack might be displaying behaviours like falling behind in school and getting into bad relationships with older boys. We'll talk about the theoretical underpinnings of social work intervention as well as any shortcomings in completely encapsulating Jack's experience.
Section 1
Attachment theory
John Bowlby's theory of attachment, which Mary Ainsworth later developed, offers a framework for comprehending the significance of early emotional relationships between a child and their carers. The idea that early attachment experiences can affect a person's emotional development and behaviour throughout life is fundamental to this theory (RM Ryan, 2021). Four unique attachment styles were identified by Ainsworth's ground-breaking research that are disorganised, insecure-resistant, insecure-avoidant, and secure. The specific behaviours and coping mechanisms that children adopt in response to their carers' availability and responsiveness set these styles apart (El Tahir et al., 2022).
Jack's behavioural issues could be a sign of an unorganised or insecure attachment style that could be caused by his mother's volatile nature and the lack of a consistent father presence in his life. It's possible that Jack's strong bond was disturbed by the death of his biological father and the arrival of a stepfather who had a history of alcoholism and leaving him feeling confused and insecure.
Application to Jack
Through the using of Attachment Theory to analyse Jack's situation the important insights into his difficult behaviour and emotional difficulties become apparent. Focusing on Jack's family history of instability which includes the death of his biological father and the arrival of a stepfather with a drug problem, it appears that his early attachment process was disturbed.
An unstable or chaotic attachment style may be the cause of Jack's aggressive behaviour and academic troubles. It is possible to interpret his involvement in harmful activities with older peers as an effort to find the stability, approval, and validation that he may not have regularly had from his carers. It appears that Jack's attachment system, which ought to provide solace and emotional control, is dysregulated, which results in unhealthy coping mechanisms.
The social worker must comprehend Jack's attachment-related difficulties. To assist him in forming a more stable bond, interventions should try to establish a safe and encouraging caring environment. Family therapy focuses on enhancing the mother's capacity to offer constant emotional support and addressing the stepfather's substance addiction difficulties, which could be an essential part of the intervention plan. Carers can develop the ability to gently attend to Jack's emotional needs through family sessions, which will help to build a sense of security and trust.
Additionally, the social worker can work with Jack's school to put procedures in place that meet his emotional needs, such as offering more counselling and support. Jack's behaviour has attachment-related roots, and by understanding them and designing therapies appropriately, it is more likely that his general development and mental health will be enhanced.
Section 2
Social identity theory
Henri Tajfel and John Turner created the Social Identity Theory, a psychology theory that aims to clarify how people get their sense of self and identity from belonging to particular groups. Understanding how people classify themselves into different social groups and how their participation in these groups affects their beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours is largely dependent on this idea. The theory starts with the idea of social categorization, which is the process by which people divide themselves and other people into various social groups according to traits they have in common (Scheepers and Ellemers, 2019). These traits may include things like ethnicity, gender, country, religion, occupation, or even likes and pastimes. According to the Social Identity Theory, individuals not only assign themselves to social groups but also grow to identify and feel a feeling of belonging within them (Verkuyten et al., 2019).
As a result, they start to form in-groups, or groups they belong to, and out-groups, or groups they do not belong to. People may show bias against members of other groups and tend to favour their own. People socially compare within the framework of social groups. They have a positive opinion of their group and may compare their in-group favourably to out-groups to raise the status and self-esteem of their own. According to the notion, a person's self-concept is influenced by both group identification and individual identity (Casino-García, Llopis-Bueno and Llinares-Insa, 2021). The Social Identity Theory affects how people behave in groups. It implies that to strengthen their in-group status, people may discriminate against out-groups, adhere to group standards, and act in ways that reinforce their group identification. To get a whole picture of Jack's behaviour, Social Identity Theory should be combined with other psychological theories like Attachment Theory. Together, these ideas shed light on how family dynamics, group affiliations, and personal experiences interact, giving the social worker a more comprehensive strategy for assisting Jack's development.
Application to Jack
Social identification Theory highlights Jack's demand for identification and group membership, which provides important insights into his behaviour and mental issues. It is clear from Jack's behaviour that he has gravitated towards older peer groups and participated in harmful behaviours, which may be a sign of his attempt to forge positive identities among these groups. This is consistent with the theory's aspect that people derive their sense of identity and self-worth from belonging to particular groups (Kruglanski et al., 2022).
Through the aspects of social identity theory, interventions designed to address Jack's behavioural issues can be informed by an understanding of his group affiliations. By placing Jack in structured after-school programmes, clubs, or mentorship opportunities that provide a sense of belonging in a pro-social environment, the social worker can take advantage of his need for a positive group identity. Jack might be less likely to participate in bad habits with older peers if a positive group identity is fostered for him. This is because he gets a feeling of identity and self-worth from these positive affiliations.
But it is important to recognise that belonging to a group can have advantages as well as disadvantages (Ipsen et al., 2021). Jack's affiliation with unfavourable peer groups can encourage his problematic behaviours and impede his academic advancement. To satisfy his need for group identification as well as his unique emotional needs and intellectual challenges, the social worker should strike a balance.
Conclusion
It can be concluded that using “Attachment Theory and Social Identity Theory”, this report has conducted a thorough analysis of Jack's case in order to shed light on his emotional and behavioural difficulties in the context of his connections with his family and peers. We have discovered important information from this research that will help shape a focused and comprehensive intervention strategy to assist Jack's growth.
The importance of early attachment experiences in forming Jack's emotional health has been highlighted by attachment theory. Because of his family's instability and lack of a stable father figure, he may have an insecure or disordered attachment style. This has highlighted the need for interventions that put a priority on creating secure caregiving connections. Fostering trust and security in Jack's life requires family therapy that focuses on the stepfather's substance misuse issues and the mother's responsiveness.
However, Jack's need for identification and belonging has been made more evident by Social identification Theory, which emphasises the significance of group affiliation and identity. We suggest interventions that take advantage of this urge for positive group affiliation, acknowledging his associations with older peer groups and harmful activities as attempts to achieve positive group identity. We want to help Jack find positive ways to channel his need for belonging by providing him with opportunities to participate in pro-social groups.
Furthermore, it is critical to recognise the limitations of each theory as well as the intricate interactions between Jack's family, community, and individual circumstances. For this reason, combining these theories with a third psychological framework is necessary to create an intervention strategy that is comprehensive and successful.
References
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- El Tahir, M., Elhusein, B., Elamin, H., Rustom, H., Reagu, S., Bedhiaf, H., Abdirahman, S. and Alabdulla, M. (2022). Stress Levels and Coping Strategies of Families of Adults With Intellectual Disability and Challenging Behaviours During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Qatar. Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, p.174462952110623. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/17446295211062381.
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