Compare and contrast two mental health theories.
People behave differently, and the main reason behind the difference in behavior was not well understood until the 1800s when psychologists developed theories and models of development.
The models developed were disseminated into mainstream thinking. The theories helped in providing structures for evaluating the development process and providing an explanation for people’s behaviors, thoughts, and feelings. Healthcare professionals are required to follow protocols and studies made by experts and existing evidence-based practices. With more theories be developed, healthcare professionals can apply them to deliver quality care and education to the patients. To understand the mental health conditions of the patients, mental health professionals rely on different theories to be able to deliver treatment to the patients. There are many theoretical models from respectable psychologists that are important in providing information to health professionals dealing with patients with mental issues. This paper will compare and contrast Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs developed by Abraham Maslow and the Theory of Psychosocial Development developed by Erik Erikson.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a theory developed by Abraham Maslow in 1954. Abraham Maslow, a professor and an American psychologist who focused on viewing people with s positive and qualities rather than treating them like bags of symptoms (..). His theory places the needs of people on a pyramid with the most important needs be on the lower levels of the pyramid and the distinctly needs located on the upper part of the pyramid. Based on the pyramid, after the needs in the lower level are met, the needs in the upper level emerge. The bottom of the pyramid is the physiological needs, which comprise water, food, oxygen, rest, and sex. As we move up the pyramid, safety needs follow. These needs include protection, stability, security, order, and structure. The safety needs are followed by belonging and love needs, which are then followed by esteem needs. At the top level of the pyramid is self-actualization needs. The theory can be applied in the nursing field in different ways. For instance, health professionals can use this theory to determine which needs have to be meet and what should be done to make the patient more satisfied. Effective application of the theory is important in ensuring that all the needs of the patients are met.
The Theory of Psychosocial Development is the second mental health-related theory. In theory, Erik Erikson explained the process of development. Based on the theory, development occurs in eight stages, and the success of one stage depends on the success of the previous stage. The first stage of development is trust and mistrust. The emphasis of the parent and the nurturing ability is important as it determines the level of trust and confidence which the child will have. If children are not well nature, they might develop mistrust, worthless, and insecurity to those around them. In the next step, a child learns ways of building self-esteem. Each stage is important in the development process as it determines the success of the next step and the relationship between the child and other people. The theory can be applied in the healthcare sector in different ways. For instance, nurses dealing with children might educate parents about the importance of good nurturing approaches as it determines the relation of children with other people. Besides, nurses can use the theory to understand some of the issues which the patients are undergoing, more specifically those who at the adolescent stage.
In conclusion, the main similarity between Maslow’s and Erikson’s theories is that both explains the main components of human development. Each of the theories clearly shows a parallel transitioning, meaning before moving into the next stage, some of the accomplishments should be met. However, the theories have differences in what they outline. Maslow outlines the hierarchy of human needs, which are important in driving the motive for self-actualization. In contrast, Erikson outlines the development process by using a series of stages that are branded by psychological conflict. Besides, the two theories have some strengths and weaknesses. For instance, Erickson’s theory identifies the process of development in names, but the theory failed to assign ages to the name. While on the other hand, the main weakness of Maslow’s theory is that it does not provide ways to measure if the needs are met.