Please check my answers.
1). Briefly describe each of the major theoretical perspectives in maladaptive behavior.
(MY Answer)
a. Biological= genetic, hereditary factors
b. Psychodynamic=Freudian and psychosocial influences
c. Behavioral=Social learning theories and role of conditioning
d. Cognitive=how maladaptive thoughts influence behaviors
Research also suggests that Cognitive- behavioral theory focuses on "Information processing models of abnormal behavior. Cognitive restructuring of mis-perceptions. Irrational and Core beliefs"
e. Humanistic-Existential=focuses on choice, free will, and individual responsibilities
f. Community-Cultural= notion that the one's inability to effectively deal with stress affects maladaptive tendencies
2). Which of the perspectives do you believe is the ‘right’ perspective, or is there a ‘right’ perspective?
(My Answer)
For me, I do not see a right/wrong, black/white perspective as predominant. Instead, I feel like each individual case must be assessed separately. I feel that Humanistic-Existential is often valid since I believe that people have the ability to freely chose and act according, in both healthy or unhealthy manners.
On the other hand, I see Community-Cultural influences are also importance since one's inability to deal with stress can also cause maladaptive behaviors. Since a lot of behaviors are modeled from family, I also see validity in the biological one as well.
3). Explain your answer, and support your response with a minimum of one APA citation from a scholarly reference.
(My Answer)
Research also favors this one such it "Recognizes the importance of the context of problems--poverty, homelessness, lack of education or personal resources, stigma & labeling, etc. Maladaptive behavior is seen as a result of the inability to cope with external demands or stresses. Recognizes role of families and social support in either increasing or reducing risk of mental disorder"
Jiskha experts what do you think? I do not feel like a "one size fits all" approach can be applied. I think that a combination of theories are often at work.
Thank you!
Your answers seem to provide a good understanding of the major theoretical perspectives in maladaptive behavior. You have correctly identified the biological, psychodynamic, behavioral, cognitive, humanistic-existential, and community-cultural perspectives.
It is important to note that there is no one "right" perspective in psychology. Each perspective offers valuable insights and helps us understand different aspects of maladaptive behavior. It can be beneficial to approach each case individually and consider multiple perspectives to gain a comprehensive understanding.
To support your response, you mentioned research that recognizes the importance of the context of problems, such as poverty, lack of education, and societal factors, in contributing to maladaptive behaviors. This aligns with the community-cultural perspective, which emphasizes the influence of external demands and social factors.
To further support your response, you can integrate an APA citation from a scholarly reference that discusses the importance of considering multiple perspectives in understanding maladaptive behavior.