Advanced Topics in Personality and Individual Differences - PSYX3336
Week 9 - Ecological Model: Systems and Well-Being

Individual vs Systemic Approaches (Copy)

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Case Study for Individual vs Ecological Approaches

Individual Approaches:

  1. Focus on the person:

    • Mainly considered the persons, thoughts, emotions and behaviours. E.g. CBT therapy.

  2. Personal responsibility:

    • Responsibility for mental health is placed on the individual

  3. Internal factors:

    • Individual approaches, primarily, consider internal factors, such as genetics, personality, traits, and personal experiences

  4. Interventions:

    • Interventions are typically one on one to the individuals specific needs

Individual interventions:

  • Purchase such as CBT, maybe effective for young people in some situations

Systemic interventions:

  • This shows that interventions are more affective for child, focus problems such as conflict issues, emotional problems, and recovery from abuse.

The Role of Culture in Individual & Systemic Therapy

  1. Cultural norms and family dynamics:

    • In western cultures emphasise individual autonomy. Interventions may focus on improving communication and relationships within the family unit.

    • In non-western cultures, systemic approaches are often more congruent. Family and community involvement in therapy enhances effectiveness.

  2. Community support:

    • Western cultures still focus predominantly on individual responsibility for mental health.

    • Non-Western cultures more naturally integrate community and social support.

  3. Autonomy:

    • Personal control serves as a protective factor in western cultures

    • Western cultures tend to define a person by their personal characteristics, whereas non-western cultures tend to define a person as being interdependent within their social roles, realtionships and duties.

Limitations of Individual Approaches:

  • Often ignores external factors

  • Overemphasis on personal responsibility

  • Only utilises one-on-one treatments, instead of involving family and community.

  • Access to individual therapy is often limited and inequitable

  • Short-term focus on symptom relief over addressing underlying issues

  • Emphasising individual responsibility contributes to stigma and self-blame

  • Focuses on treatment, rather than prevention by addressing systemic factors

Systemic Approaches:

  1. Focus on the person’s environment

  2. Consider interactions between systems and the individual

  3. Consider external factors such as social support & cultural norms

  4. Include community, family, and policy as interventions

  5. Ecological systems research can be used to inform policy development