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Compare the problems of institutionalization and deinstitutionalization from a functionalist, con... Compare the problems of institutionalization and deinstitutionalization from a functionalist, conflict, and symbolic interactionist perspective. Your discussion might include consideration of the functions and dysfunctions of both situations and the economic conditions that created them versus the exploitation of the poor that occurs in a capitalist system.

Answer 1

Deinstitutionalization has occured due to the release of mentally ill people from hospitals to the community in various countries including United states of America. There are lots of mentally ill people who live in dull, filthy and unhygienic conditions. Institutionalization is a process of referring the mentally ill patients to medical hospitals in any age starting from childhood years, adolescent life, middle age and old age. In 1960, British psychiatrist John Wing said that lots of people become seriously mentally ill with apathy, lack of care, withdrawal and lack of initiative in life. These people become socially isolated.lonely and are not able to communicate and interact with people in life. Albert Deutsch has mentioned it in the book "The shame of the states". The congress group was formed with the Joint commission of mental illness. Medicaid and social income policies were developed to support the life and living of the mentally ill people. In 1963, mental retardation act was passed. It aimed at providing grants and aid to people who were mentally ill and deficient. Lanterman-Petris-Short act was passed in 1968 to provide infrastructure and facilities to mentally ill people. These people include those suffering from depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alzhiemers disease and parkinson disease. Various psychoactive drugs are available for treating patients but there are a lot of side effects of these drugs in society. Medical hospitals and latest infrastructure, equipment and facilities are available for treating mentally ill patients.

Functionalist theory--explains that society is a structure consisting of different parts although each par thas a different function. Society has family, religion, caste, community and religion which have individual goals but make up the system of society as a whole.

Conflict theory--explains that each part of the society is composed of different elements which have a conflict to exist today in society.

Symbolic interactionist theory--It is a way people interact with one another in society.