Question

13. Explain how cross-cultural considerations affect the idea of adolescent identity crisis.

14. Discuss the conditions that need to be met in order for an individual to be found " competent to stand trial."

15. Discuss three rights mental patients have in the United States with regard to treatment and how they are sometimes contradictory.

Answer 1

Cross-cultural considerations and affect the idea of an adolescent identity crisis:

The adolescent identity crisis is the failure to achieve ego identity during adolescence. The stage of psychosocial development in which identity crisis may occur is called the identity cohesion vs. role confusion. During this stage, adolescents are faced with physical growth, sexual maturity, and integrating ideas of themselves and about what others think of them. Adolescents tend to form a self-image and try to resolve the crisis of their basic ego identity. One's progress through previous developmental stages, centring on issues such as trust, autonomy, and initiative are factors that the individual depends on for a successful resolution.

Teens who come from different backgrounds are influenced by different cultural norms and parental expectations that stem from different attitudes toward values and norms in society. These different social norms may change the rate of development and affect the adolescent's development in terms of individual identity, social behaviour and separation from parents, which are major factors in the teen years. An adolescent that grows up in a family where the nature of adolescence, parental control and family obligations are different from that of his or her peers, may encounter an identity crisis that creates conflicts with the family. Culture has a strong influence on development, behaviour, values and beliefs. Family rituals and good communication have a positive effect on teens. Parents who instil positive cultural values and beliefs in their children help raise their self-esteem and academic success.

A family's socio-economic condition has an effect on adolescent development as an economic crisis negatively affects families. There are racial and ethnic disparities in poverty rates that directly affect adolescent development. Growing up in poverty impacts children and teens at every developmental level; physically, socially, and academically. Conversely, in more affluent families adolescents face other challenges. Parental pressure that focuses on social and academic achievement can cause adolescents to suffer from a higher rate of depression and anxiety.

The conditions that need to be met in order for an individual to be found competent to stand trials are:

It requires that a defendant understands the nature and purpose of the legal proceedings against him and be able to effectively cooperate with counsel in his defence. Competence concerns the mental capacity of an individual to participate in legal proceedings or transactions and the mental condition a person must have to be responsible for his or her decisions or acts. An individual may or may not be competent to make a particular medical decision, a particular contractual agreement, to execute an effective deed to real property, or to execute a will having certain terms. To understand the proceedings, a defendant must be able to comprehend the charges against him and the penalties if convicted. He must also have some level of understanding of courtroom procedure and the functions of those who participate in it. To cooperate with counsel, he must be able to plan a legal strategy, be able to recall and relate pertinent facts and events, including his motives and actions at the time of the offence, and be able to testify on his behalf and to challenge prosecution witnesses.

The three rights mental patients have for treatment after a diagnosis:

• They must be treated with respect and dignity while having their privacy protected. Patients not be used and abused for the benefit of a professionals career path or for any monetary reasons. Real and authentic rapport to help the patient must be initiated by the professional and the keeping of intimate details that a patient releases must only be released with their consent for either research purposes, in court if necessary or with other professional peers to discuss progress steps for successful treatments.
• They need to understand treatment options and alternatives. It is only fair that a person struggling from a mental illness disorder receives a good understanding of what their options are for treatment. They must be explained the structure as best as possible with good rapport in order for them to make their decision.
• Patients must get the care that doesn’t discriminate on the basis of age, gender, race, or type of illness. Any kind of discrimination would be extremely unethical. Hence a patient must be given care based on their needs and it must not be a partial case due to certain characteristics and traits like that of race, gender, type of illness.

Contradictions that may arise are:

A mental health professional may need to release information to the patients family to give psychoeducation for the benefit of the patient to heal successfully. A mental patient may find it difficult to choose a treatment being in a state of mind that is fatigued from the illness, it is the responsibility of the professional to guide them in the right direction regardless and not abuse the power of agency as a professional against the patient. Many patients may not be able to find the healing they need in a specific therapist, they may find it difficult to open up about their personal issues with a stranger that may not have much in common with them. An asain individual may find that they require another asain therapist that they can connect with in order to solve their mental issues. In such cases it may be a task for the patients to find the right mental health professional.