Q.1
What do you understand the term Biopsychosocial assessment in Mental Health to mean?
Identify the key fields of a Biopsychosocial assessment, and provide two examples of each field.
What is the key advantage of having a Biopsychosocial approach to understanding Mental Health conditions?
Q.2
What are the key advantages and disadvantages of the Mental Health classification systems? Use ideas from the topic 2 subject content and additional readings, to discuss your understanding.
Q3.
When looking at the treatment and support for people who have mental health issues, we rely largely on a Western view/framework for responding, treating, and supporting people. Describe how relying solely on the dominant Western ideas around mental health may create risks in how we respond to mental health needs in our community, for example, discrimination and stigmatisation. In your answer give consideration to peoples of Indigenous heritage, as well as other cultural groups, and include reference to the National Mental Health Practice Standards (2013).
Q4.
Read the case study below and answer the following questions;
Describe the possible positive and negative symptoms of psychosis that Ben is displaying?
What are some of the strengths demonstrated by individuals within the case study?
In assessing Ben’s situation, identify briefly, what potential risk factors are present (risk should be viewed not just in the immediate but also medium-term). What screening tool/s could you use to identify these risks?
Considering age, gender and culture, what would need to be addressed to ensure a consumer focus, in order to improve Ben's self-efficacy?
Case Study- Ben
You are working as a Mental Health worker in a busy emergency department (ED) when Ben, a 22-year-old man presents for review. Ben arrived at the ED with his mum Patty. Patty disclosed to the intake nurse that Ben had been behaving ‘erratically’ and wielding a knife, when his girlfriend Claire called her, worried about his well-being. Patty said that she ‘knew it was right to bring him straight up’.
Ben is dressed in dirty jeans, a T-shirt and he is barefoot. His head is shaven, his arms are covered in cuts and scratches, and he has strong body odour. He is very tense and sits very still, looking at the ground. However, periodically he gets up and paces the ED corridor, wringing his hands and mumbling incoherently to himself.
He then begins to respond instantly to any person walking by him — intensely staring at them, alternating his gaze between being intrigued, afraid and hostile. He follows you to the dedicated Mental Health room in the ED- it is an empty room with only a mattress on the floor. Ben hesitates before entering the cubicle. Patty nurtures him carefully and reassuringly guides him into the cubicle.
As you all stand in the room, because there are no chairs, you decide to ask Ben some questions. Ben is smiling at you but then looks up to the ceiling, terrified. He mutters to himself and then nervously smiles again this time to himself before he asks you ‘Why am I here? You won’t tell them anything will you?’ You begin to tell him that his treatment here is confidential but Ben interrupts: ‘You know, don’t you? You know they are always watching!’ Ben stares intensely around the cubicle and up at the ceiling, presumably at a nearby vent. Before you can answer he adds, ‘They are everywhere. Everywhere . . . in everything, always watching! Every one of us is being monitored.’ He begins to mumble incoherently to himself, and then looks up at the ceiling once more and shouts ‘Shut up, shut up, shut up! Leave me alone!’ Extremely distressed, he then proceeds to scream and hold his ears as if to block out a loud noise. Suddenly, there is a security guard and two nurse colleagues by your side.
