In recent years, mental health professionals who have traditionally focused on the emotional state of the individual have come to realize that problems arise from the unique interactions between particular individuals and environments. From necessity, they are beginning to look at context; no longer can they place the responsibility for mental health on the shoulders of the person alone. Most attention has been paid to the impact of educational and work settings, but it is clear that all life settings contribute meaningfully to positive psychological adaptation and must be considered in any attempt to understand a person's difficulties. This book explores the crucial ramifications of new theory and research in person-environment psychology for assessment and intervention. All practitioners seeking to deliver effective mental health services to adolescents and adults will learn from it.

A variety of theoretical approaches to person-environment psychology has been developed over the years, representing a rich range of intellectual perspectives. This second edition links the past and present and looks toward the future in reviewing new directions and perspectives in person-environment psychology. Stated differently, the main thrust of this volume is to present contemporary models and perspectives that make some sensible predictions concerning the individual and the environment using the person-environment relationship. Within a person-environment framework, these models and perspectives are concerned with how people tend to influence environments and how environments reciprocally tend to influence people. Thus, this second edition presents new directions in person-environment psychology and the implications for theory, research, and application.

In recent years, mental health professionals who have traditionally focused on the emotional state of the individual have come to realize that problems arise from the unique interactions between particular individuals and environments. From necessity, they are beginning to look at context; no longer can they place the responsibility for mental health on the shoulders of the person alone. Most attention has been paid to the impact of educational and work settings, but it is clear that all life settings contribute meaningfully to positive psychological adaptation and must be considered in any attempt to understand a person's difficulties. This book explores the crucial ramifications of new theory and research in person-environment psychology for assessment and intervention. All practitioners seeking to deliver effective mental health services to adolescents and adults will learn from it.

A variety of theoretical approaches to person-environment psychology has been developed over the years, representing a rich range of intellectual perspectives. This second edition links the past and present and looks toward the future in reviewing new directions and perspectives in person-environment psychology. Stated differently, the main thrust of this volume is to present contemporary models and perspectives that make some sensible predictions concerning the individual and the environment using the person-environment relationship. Within a person-environment framework, these models and perspectives are concerned with how people tend to influence environments and how environments reciprocally tend to influence people. Thus, this second edition presents new directions in person-environment psychology and the implications for theory, research, and application.

In recent years, mental health professionals who have traditionally focused on the emotional state of the individual have come to realize that problems arise from the unique interactions between particular individuals and environments. From necessity, they are beginning to look at context; no longer can they place the responsibility for mental health on the shoulders of the person alone. Most attention has been paid to the impact of educational and work settings, but it is clear that all life settings contribute meaningfully to positive psychological adaptation and must be considered in any attempt to understand a person's difficulties. This book explores the crucial ramifications of new theory and research in person-environment psychology for assessment and intervention. All practitioners seeking to deliver effective mental health services to adolescents and adults will learn from it.

The primary audience for Person-Environment Practice is the great majority of social workers whose helping efforts extend to individuals, families, groups, and neighborhoods. Its primary aim is to examine each of these levels critically, through the prism of "environment," and to offer practical suggestions for both assessment and intervention.

Environmental illness is a concept of growing concern to all health professionals. Patients with problems presumably caused by sick buildings, electromagnetic fields and hypersensitivity to chemicals--to name a few--are often referred to psychologists, psychiatrists, and other counselors. The battery worker with fatigue, headaches, abdominal pain and an elevated lead level...the assembly worker with pain and numbness in her hand and delayed median nerve conduction...the patient who develops typical contact dermatitis after working with epoxies..., these are straightforward cases. But they are in the minority. In many cases, needy, demanding, and difficult patients present complex and challenging psychological issues. Practitioners often lack the training or wisdom to handle these issues effectively. We know that exposure to lead, mercury, and PCBs affect psychological development and behavior; we know much less about the effects of thousands of other chemicals in the environment. In addition, global climate change, social disruption, and the spread of infections will--in the near future--expose people to novel environmental threats. Symptoms caused by toxins can overlap those caused by fear, stress, and depression, and the clinical picture can mimic a variety of other mental disorders. On the other hand, the natural environment can also be a healer. Research shows that hospital stays are shortened and the need for pain medication reduced for patients exposed to nature, even in images, or to the company of animals. Nursing home patients live longer if allowed to keep pets, and one controlled study shows that caring for animals reduces disruptive behavior in even the most difficult ADD children. This book offers the first overview of the many ways the environment can affect mental health and illness. It will prove to be an important and valuable resource for physicians in psychiatry, public health, and environmental medicine; for clinical and counseling psychologists and social workers; and for environmental researchers and advocates worldwide.