Page 53 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 8

Christian Psychology as a Challenge

aim to modify social processes and eradicate The methodology employed for the project
oppression. entails Action Research and Participatory Ac-
tion Research, which are based on the same
Thus, empowerment forms a central value of philosophical assumptions and includes Action
Community Psychology and entails “…a perso- Learning. Action research implies that systems
nal sense of control over one’s life as well as the are studied through changing them and see-
political control of factors that influence one’s ing the effects and new dynamics this brings
life” (Duncan et al., 2007, p.69). The principle about. Action learning is participatory and this
of community participation is further central to aligns well with the new emerging participatory
this concept. worldviews.
Action research method starts with a descrip-
Furthermore, risk prevention and health pro- tion of a challenge or concern or problem. The
motion and valuing the differences among cul- steps to be followed are: (1) Identification of
tures and communities are upheld as important a concern and illustration of this with proble-
values. Risk prevention refers to the identificati- matic cases and problem solving attempts. (2)
on of communities at risk and developing inter- An analysis of the assumptions that the com-
ventions to prevent the development of potenti- munity associates with their problematic situa-
al mental health issues. For example, identifica- tion - focusing particularly on the assumptions
tion of risks to the health of pregnant mothers underlying the explanations of their problem
and unborn babies due to the lack of proper situation and the values and inferences on
nutrition would lead to a psycho-educational which problem-solving attempts are based. This
programme to inform pregnant women of the could be facilitated through group discussion,
importance of diet, and to set up housing and and looking at how personal and community
care for women at risk. history is linked with the identified concern.
This analysis could aid to make action learners
Prevention interventions aim at building resi- aware of “theory-in-use” and put them in a po-
lience, creating supportive environments and sition to make it explicit. (3) The next step in
spurring collaboration amongst all members of action learning entails having to reformulate
the community. initial problem definitions and solutions. (4)
Cultural diversity is valued as respect for all Thereafter follows an exploration of alternati-
people is emphasised and the commitment to ve strategies for dealing with the problem, and
make societal resources available to all commu- new ways of viewing it. Action researchers are
nities treasured. encouraged to do this through discussion with
Thus, the practice of Community Psychology their supervisor, group members and others
entails community engagement, social change in this field of practice. (5) The above steps are
agendas to modify social processes and social meant to place action researchers in a better po-
action to reach these goals. sition to make an educated decision about how
to proceed. Informed action is likely to follow
Community Psychology Praxis when the action researchers are able to account
Community Psychology praxis entails engage- for the choices they made and the values they
ment with communities and to train students in based them on. (6) The research process thus
this regard service learning, group supervision entails trial and error, engaging in the spirals of
and self-reflexive report writing is implemented planning, acting, observing, reflecting and re-
at the ICP. Students are expected to choose a planning (Pistorius and Katabua, 2015).
community to engage with by means of (a) an
appreciative inquiry in a community of their Both careful observation and verification are
choice; and, (b) a community intervention pro- fundamental to any action-learning project. It
ject. is futile to base one’s observations on faulty as-
sumptions and false reasoning. One also should
not base one’s verification on a limited set of in-

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