Community psychology

It is within the context of social relations that values, problems, resources, sense constructions are created. And the subjects are considered active in the relationship with the context, able to choose and act.

The concepts of Prevention, Health Promotion and Empowerment are linked to community psychology. This last concept is fundamental, it means increasing power. It concerns actions aiming at the promotion of people’s active skills, strengthening the ability to analyze problems and to act upon events. It focuses on positive qualities of resources rather than negative dimensions. Activating skills to act on the situations.

To develop a sense of Community consists in recognizing oneself in a community and it concerns the feelings that the members have about their mutual belonging, about the bond that exists between them.

The sense of community is connected to personal well-being, and that is why it is important.

For several years now the state of Buthan has included in its policy the concept of gross internal happiness, which is measured by far more parameters than GDP and has its roots in the local community.

Buthan is one of the poorest countries, yet people are satisfied, there is no criminality and everyone gets free access to health and education. This country is inspired by Buddhist philosophy and put the person at the centre of development in all its dimensions.

We can therefore certainly expand our concepts of Well-being, taking into account more dimensions, in order to truly improve people’s quality of life.

Primary health protection in Europe

Nowadays all EU countries have a social protection system (Welfare), which tends to provide the whole community with basic protection on health, working conditions, education.

And to the notion of basic health protection, in my opinion, is connected the new role of Basic Psychologist.

It concerns an amendment approved last year, modifying the legislative decree 502/92, which legitimizes the presence of the psychologist in primary care, clarifies that an inter-professional integration between doctor and psychologist will be possible.

The norm in object is the result of an activity of elaboration and interaction of the National Council of the Order of Psychologists with the institutional and union representatives of general practitioners.

The aim is to reaffirm the fundamental role of the psychologist in the protection of health as understood by the WHO (“state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not simply absence of illness”).

It is not yet a clearly defined concept, we certainly find two principles: the fact that a Psychologist works alongside a GP in his activities, offering his competence as an additional service to clients.

The other principle is territoriality: the experiences activated so far have a precise link with the territory and its local community, and aim at intercepting that part of the population with an unspecific demand, a pre-pathological condition, a demand for counseling, to offer a service of prevention of distress and promotion of Well-being.

It seems a big step towards a psychology which is close to the community and which operates in a preventive and health promotional perspective.