Child Psychology

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The strengths-based approach can be applied to many different content domains, and when applied to such a domain, the strengths-based approach can often result in a positive outcome—often times an outcome which is more desirable to a deficits-based approach.

One of the domains the authors (Maton, et al. 2004) examined was in competence-based prevention. The deficits-based approach would navigate in competence-based prevention by treating the already identified problems (2004), whereas the strengths-based approach would look to build these competencies up in order to stop these problems from ever surfacing (2004). For example, a deficits-based approach would look at a child who is misbehaving and performing poorly academically and look to treat behavior problems as they happen, possibly offering tutoring to treat the academic problems and consoling of some sort to treat the behavior problems. Contrasting with a strengths-based approach which would look at nurturing academic skills as the child develops, which aside from providing an improved academic performance from the start by recognizing and building on existing strengths identified in the child (2004). As discussed in the lecture, this will also lower the child’s chances of misbehaving in school, as academic performance is a key element in fostering confidence within children.

Another area the authors (2004) explored is the area of youth development, and health / mental health promotion. The deficits-based approach looks to prevent discrete—that is, specific problems which arise in youths and adults, whereas the strengths-based approach would look to provide positive youth development (similar to the competence-based domain), and would also look to promote physical an...

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... slightly more to 13%.

The data also shows that different strengths can affect the probability in different ways. Positive school engagement was shown to reduce the probability for negative behavior problems much more than volunteering and club activity. For example, in 6-11 year olds with one risk factor (poor parent mental health) and no strengths, the probability of developing a behavior problem was 18%. When clubs and volunteer work is the strength, the probability drops to 15%, and when positive school engagement is the strength, the probability drops to 4% (2004). Also in every scenario presented in the data we can see that the presence of both strengths further lowered the probability of negative behavior problems developing by some degree (2004), which leads to the conclusion that the effect the strengths have upon risk factors is in fact cumulative.

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