For this week’s case conceptualization, I will be using Abraham Maslow’s Needs Hierarchy Theory. Ms. Raslow is a bi-racial woman in her 40s that immigrated to the United States twenty years ago.

Peer1: Michele Gross

For this week’s case conceptualization, I will be using Abraham Maslow’s Needs Hierarchy Theory. Ms. Raslow is a bi-racial woman in her 40s that immigrated to the United States twenty years ago. She is a clinical psychologist and is raising two adopted sons with her wife. Ms. Raslow and her wife separated six months ago due to the patient spending too much time at work and an insufficient amount of time at home. Since the separation, Ms. Raslow has been drinking heavily and is often physically ill from excessive drinking. Ms. Raslow would like to return to her marriage and children, reduce her alcohol use, and develop a better work/life balance.

Maslow posits that there is a hierarchy of five innate needs. The base physiological needs are the strongest needs and cover basic biological functions such as food, water, shelter, sleep, etc. The next higher need is for safety, security, stability, employment, etc. The next higher need is for love and belonging which covers friendships, intimate partnerships, family, sense of connection, etc. The next higher need is for self-esteem which includes confidence, achievement, and respect. The highest need in Maslow’s hierarch is for self-actualization which represents achievement of an individual’s fullest potential (Schultz & Schultz, 2017). Typically, before individuals can move to a higher need level, they must meet the need at the lower need level. In the case of Ms. Raslow, prior to her marital separation, it appears that she met her lower-level needs and was attempting to self-actualize. She possessed high levels of social interest and was extremely focused on her work and helping families, which allowed her to meet her metaneeds. This hyperfocus is what created problems in her marriage and caused a crisis in the belonging level of her need hierarchy when she became separated from her family. This loss of order and unity created a metapathology which resulted in her increased drinking.

Self-determination theory is a concept closely related to self-actualization theory. Self-determination theory is based on intrinsic motivations, or those motivations that come from within an individual (Çıkrıkçı & Gençdoğan, 2022). The authors posit that individuals that are motivated by intrinsic needs are better able to manage and develop those needs which results in increased well-being. Based on Ms. Raslow’s desire for self-actualization, she was able to determine that the intrinsic needs she had that caused her to work extended time away from home needed adjusted to re-establish her belonging need.

Individual and marriage therapy would be beneficial for Ms. Raslow. Individual therapy can assess her self-actualization using the Personal Orientation Inventory, specifically the degree of her inner directedness. Those with high inner directedness values may experience some interpersonal conflicts due to their preference for depending on themselves. Individual and marriage therapy could assist Ms. Raslow and her wife with addressing incongruent attachment styles, meeting different intrinsic needs, etc.

References

Çıkrıkçı, Ö., & Gençdoğan, B. (2022). Clarifying the associations among belongingness, setting life goals, need satisfaction and positive orientations: The model testing in accordance with the attachment styles. Current Psychology, 41(2), 643–658. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-019-00587-1

Schultz, D., & Schultz, S. (2017). Theories of Personality (11th ed.). Cengage Learning.

Peer 2: Brooklyn James

Applying Abraham Maslow’s theory of needs to Ms. In the case of Rosslow, we can understand his character and his struggles through unmet needs at various levels of the systems. However, this loss is further compounded by the separation from his family, especially his neglect of emotional ties with his wife, his children’s time and care, and the loss of family solidarity later, indicating deficiencies in their needs for self and love.

Also, his increased, coping style of drinking can be seen as an attempt to satisfy his need for self-authenticity. According to Ionescu, D., & Iacob, C. (2019), “ This feeling of self-authenticity is a result of the interaction between mental, behavioural and emotional processes. When they fail, these people try to find real solutions for their problems and they are less concerned with the way other people perceive them.” He feels meaningful and satisfied in n ’employment, especially supporting families, but is unable to balance work and personal life It is an unhealthy way to cope with these unmet needs and the resulting stress.

In terms of treatment, interventions based on Maslow’s theory should focus on addressing those underlying unmet needs. This may include therapy aimed at improving communication and relationship skills to repair relationships with his wife and children, thereby meeting mastery needs Additionally, therapy can help him develop strategies another way to cope with stress is to find healthy ways to actually be himself outside of work, thus decreasing alcohol use.

Considering Carl Rogers’s theory of self-actualization, Roslow’s struggles can be seen as a discrepancy between self-concept and his actual experiences which Rogers argued individuals strive for self-actualization , which involves matching self-concepts with actual experiences and practices. In Ms. McCarthy. In Roslow’s case, his self-image may have aspects of being a successful psychologist, and his family being a provider. But the reality of his difficult marriage, family neglect and high alcohol consumption clashes with this self-concept, leading to inner conflict and unhappiness.

Treatment based on Rogers’ theory will focus on allowing Ms. Roslow’s own thoughts and experiences have come together seamlessly. This may include identifying herself and exploring her values, needs, and motivations in therapy. Once he recognizes the difference between his ideal personality and his true character, he can work towards greater alignment. Therapeutic approaches such as person-centered therapy, which emphasizes empathy, unconditional positive thinking and objective reality, can provide an environment that supports this process of self-discovery and growth

In addition, Rogers emphasized the importance of fostering a therapeutic environment of empathy, unconditional positivity, and harmony. So Ms. McCarthy should. Roslow prioritizes creating a strong therapeutic alliance for her treatment, providing her with a safe space to explore her feelings, concerns and desires without fear of judgment. Through this process, she can develop a deeper understanding of herself, her relationships, and her purpose, and be open to positive change and personal growth.

Reference

Ionescu, D., & Iacob, C. (2019). Self-authenticity, Optimism, and Neuroticism in relation to Basic Psychological Needs. Romanian Journal of Psychology, 21(1), 28–34. https://doi-org.portal.lib.fit.edu/10.24913/rjap.21.1.05

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