Abstract

Across societies and cultures, there exists a primary inborn healthy structure of the psyche, almost instinctual, that drives the unfolding process of individuals into healthy psychological functioning on four levels: needs, wants, rights, and decisions.

In earlier stages of development, a child has some basic psychological needs that have to be met by his/her caregivers unconditionally, for his/her own (not their) sake and in an attitude-based not situation-based manner, such as the need to be loved, the need to be recognized, and the need to be accepted. These needs are bi-directional, i.e. the need to be loved is accompanied by the need to love. These needs are crucial to the healthy development of children and also influence adult behavior. It is postulated that a need that is not adequately met early in life, an expected deficiency in the corresponding healthy capacity might ensue in adulthood (Deficit model of psychopathology). Moreover, a need that was met during childhood usually continues into adulthood, but in a mild, adult, and appropriate form (Earley, 2002).

At a later stage of development, not only the person knows what he or she is ought to do or should do, but also knows what he or she wants to do without having impeding fears or difficulties. The distinction between “need” and “want’ is important here. A need‘ is an inborn natural drive common to all humans, that we can either want‘ or not.

With further development, the person becomes consciously aware of basic psychological rights to have own basic psychological needs satisfied, such as the right to feel worthy, to make mistakes, or to be happy, and having the willingness to get these rights.

The next level is decisions, when now the person is fully aware of his freedom to choose, to decide and to act in the direction of his basic psychological needs. He or she also has the ability to take responsibility for his choices, decisions and actions.

Citation:

Mahfouz, R., Taha, M. and Ishak, W.W. (2015). The Four-step Integrative Model for Group Psychotherapy: Description, Development, and Application in Egyptian Culture. In H. Derrickson (Ed.), Group Therapy: Theory, Practices and Effectiveness (first edition, pp 1-18). New York: Nova Publishers.

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