module 4 topic 3 - reculm.eu · perceives, -as in step 2- and he/she shows it as in step 3. it is...

Professionalcompetencesneededwhenworkingwiththe

targetpopula6on

MODULE4Topic3

CONTENT

2

I.Introduc9on II.Knowledge III.Skills

IV.ADtudesV.Reccomenda9onswhencontac9ngtherefugeepopula9on

MODULE4.Principlesonpsychologicalwell-beingandsocio-emo9onalhealthinrefugeecases.Topic3:Professionalcompetencesneededwhenworkingwiththetargetpopula9on

Introduc9onIt is necessary that people that work assis9ng refugees have PROFESSIONALCOMPETENCESthatallowthemtofaithfullydeveloptheirtask.There are mul9ple ways to define the term competence. The proposal of Echevarría(2002)andCejas(2003),pointsoutthatcompetenceisformedbyfourelements:1. KNOWLEDGE: specialised knowledge and skills in the execu9on of tasks and thecontentoftheworkitself.2.KNOWINGHOW:theabilitytogiveasystema9cresponsetotheneedsoftheworkingac9vity,thatis,applyingtheknowledgetothecontext.3. KNOWING HOW TO BE: orienta9on to work in teams, collabora9ng andcommunica9ngeffec9velyandwithgoodinterpersonalrela9ons.4. KNOWING HOW TO BEHAVE: understood as the ability to assume responsibili9es,organisingthepar9cipa9onintheworkingsystem.

3MODULE4.Principlesonpsychologicalwell-beingandsocio-emo9onalhealthinrefugeecases.Topic3:Professionalcompetencesneededwhenworkingwith

thetargetpopula9on

Knowledge Knowinghow

Knowinghowtobe

Knowinghowtobehave

Knowledges Skills ADtudes

The competences studied are the ones that will be used in psychosocialinterven9oncontextswithrefugeesandasylumseekers,andcanbeclassifiedin:

4

•  General•  Specific

•  Emo9onalintelligence•  Ac9velistening•  Empathy•  Self-control•  Opening•  Reflec9on•  Observa9on•  Asser9veness


Introduc9on

KnowledgesI.General:•  Knowledges about migra9on: difference between refugee and immigrant,

immigra9onpolicies,etc.•  Communica9on,educa9onandinterculturalmedia9ontheories.•  Knowledges about culture: some cultural codes, cultural interac9on

possibili9es,etc.

II.Specific:aboutpsychosocialinterven9oninimmigrantsandrefugees.•  Modelsoftransculturalpsychologyandethno-psychology.•  Specific aspects of care derived from cultural interpreta9on: health and

sickness from different cultural perspec9ves, diagnosis and treatmentpeculiari9es, transcultural aspects of perceiving pain, adapta9on and facingstrategies,prevalenceofdisorders.

•  Models and theories that explain symptoms, diseases, disorders: migra9onbereavement,accultura9vestress,commondiseasesintheircultures,etc.


thetargetpopula9on

SkillsTHEWAYOFPROCEEDINGofprofessionals is fundamental in the interven9oncarriedout inthetargetgroup.Thefollowingaredescribed:Next, there will be a descrip9on of some skills that are useful in the development ofinterven9ons.

• Discoveringwhicharetheelementsthatcreatetheiriden)ty.

• Valuinghowculturaldifferencesinfluencethewaytheygethelp.

• Valuinghowstereotypesinfluencetheirknowledgeofreality.

• Beingabletorealiseandinterpretstoriesofthelivesofrefugeesandimmigrants.

• Studyinghowthesocialintegra)onprocessofimmigrantsandrefugeestakesplace.

• Determiningwhicharethepersonallimitsregardingtolerance.

•  Knowing how to handle nonverbal communica)on in the help rela9onship withimmigrantsandrefugees.

•  Adding resources to guarantee a more integral aaen9on or to re-locate a personaccordingtotheirpersonalneeds.

• Handlingculturalcodesofthepersonyouareworkingwithinordertobeabletomakeagoodinterpreta9onofhis/herreality.


thetargetpopula9on

Emo9onalintelligenceEmo9onal intelligence (EI) is the skill that enable us to recognise our own emo7ons,understandingwhatitissaidandtorealisehowtheseaffectthepeoplearoundus.Italsoimpliesthepercep7onoftheemo7onalstateofothers.

DanielGolemaniden9fied5elements/competencesofemo9onalintelligence:

7

1. Self-Awareness: the skill to recognise your ownemo9ons,strengthsandweaknesses.2. Self-regula7on: the skill to control your ownemo9onsinaneffec9veway.3.Mo7va7on: it refers to theskill thathelpsyoutoestablish long-term goals whilst having a posi9vevision about the challenges you face and enjoyingwhatyou’redoing.4.Empathy:theskilltorecogniseandunderstandtheemo9ons,needsandpointsofviewofothers.5. Social skills: including working in teams, goodcommunica9on skills, management of disputes andhaving a good rela9onshipwith the people you areworkingwith.MODULE4.Principlesonpsychologicalwell-beingandsocio-emo9onalhealthinrefugeecases.Topic3:Professionalcompetencesneededwhenworkingwith

thetargetpopula9on

Ac9velisteningListening is one of the key skills that helps us to understand the personwe have infrontofus.

In ac9ve listening the aCen7on is driven to what is being told. It does not implyagreeingtotheinforma9on,butopeningtotheexperienceoftheother.

Ifnonverbalcommunica7onistakencareof(posi9on,gesture,pauses,etc.)andthenonverbal communica7on of the other is taken into account as well, themessagesharedwillbereceivedmuchmoreclearly.

8MODULE4.Principlesonpsychologicalwell-beingandsocio-emo9onalhealthinrefugeecases.Topic3:Professionalcompetencesneededwhenworkingwiththetargetpopula9on

9

Ac9velisteningtechniques

PARAPHRASINGVerifyingwhatthepersonhavejustsaid.i.e.“Then,asIsee,whatwasgoingonwasthat…”;“Doyoumeanyoufeltlike…?”

REASSURANCEANDCOMPLIMENTS It makes reference to the verbalisa9on of compliments or speech reassurances,seekingtoshowapproval,agreementorcomprehensionofwhatisbeingsaid.

SUMMARYOFTHESTORYThistechniqueisusedtoinformtheotherpersonaboutourlevelofunderstandingortheneedofabeaerexplana9on.

QUESTIONFORMULATIONWhenthepersonfeelsthatisbeinglistened,he/shefeelsmo9vatedtotellthestory.Ifthe ques9ons asked are about the messages that just have been delivered, itdemonstratesthatyouarepayingaaen9ontothem.

Thegoodques9onsareshort,comprehensibleandarerelatedtothestory(who,what,where,how,when,whichandwhy).


EmpathyEMPATHY implies being aware of the needs, feelings or interests of others,dis9nguishingwhatitisoursandwhatitistheirs.

Ac9velisteningofothers’emo9onsisawayoftryingto“putoneselfinsomeoneelse’sshoes”andunderstandingtheirmo7ves.Payingaaen9ontotheirfeelingsandleDngthemknowthat“wearetakingcareofthings”,tryingtounderstandwhatthatpersonfeels.Itisnotaboutshowinghappiness,notevenaboutbeingnice, it consists in just leDng them know thatwe are able to put ourselves intheirplace.

Itdoesnotimplyaccep9ngnoragreeingwiththeposi9onoftheother.

Empathy generates feelings and aJtudes of closeness, pleasure,comprehensionor affec7on, amongothers. Although, it ismoreprobable thatthese feelingsaresharedbetweenpeoplewitha levelofproximity, itdoesnotmeanthattheycouldnotbeexpressedbetweenstrangers.

ToexpressthiskindofaDtude,wemayusesentenceslike:“Iunderstandhowyoufeel”,“Ifeelthat...”.

10


TECHNIQUE1Imaginethatyouareinabubblewhereyouaretheonlyoneabletoperceivethenonverbal languageofothers (gestures, looks,body language,etc.)andmakeaneffort to guess how the person feels without paying aaen9on to what they aresaying.

TECHNIQUE2Amer listening carefully to their story, try to name the emo6ons you areexperiencing:“Howismakingmefeelwhatthispersonistellingme?”.

TECHNIQUE3Think of a person you do not like and describe in details the characteris9cs youdon’t like of that person and themo9ves that lead you to reject him/her. Later,posi6velydescribe/imagineagoal that thispersonhas.Reflecton theday todaydifficul9esthatthispersonexperiencesinordertoachieveitand“thereasonwhy”he/sheactsinthewaythathe/shedoes. 11

Developingorimprovingempathytechniques


Self-controlorself-regula9onThis skill allows us toproperlymanage our emo7ons,without leDng them controlourselves.

Expressing (nega9ve and posi9ve) emo9ons will fulfil the adap7ve func7on of thehumanbeing.Managingemo9onsdoesnot implydominate thembutbeingable tomanifestthemandinhibitthemproperlydependingonthecontextwearein.

There isawrongbeliefthatstatesthatemo9onscannotbecontrolledbecausetheyare spontaneous. This belief is associatedwith inappropriate behaviour and habits.Thefirststeptomodifyyouremo9onsistobeawareoftheminordertobeabletorelearnnewones.

“Theabilitytomakeapauseandnotactbyfirstimpulsehasbecomeacruciallearningnowadays.”(DanielGoleman)


thetargetpopula9on

Emo6onalcontainmentandlisteningTechniqueSTEP 1: “A” explains to “B” the message or speechwith emo9onal content about themaaerthatisaffec9nghim/her.Thisisafirstpersonmessage,sayinghowtheyfeelaboutthatspecificmaaer:“Ifeel..”/“I’msickof…”.

STEP2:“B”gatherstheinforma7onof“A” inanaccep9ngandagreeingaDtudewithoutjudging.“B” focuson theemo9onthat theperson is showingor tries tohelphim/her toiden9fyitanddescribehowhe/sheislivingthesitua9on.

STEP 3: “B” expresses a sentence of equal meaning, showing acceptance andunderstandingwithoutjudging:“Irealisethatyouare/youfeel…”;“itseemsthatyouare/youfeel…”;Iseethatyoufeel”;“meaningthat…”.

STEP4:Toeverynewanswer“A”gives,“B”keeps focusingon theemo7onthathe/sheperceives, -as in step2-andhe/sheshows itas in step3. It is important that “B” totallyavoidsposi9oninginthemaaer,nortryingtofindawayoutofthesitua9on.

STEP 5: Amer a space where they can express their emo9ons and feelings, there is amomentoflessac9vity.Inthismoment,thepersonwillbeopentoreasoningandabletostartanewphaseofsearchingalterna7ves.“B”maybeaccompaniedduringthisprocess.

13

Self-controlTechniques


OpeningItistheskillthatfacilitatesthecontactwiththenovelty:newexperiences,people,beliefs,cultures,etc.

People with an open mind, have their own opinions, values and beliefs but withoutnecessarilywan7ng to know theones of theother. This allows them to develop amoreintegra9ng perspec9ve of reality, whilst removing judgements, stereotypes anddiscriminatoryaDtudes.Thesebeliefsallowustogiveanordertotheworld inanaaemptofunderstanding itandfeelingsafeinit.However,mostofthe9methesebeliefslimitourpossibilitytogettoknowdifferentcontextsandpeople.

Opening implies adynamic exercise inwhich new informa9on is received, evaluated andcontrastedwithwhatitwasalreadyknown.Inthisway,useful informa9onis incorporatedandobsoleteinforma9onisdiscarded.

14

Havinganopenmindallowsusto:•  Develop strategies to overcome problems and to havemoretolerancetowardsfrustra9on.• Develop imagina7onandcrea7vity in thesearchofnewsolu9ons.• Use internalexperiencesas feedback for the learningofnewbehaviours.• Liveafullandhappylife.


TECHNIQUE1Steppingoutofyourcomfortzone:Itconsistsininterac9ngincircles/contextsthatareunknowntousandinwhichwearenotfeelingen9relysafe.First, we give liale steps (for example, talking to someone from otherculture with whom you have never interacted) and, progressively, westartgivingmore important steps (likeaccompanying themtovisit theircountryoforigin).

15

Techniquestodevelopanopenmind


TECHNIQUE2Ques)oningthings:Itisaskillthatweloseaswegrowupandthatusuallyleadstoanuncondi9onalacceptanceofexternalmessages(fromtelevision, importantpeople inour life,etc.).Once inawhile, it is interes9ng to stopourselvesandques9on thesemessages,tradi9ons,habits,thatareset inourmindsandthatcondi9onourwayofmovingaroundtheworld.

TECHNIQUE3Discoveringconnec)ons:Findinglinksthatconnectus,eveniftheydon’tseemtohavethem,isagoodopenmindexercise.Understandingyourselforunderstandingothersas a part of a family, community, country, tradi9on systemandnot as isolated anddecontextualised individuals, helps us to change theperspec9vewithwhichwe seereality.

16

Techniquestodevelopanopenmind

Reflec9onItisawayofques7oningthedynamicorchangingtherealitythatweliveinandourac9ons.

AREFLEXIVEPRACTICEisdifferentfromthesporadicreflec9onofthedailyac9vity,inthatitbecomesapartoftheiden7tyofprofessionals,asahabitthat

canbeno9cedintheirdailyac9vity.

Becomingareflexiveprofessional implies:controlofself-evolu9on,buildingupcompetencesandnewor improvedknowledge fromwhat itwasacquiredandexperienced.

Inthecrea9onofnewknowledge,thereflexiveabilitycomeswiththecuriosityofknowing, cri6c, crea6vityand imagina6on,whichareessen9alelements inanyresearchprocess.


thetargetpopula9on

Observa9onTheobserva9onistheabilitythatallowsustosubtractinforma7onfromtheworldandpeopleinordertoenhanceourcomprehensionofthesetwoandtoacquireknowledge.Itconsistsinthepercep9onofdifferentnuancesofrealitythroughsenses.

This knowledge acquisi9on process is made unconsciously and consciously. It isnecessarytopayaaen9onto:

18

Thecontentoftheinforma9on

Thewaytheinforma9onisgathered

Lookingforwhatismorefaithfultorealityaspossible.

Tryingnot to letpersonal subjec)vity (beliefs,values,etc.)influenceandinterveneinourfinalidea.


Observa9on

However,therehastobeconsideredthateveryperspec9veisdamagedbyaSYSTEMOFBELIEFS,EMOTIONSANDWAYSOFACTINGoftheindividual,whichmakesprac9callyimpossibletokeepthepurenessoftheinforma9onwithoutmakinganyinterpreta9onsofit.Therefore,itisimportanttosetthelimitsinobserva7oninordertoavoidthatpersonalthingsinterfereinpsychosocialac9vi9es.

FINALOBJECTIVE:Developingcriteriathatshouldbesupportedbyasexactaspossiblepremises.

“Theobserva)onabilityofpeopleisalwaysasignoftheirproduc)oncapacity".Proverb

19

TECHNIQUE1Trainingobserva)onandmemory:Takeapencilandapaperandgetoutoftheroom.Nowwritedowneverythingthatyourememberoftheroom.You’llrealisethatyoucannotrememberasmanyobjectsasyouthought.Comebacktotheroomandlookateverythingyouhavemissed.Repeatitandseehowthelistofthingskeepsgrowing.

TECHNIQUE2Askyourselfques)onsonceyouareoutofacontext:“Whatclotheswastheotherpersonwearing?”,“Whatwashis/hermostrepeatedgesture?”,etc.

TECHNIQUE3The study of the symptomatology associated with the group we are going to workwith: In this case, knowing the profiles that refugees normally present and theircommon symptomatology will help us to pay aaen9on to the manifesta9on ofconductsthatcanbetheobjectofinterests.

20

Observa9ondevelopmenttechniques


Asser9venessItisdefinedastheabilitytobeclear,frankanddirect,sayingexactlywhatyouwantto say, without hur7ng the feelings of others, always protec9ng their personalrights.

Thisabilityissetinacon7nuum,inwhichthecentreisasser9veness,andattheendsarepassivenessandaggressiveness.Asser9veness is associated with self-confidence, self-esteem and self-assurance. Itallows us to communicate in a clearwaywith others, be proac9ve and accept thelimitsthatsitua9onsorpeopleimposed.


thetargetpopula9on

TECHNIQUE1Self-observa)onandregisterofnonasser)vebehaviours:Itmust be clearly iden9fiedwhen, how, howmuch,withwhomand underwhat circumstancesthesebehavioursoccurduringaperiodoftwoweeks.

TECHNIQUE2Discussingifinterpreta)onsarecorrectoraredistorted:Ifinterpreta9onshavenologicorarenotrealbutareexaggeratedanddrama9sed,whichisveryharmful,thenthereisnodoubtthattheseinterpreta9onsareirra9onal.

TECHNIQUE3Searchingforra)onalalterna)vestoiden)fydistortedthoughts:Thesealterna9vescomeupwhenrevisingourmistakes.Todoso,itisveryusefultoreadthroughra9onalalterna9vesof“AlbertEllis’Irra)onalBeliefs”.

22

Techniquestoimproveasser9veness

Day Event Thought Emo7onandintensity(0-100)

hap://www.evolbiol.ru/docs/docs/large_files/irra)onal.pdf


ADtudesProfessionalaJtudeisoneoftheaspectsthatdeterminethenewsystemcreatedbetweentheprofessionalandtheimmigrantorrefugee.Thefollowingsaspectsarehighlighted:

23

1.  Posi9velyvaluingthecontribu9onofothers.2.  Knowingandbeinginterestedinthecausesandeffectsofglobalisa9on,specially

regardingmigra9onprocesses.3.  Considering how immigra9on bring benefits to the communi9es of origin and

des9na9on.4.  Acknowledging how riching cultural differences are as well as their conflic9ng

tendency.5.  Examiningandassessinginacri9calwaythesocialimageofimmigra9on.6.  Acknowledgingthe importanceofmigra9onprojectsof thegrouptotheirsocial

integra9on.7.  Understandinginterculturalmaaersasawayoforganisingrela9onshipsbetween

differentgroups.8.  Searchingawaytounderstandeachotherbeaerandyourselfaswell.9.  Discussing about the behaviour of others without underes9ma9ng the other

person.10.  Havingacertainculturalsensi9vityandbeingabletounderstandtheimmigrantor

refugeewithintheirfamily,cultural,socialandpoli9calframework.


Openingtonewcultures

Working with the person inside our culturalframework

Adap9ng the content and the way ofmanaging informa9on to the characteris9csof the person (language, educa9on level,culturalsystem,etc.)

Giving informa9on without taking intoaccounttheirpersonalpar9culari9es

Explainingourroleandjob’stasks Taking for granted that the person knowswhoweare,whatwedoandhowtheirnewenvironmentworks

Crea9ngaconfidenceandsafetylink Showing a distant aDtude that doesn’tfacilitateafeelingofsupport

P r o v i d i n g s t r a t e g i e s f o r p e r s ona lempowerment and reinforcement of theirownresources

Crea9ng a paternalist rela9onship, morefocused on protec9ng rather than providingresourcesforself-sufficiency

Taking into account the par9culari9es ofindividuals

Focusing on the symptoma9c aspect,forgeDngtheperson’slifeexperience

TryingtodevelopanonjudgementalaDtude Valuing their behaviours and thoughtsaccordingtoourownculturalframework

Whattodo

Recommenda9onswhencontac9ngtherefugeepopula9on


thetargetpopula9on

WhatNOTtodo

Resources

Web-sites

OnlineTherapyIns9tute:hap://onlinetherapyins9tute.com/ethical-training/

Cuadernosdecrisisyemergencias:hap://www.cuadernosdecrisis.com/

Documentalessobrepsicología:hap://www.rtve.es/television/redes/

ACOVERSTORY,Aprescrip9onforempathy(APA):hap://www2.apa.org/monitor/2010/01/empathy.aspx


thetargetpopula9on

BibliographyandreferencesBibliographyBrislin,R.W.,Cushner,K.,Cherrie,C.,&Yong,M.(1986).Interculturalinterac)ons.Aprac)calguide.BeverlyHills,CA,UnitedStates:SAGE.

Caballo,V.E.(2002).Manualdeevaluaciónyentrenamientodelashabilidadessociales.Madrid,Spain:S.XXI.

Goleman,D.(1999).Laprác)cadelainteligenciaemocional.Barcelona,Spain:Kairós.

Irwin,M.,&McGlade,A.(2011).Youtalkin'tome?DirectObserva9ons:acomplexprocessmadeeasierbyeffec9vecommunica9on.InTheJournalofPrac)ceTeaching&Learning,11(2),92-108.

McQuiddyP.E.(2007).Niñosyniñasdespuésdeundesastre.Guíadeintervenciónpsicoafec9vadirigidaapersonalnoespecializadoensaludmental.Psicologíaconductual,15(3),507-523.

Musso,C.G.(2014,diciembre).Elartecomoinstrumentoeduca9voenmedicina.ArchArgentPediatr,112(6),494-495.

Riyin,J.(2010).Lacivilizaciónempá)ca.Lacarrerahacíaunaconcienciaglobalenunmundoencrisis.Barcelona,Spain:Paidós.

Weeks,W.H.,Pedersen,P.,&Brislin,R.W.(1979).AManualofStructuredExperiencesforCross-CulturalLearning.LaGrangePark,IL,UnitedStates:InterculturalNetwork

26


module 4 topic 3 - reculm.eu · perceives, -as in step 2- and he/she shows it as in step 3. it is...

Documents