Study Key questions for society in the Pearson Edexcel A Level Psychology specification, with the knowledge and exam application needed for accurate mark-scheme responses.
One key question for society is whether negative attitudes towards employees with mental health issues in the workplace can be reduced.
Biggs et al. (2010) found that employers have a high level of concern when employing individuals with mental health conditions. These concerns included issues of trust, needing supervision, inability to use initiative and inability to deal with the public.
Perkins and Rinaldi (2002) claimed that employment among individuals in London with a diagnosis of schizophrenia in 1993 was 7.7\%, and fell to 4.4\% in 1999. This was despite the increase in general employment rates during this time.
Campaigns such as "Time to Change" encourage employers to tackle mental health stigma in the workplace to improve the wellbeing and productivity of employees.
Discuss the key question of whether negative attitudes towards employees with mental health issues in the workplace can be reduced. You should use concepts, theories and/or research studied in your psychology course.
You must make reference to the context in your answer.
SECTION E
AO1 (4 marks), AO2 (4 marks)
AO1
- Negative attitudes to mental health can result in stigma attached to
a person who has a mental health condition.
- Individuals may be excluded from full involvement in society as a
result of marginalisation when mental health is misunderstood.
- Mental health conditions such as schizophrenia may have a biological
basis so symptoms are treatable with drug therapy.
- Cultural differences in the perception of mental health can influence
whether individuals are excluded or included from society.
AO2
- The concerns found by Biggs et al. (2010) show how wider social
stigma should be addressed to challenge employer negativity.
- A 3.3\% reduction in schizophrenic patients being employed shows
increasing marginalisation from employment rather than a reduction.
- Issues of trust and needing supervision can be reduced when
individuals have effective treatments for mental health conditions.
- Raising awareness in the workplace through campaigns can change
employer and colleague negative attitudes and reduce exclusion.
Look for other reasonable marking points.
(8)
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\hline Level
Mark
Descriptor
AO1 (4 marks), AO2 (4 marks)
Candidates must demonstrate an equal emphasis between knowledge and
understanding vs application in their answer.
0
No rewardable material
Level 1
1-2
Marks
Demonstrates isolated elements of knowledge and understanding. (AO1)
Provides little or no reference to relevant evidence from the context
(scientific ideas, processes, techniques and procedures). (AO2)
Level 2
3-4
Marks
Demonstrates mostly accurate knowledge and understanding. (AO1)
Discussion is partially developed, but is imbalanced or superficial occasionally
supported through the application of relevant evidence from the context
(scientific ideas, processes, techniques and procedures). (AO2)
Level 3
5-6
Marks
Demonstrates accurate knowledge and understanding. (AO1)
Arguments developed using mostly coherent chains of reasoning. Candidates
will demonstrate a grasp of competing arguments but discussion may be
imbalanced or contain superficial material supported by applying relevant
evidence from the context (scientific ideas, processes, techniques and
procedures (AO2)
Level 4
7-8
Marks
Demonstrates accurate and thorough knowledge and understanding. (AO1)
Displays a well-developed and logical balanced discussion, containing logical
chains of reasoning. Demonstrates a thorough awareness of competing
arguments supported throughout by sustained application of relevant
evidence from the context (scientific ideas, processes, techniques or
procedures). (AO2)
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\hline