ADJUSTMENT

AND
ADAPTATION
 Adaptation/ adjustment: is the
physiological, psychological or
sociological response by a person to
limit the impact of stress or neutralize
its effects.
 Coping mechanisms: tools (mental,
cognitive, behavioral) that are used to
help an individual face conflicts and
problems. Coping mechanisms or
strategies are used mostly at the
conscious level.
 Coping = Adaptation = Adjustment
:DEFENSE MECHANISMS

 These are mental mechanisms that are

used unconsciously to protect the ego
from overwhelming anxiety or distress.
They could be adaptive for short
duration, but if they are excessively
used, they become maladaptive.
 A well adjusted person is able to deal with
his problems effectively and has developed
skills needed to solve such problems.
 We learn our patterns of reaction during
childhood then we make changes when we
grow up.
 The well adjusted person has developed
patterns of behavior that:
 1- satisfy basic needs and
 2- is able to overcome a crisis within an
acceptable time.
 Well adaptive people are happy and satisfied
with their lives
 The key to adjustment:
 is to recognize ineffective behavior
and to replace it with another
behavior that gets better results.
 The basic principle necessary for
adjustment is the ability to change
behavior.
 Thus, the person needs to use effective
behavior to improve his adjustment.
 Reaction to threat varies from person to
another. Reaction to life situations is
also varied between people.
 The level of adjustment varies from
person to another and from one period
of life to another in the same person.
 For instance, people are usually less
adaptive during turning periods in
life and crisis situations.
 On the other hand, a poorly adjusted person
feels restless and dissatisfied.
 The main obstacle for such a person is
the maladjustment itself.
 He fined himself living in a rough cycle of
poor adjustment that leads to problems
which leads to more difficulties and severe
maladjustment.
 Therefore, ineffective behavior is an
outcome for poor adaptation.
 :ADJUSTMENT AND CHANGE
 Any change is a threat to adjustment.
Minor change requires little modification
in our behavior, but major changes need
big changes in our behavior because old
patterns of behavior are no longer
appropriate to adjustment.
 New experiences, illness, crisis are
examples of major changes.
 If you are able to adjust in daily life, you will
be more able to adjust to challenge, to new
situation and occasional crisis better.
 When change occurs, the individual should
do conscious evaluation of habitual
behavior and establish effective ones.
 We need to use Desensitization to deal with
situations that arouse our negative feelings.
 We have to use problem-solving technique
to deal with difficulties and change.
 One needs to choose appropriate
emotional response for every situation and
uses intellectual skills instead of impulsive
or emotional behavior to deal with
problems
ADAPTING TO CHANGE REQUIRES THE
:FOLLOWING STEPS
 Accepting the new situation.
 Have a conscious effort to familiarize yourself
to the situation.
 Study the situation carefully.
 Observe the behavior of others.
 Pay close attention to policies and regulations.
 Employ the behavior that is appropriate for the
situation.
 Do not compare the old situation with the new
in terms of preferring the old situation; this
means that you didn’t accept the new
situation.
THREATS TO
:ADJUSTMENT

 Every person faces situations and times

when he/she has things or experiences
threatening to adjustment. However,
major events are usually more risky for
adjustment.
 WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MAJOR
?CHANGES
 1- New experiences
 New experiences are threats to adjustment if
the person views them as unpleasant and
unwanted.
 In a new situation, the person will adjust
according to the type of change.
 Major changes cause high stress before
adjustment occurs. While in minor changes the
individual adapts with little awareness of
stress.
 Old patterns of behavior are not effective
in the new situation and lead to
discomfort.
 A POORLY ADJUSTING
PERSON MAY COPE WITH
:THE NEW SITUATION BY
 Criticizing the new situation.
 Telling new companions about the old
situation.
 Trying to change the new situation to make
it like the old one.
CRISIS -2
 It involves major change and it disturbs
one’s adjustment. Major changes in living
conditions, work, health practices, moving
to a new city or neighborhood.
 A crisis may also occur when the person has
to face a dramatic change that he/ she is
not prepared for.
 For Instance, getting married or having an
unexpected baby could turn to crisis if the
individual has poor adjustment abilities.
 It is common sense that people, who have
not learned to adapt to change will perceive
any change as a crisis which add to poor
adjustment.
 ILLNESS -3
 Illness is always a threat to adjustment
because it interferes with the usual pattern
of living.
 It is accompanied by discomfort, involves
doubt to the outcome, and often creates
financial problems.
 During illness, people usually show signs of
poor adjustment even for those who adjust
quit well to daily difficulties.
 poorly adjusted persons feel relieved when
they see that their illness helps them
escape from uncomfortable life problems.
 To help yourself to adapt to a new situation as
a health care provider, you may need to make
modifications in your behavior to fit the new
role you will have.

 Performance within one’s defined role is

necessary within the health field. You should
not exceed that role since this may cause you
problems with others.

 You should be ready to assist your clients to

learn new behaviors in order to adjust with
their new lives and challenges of the illness
and its treatment
LIFE STAGES AND CHANGE -4

 Each life stage is a threat to

adjustment. This principle
correlate with Erikson’s view of the
eight developmental phases of the
human being.
 Erikson perceives each
developmental phase as a
maturational crisis that has pre set
tasks and challenges.
EARLY CHILDHOOD
 New experiences are frightening to children.
Security feelings come from familiarity with
things and of routine doing certain things.
 At age 2 year, children like routine and
following certain rituals. When there is a
change in rituals, the child is upset.
 Therefore, at this age change should be
introduced in small steps and progressively.
 Introduction to change with new people should
be done while the child is accompanied by
familiar people in order to provide comfort and
reassurance.
:SCHOOL YEARS
 At the age of school years, the child should
be ready to face new situations easily
without overwhelming fear.
 This helps him/her to start school more
successfully. The degree of security and
variety of experiences influence readiness to
accept the big experience of entering school.
 Thus, children who learned to adapt to new
situations earlier will have minor difficulties
with frequent changes in school routine every
year.
 On the other hand, those who did not learn
to adapt, find the changes in every year of
school as threats to adjustment.
 ADOLESCENCE
 Adolescents have to face many changes
in their bodies and life. They worry about
their appearance, self-worth, future,
approval and acceptance from others,
communication and building friendship.
 Therefore, they have fluctuation in mood
and behavioral responses. Some of them
have poor adjustment abilities.
 Any disappointment or rejection can
threaten the adjustment of the
adolescent.
 However, there are variations in the
level of adaptability of adolescents. On
one hand, adolescents who enter this
stage with positive self-concept and
good adjustment are more able to adapt
to the changes of the adolescent period.
 Childhood behavioral patterns are
gradually replaced by more mature
pattern.
 On the other hand, those who are not
prepared for this stage, tend to
encounter a lot of difficulties and be
poorly adaptive.
YOUNG ADULTHOOD

 Change is the dominant characteristic of

young adulthood. They usually start and
finish their education, having the first
job, and marry and building a family.
 These major changes during young
adulthood require changes in habits and
need new learning.
 The experience of this period
influences the remainder of one’s life.
Any failure in any of the major life
events of this period, leaves
emotional scares, adds to poor
adjustment, and may interfere with
the success of the next responsibility.
 Losing one’s job or being divorced
during early adulthood can be very
threatening for the individual.
MIDDLE AGE
 There are many changes that accompany
middle adulthood; most of which are
negative.
 Changes such as physical changes, children
leaving home, and physical illness which lead
to limitation in living activities represent a
threat to adjustment.
 One of the major changes in this age is the
loss of youthfulness especially for women. As
for men, loss of health, baldness, gray hair
and lack of energy are some of the main
difficulties of middle adulthood that could
threaten adjustment
SENESCENCE (OLD AGE)
 Senescence brings many frightening
changes such as:
 1- death of friends and relatives,
 2- retirement,
 3-becoming a widow or widower,
 4- and moving to live with children.
 The old person fears loss of independence,
lack of sufficient money, dependence on
others financially or physically, illness, and
death. These changes are threats to the
self concept of the elderly; affects feeling
and behavior.
 GUIDELINES TO IMPROVE ADJUSTMENT
 Find patterns of behavior that satisfy basic needs for
you
 Solve your problems effectively by using problem-
solving technique
 Assume conscious control of your behavior and
feelings
 Use emotions constructively. Do not allow your
feelings to influence your decisions and behavior. Do
not repress negative feeling until you “blow up”.
 evaluate your behavior and the way you acted in any
situation seem if your behavior was effective or not
 Perform self-evaluation daily but in a constructive way.
Look for ways to improve yourself. Avoid blaming of
self, inducing guilt or inadequacy in yourself.