Social Functioning

Living up to the expectations that are made of an individual by that person’s own self, by the immediate social environment, and by society at large. These expectations, or functions, include meeting one’s own basic needs and the needs of one’s dependents and making positive contributions to society.

Human needs include phsyical aspects (food, shelter, safety, health car, protection), personal fullfilment(education, recreation, values, asthetics, religion, and accomplishment), emotional needs, ( a sense of belonging, mutual caring, and companionship) and an adequate self-concept ( self-confidence, self-esteem, confidency) (Barker,2003, p.403)

Types of Social Functioning

1. Effective social functioning
Understandably, competent systems activate personal, interpersonal, and instituional resources to deal with problems, issues and needs. Adaptive systems recognive their problems and take the necessary steps to resolve them, for example, individuals who are able to adjust successfully to stress resulting from life transitions such as marriage and divorce, parenting, the death of love one, or retirement.

2. At-risk social functioning
They are vulnerable to specific problems, although such problems have yet to surface. In other words, identifiable conditions exist that could have a negative impact on social functioning. Such as unemployment. Alcohol and drug abuse, and illness, place children at risk for abuse and neglect.

3. Difficulties in social functioning
Problems becomeso exacerbated that the ability to cope is diminished or the systemsis immobilized and unable to initiate a change process. Such as in depression and loneliness, criminal offenders, child abuse and anymore.