Adaptive behavior is also known as a method through which a person is able to integrate and blend with their environment. It involves having less conflict with those surrounding them and more of creating positive relationships with those around (Staddon, 2016). It is a term commonly used in psychology while dealing with special education hence mainly refer to children. There is the involvement of everyday tasks or responsibilities that a person is to undertake also referred to as life skills.
According to psychologists from Pew Research Centre study, eighty percent of Americans claim to practice religion while the other twenty percent mainly the youth do not practice anything. Despite one’s spiritual belief, the only way it can be observed is the way they carry themselves and eventually in the culture. American culture reflects the level of spirituality. According to Kenneth Paragment an expert in the psychology of religion and spirituality, the culture of a society is also determined by their spiritual beliefs. As discussed earlier, most communities have a spiritual belief with few being pagans (Rosmarin, Pargament & Robb, 2010). Spirituality determines the type of lifestyle people live. Depending on the teachings in a certain religion, many will follow the lifestyle of their teachings and hence determines a person’s adaptive behavior. The adaptive behavior requires one to blend with the community and environment that surrounds them. There are situations where one has a psychological disorder and therefore, they tend to be different from the normal people in society. Spirituality applies to both the person adapting and the society they are adapting.
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A spiritual person is also a religious person and therefore, they will tend to follow believes in the way they carry out their activities. Religion in most cases has teaching regarding peace, love, and harmony. It encourages people to be accommodative to their neighbors regardless of their characters. A person who has a psychological disorder will tend to find peace in their religion and whenever they are discriminated in the community, they tend to find solace in their spirituality (Rosmarin, Pargament & Robb, 2010). The community, on the other hand, will tend to be compassionate to a person suffering psychologically and therefore, will accommodate them in the community hence making it easy for them to adapt to the culture.
There is currently an evaluation-taking place by psychologists on how spirituality integrates into treatments where they can have programs that encourage forgiveness to help those undergoing divorce. It will help them come to peace with the anger and bitterness they feel and those who are survivors of sexual abuse to assist in adapting with the society without having low self-esteem (Rosmarin, Pargament & Robb, 2010). People with eating disorders are also victims that are going to help solve their low self-esteem and come up with ways in which they can draw spiritual resources. Drug abusers are also to benefit from spirituality through reconnecting to the higher selves. Such programs are still in the initial stages of development and so far, their results seem to be encouraging and promising. Psychologists so far have discovered that asking a person a question or two in regards to their religion always initiates a deeper conversation. Encouraging such conversations brings out positivity and a vibe that is productive.
Therefore, spirituality is seen to bring out a lifestyle that enables a person to adapt positively to their environment (Rosmarin, Pargament & Robb, 2010). Despite a person’s current psychological situation, spirituality is an encouraging factor in adaptive behavior and is encouraged by psychologists.
References
Rosmarin, D. H., Pargament, K. I., & Robb III, H. B. (2010). Spiritual and religious issues in behavior change: Introduction. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice .
Staddon, J. E. (2016). Adaptive behavior and learning . Cambridge University Press.
