PSYCHOPATHOLOGY-II

FIELD VISIT REPORT

SAMOHITA DAS

BSc-15-34

BSc Psychology 3rd Year

Psychopathology-II

MSSW
CONTENTS

Introduction
1. History
2. Vision
3. Mission
4. Value Statement
5. Roles/Functions
6. Services Provided
7. Learning from the Visit
8. Conclusion

References
Introduction
On 8th December’17, the Psychology department (UG) of Madras School of Social Work
conducted a field visit for the final year of psychology students (UG) at “NIEPMD”, in East
Coast Road, Muttukadu, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu 600119. National Institute for
Empowerment of people with Multiple Disabilities serves as a national resource center for
empowerment of persons with Multiple Disabilities such as those with two or more disabilities in
a person.

National Institute for empowerment of Persons with Multiple Disabilities

(Divyangjan) established in the year 2005, on East Coast Road, Muttukadu, Chennai, Tamil
Nadu, under Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilties (Divyangjan), Ministry of
Social Justice & Empowerment, Government. of India. The Disabilities enumerated as per PWD
(1995) Act, are Low Vision, Blindness, Locomotor Disability, Hearing Impairment, Mental
Retardation, Mental Illness, Leprosy Cured Persons and as per The National Trust (1999) Act,
are Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities.

DATE: 08/12/17
PLACE: National Institute for Empowerment of people with Multiple Disabilities
LOCATION: East Coast Road, Muttukadu, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, 600119
PHONE: 044- 27472113
MONITORED BY: Mrs Rathidevi S (Assistant Professor, MSSW)
:Mr Sangeeth Gopinath (Assistant Professor, MSSW)
TEAM ATTENDED: 44 students; BSc 3rd year psychology, MSSW
OBJECTIVES OF THE VISIT:
1. To understand and identify the difficulties/ barriers in practical work in the fields
2. To collect information on the various activities taking place in the institution
3. An opportunity to learn hands-on through an internship work experience
4. To obtain extensive and varied opportunities to utilize and build upon the
theoretical and empirical knowledge gained
5. To develop and demonstrate the skills of critical thinking
METHODOLOGIES:
1. Direct observation
2. Interaction with staffs and students
HISTORY
The Ministry of Social Justice &
Empowerment, Department of Empowerment of
Persons with Disabilities, Govt. of India is
working and aiming for the empowerment of
persons with disabilities since its commencement.
This ministry is serving the disabled through its
seven delivery models. These are conducting
awareness, sensitization and HRD programs, undertaking research & development, providing
assistive devices and livelihood for persons with disabilities (PWD) in the year 1980 which
reinforces the idea of serving disabled. The United Nation declared decade for disabilities (1982-
1992), which led to the advent of the most of the National Institutions. The institutes started
earlier were working for the persons with Disabilities of different individual categories (single
disabilities). The decade between 1993-2002 was declared as the Asia pacific decade of the
disabled persons; further extended as extension of Asia Pacific decade for the disabled 2003-
2013.
This decade led to the emergence & proposal of the PWD (1995) Act and the National
Trust (1999) Act in India. After the proposal of National Trust Act (1999), focus was given to
Persons with Multiple Disabilities and there arose a need to start a National Institute exclusively
for Empowerment of persons with Multiple Disabilities. To achieve the focus given above,
National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Multiple Disabilities (NIEPMD) came in to
an existence in the year 2005. The Institute is situated in a beautiful ambience on East coast road
(ECR) Muttukadu, Chennai, which is 35 kilometers away from the Chennai Central station.
Since the commencement in 2005 the services for Persons with Disabilities for single as well as
Multiple disabilities as NIEPMD has been given on an outpatient basis through a multi-
disciplinary team model, besides the cottage services and extension services.
The Census 2011, of India enumerated data on eight types of Disabilities, including first
time entry of multiple disabilities. This data gave a picture of prevalence of multiple disabilities
in the country and guide path to NIEPMD in planning various services of rehabilitation for this
group of society. Census data 2011on disability shows that there are 2.68 crore persons with
disabilities in India, which constitute 2.21% of the total population, out of which 21.16 lakhs
belong to the category of multiple disabilities. One of the objectives is to ensure all human rights
to disabled persons especially to those who need more intensive support i.e. persons with
multiple disabilities.

VISION
The persons with Multiple Disabilities have equal rights to lead a better quality of life.
This may be enabled with committed professionalism, accessible environment, equal
opportunities, positive attitudes and appropriate, affordable, acceptable and available
technological interventions.

MISSION
To provide need-based comprehensive rehabilitation through team approach, facilitating
inclusion, ensuring empowerment of persons with Multiple Disabilities and their families and by
substantiating field based research and development of human resources.

VALUE STATEMENT
Promoting quality of life for persons with Multiple Disabilities, through equal
participation of clients, families, professionals and community agencies.

ROLES/FUNCTIONS
 Human resource development

 Research and Development

 Documentation & Dissemination of information

 Developing Service delivery models

 Supporting NGOs

SERVICES PROVIDED
 Rehabilitation Medicine

 Physical therapy

 Occupational therapy

 Sensory Integration
  Early Intervention Services

 Prosthetics & Orthotics

 Special education

 Psychological Assessments and

Interventions

 Speech, Hearing & Communication

 Vocational training

 Vocational Guidance & Counseling

 Deaf-blind

 Community based Rehabilitation

 Special Clinics (Psychiatric, Neurology & Ophthalmology)

 Family Cottage Facilities

o To obviate the need for every day commutation by persons with multiple
disabilities

o To encourage multiply disabled persons from all over the country to avail the
services.

o To train the clients and educate the parents in a home like atmosphere.

LEARNING FROM THE VISIT

MENTAL RETARDATION
 Mental retardation is a disability characterized by significant limitations both in
intellectual functioning and in adaptive behavior as expressed in conceptual, social and
practical adaptive skill areas.
 The prevalence of MR is estimated at about 2-3% of the general population.
 Causes-maternal factors, chromosomal disorders, cretinism, metabolic factors, difficult
delivery, various natal and postnatal causes
 MR is not curable.
  Characteristics to identify persons with MR
o Delay in neck control/sitting/crawling/standing/walking
o Language development delay
o Attention deficits
o Poor memory
o Poor academic achievement
o Lack of motivation
o Poor problem solving and decision
making skills
o Behavioral problems
 Skills that can improve children with MR
o Self help skills
o Fine motor and gross motor skills
o Language
development/communication skills
o Social skills
o Reading, writing and basic arithmetic skills
o Health and safety skills
o Recreational and creative expression skill training
o Independent living skills

CEREBRAL PALSY
 Cerebral palsy is the commonly used name for a group of condition characterized by
motor dysfunction due to non-progressive brain damage before birth (during pregnancy),
during birth or immediately after birth.
 It is estimated that the worldwide incidence is 2-2.5 per 1000 live births.
 Causes- marriage amongst close relatives, pre-mature infants, lack of oxygen to the brain,
trauma during birth, viral and other infections, blood incompatibility (Rh), encephalitis,
intra-cranial bleeding, reduced blood glucose level
 Different types of Cerebral Palsy:
o Depending on the affected part of the body
  Tetraplegic/Quadriplegic
 Diplegic
 Hemiplegic
 Paraplegic
o Depending on the neurological
manifestation
 Spastic
 Athetoid
 Ataxic
 Mixed
 When to suspect that the child has cerebral palsy
o Eye tracking not found within one month
o Neck control not achieved within 3-5 months
o Increased/decreased muscle tone
o Involuntary movements
o Walking with scissoring/wide based gait
o Drooling of saliva
o Delay in voluntary movements
o Paralysis of eye movement

AUTISM
 It refers to a neurological condition typically appearing in the first three years of life, that
significantly affects a person’s ability to communicate, understand relationships and
relate to others, and is frequently associated with unusual or stereotypical rituals or
behaviors.
 In India it is estimated that 1 in 250 will fall under the autism spectrum.
 Autism Spectrum Disorders
o Autistic disorder
o Asperger’s disorder
o Childhood disintegrative disorder
o Rett’s disorder
 o Pervasive developmental disorder
 Causes- abnormality in the brain occurring before or soon after birth, defective gene,
environmental factors
 Characteristics of Autism
o Lack of/no eye contact
o Prefers to be alone
o Doesn’t mingle with peers
o Echolalia
o Delayed speech/lack of speech
o Difficulty in expressing
needs/finger pointing
o Laughing or crying for no apparent
reason
o Difficulty in understanding emotions
o Difficulty in gross/fine motor skills
o Difficulty in language
o Sensory defensiveness
 Interventions for Autism
o Auditory training
o Behavior modification
o Dietary interventions
o Educational programs
o Facilitated communication
o Holding therapy
o Medication
o Occupational therapy
o Sensory integration

CONCLUSION
Objectives constructed by NIEPMD are:
 To undertake development of human resources for management, training rehabilitation,
education, employment and social development of persons with Multiple Disabilities.
  To promote and conduct research in all areas relating to Multiple Disabilities

 To develop trans-disciplinary models and strategies for social rehabilitation and to meet
the needs of diverse groups of people with Multiple Disabilities.

 To undertake services and out-reach programs for the persons with Multiple Disabilities.

Participation in everyday activities is considered to be a vital part of children's

development, which is related to their quality of life and future life outcomes. Research studies
indicate that children with disabilities are at risk for lower participation in ordinary activities at
home and in the community. There has been increasing recognition of the importance of asking
more positive questions about the perceptions and experiences of families of children with
developmental disabilities. However, this recognition has not yet had an observable impact on
publication trends. Positive perceptions function as strategies to help families adapt to or cope
with the experiences of raising a child with disabilities.

The benefits of physical activity are universal for all children, including those with
disabilities. The participation of children with disabilities in sports and recreational activities
promotes inclusion, minimizes deconditioning, optimizes physical functioning, and enhances
overall well-being. Despite these benefits, children with disabilities are more restricted in their
participation, have lower levels of fitness, and have higher levels of obesity than their peers
without disabilities. Well-informed decisions regarding each child's participation must consider
overall health status, individual activity preferences, safety precautions, and availability of
appropriate programs and equipment. Child, family, financial, and societal barriers to
participation need to be directly identified and addressed in the context of local, state, and federal
laws. The goal is inclusion for all children with disabilities in appropriate activities.

REFERENCES
Rose, Sarah F. (2017). No Right to Be Idle: The Invention of Disability, 1840s–1930s.
University of North Carolina Press.

WEBSITES:

 niepmd.tn.nic.in
 Google Scholar