Abraham Maslow developed the "Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs"
theory in the 1940s. The approach is predicated on the concept that
human beings have specific fundamental requirements, which may be
ranked ascending or descending. These needs required for human
survival, food, and shelter, the most basic, are at the bottom of the
hierarchy and progress to higher levels that address safety and
security, belonging, social, and self, while the drive to reach one's full
potential or self-actualization, is at the top (Woodside & McClam,
2018). One example of Maslow's hierarchy would be a theory of
motivation that corresponds to the pyramid-shaped structure shown
below; it divides behavior into five dimensions. Based on Maslow's
theory, our actions are influenced by physiological and psychological
conditions gradually becoming more complex. He stressed that
addressing higher-level needs is difficult unless an individual's basic
needs have been met (Maslow, 1971). Since clients are often
overwhelmed by the situation they face, their understanding of what
they need or where to find solutions or assistance is unclear.
Therefore, in the helping process, addressing the most basic
requirements should be the starting point since it is usually the
easiest to manage and provide the client with immediate satisfaction.
There is no one-way path through the hierarchy; some people may
move between different needs multiple times. Knowing Maslow's
Hierarchy of Needs can help professionals limit the time spent
analyzing clients' thinking and focus on what motivates them instead
(Woodside & McClam, 2018).
a a
(Wickham,2021)
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs can be helpful in various ways when
professionals conduct needs assessments and communicate with
clients. Using Maslow's hierarchy stages, a human services
professional can assess a client's basic needs and determine whether
or not those needs are being met. As well it allows you to prioritize
clients' conditions. For example, a professional can use a hierarchy to
determine which obligations are most urgent and should take
precedence when a client has multiple requests. Then, as part of a
meeting with a client, a professional will evaluate the client's basic
necessities; For example, in the case of homeless clients, a
professional will determine their needs and access to shelter. Should
the client not have shelter access, they can offer assistance. As part
of their assessment, they will also evaluate those ascending needs,
i.e., physical safety, love, and belonging, and whether they have been
met. Finally, to formulate client objectives and interventions, the
same principle applies. For instance, if a client requires shelter and
the worker cannot provide it, they could establish a goal to assist the
client with housing placement. As no single theory or model fits all
clients' circumstances, human service professionals ought to combine
theories and models with treatments and services to meet clients'
situations, considering clients' strengths and environments. By
combining different approaches, human services become stronger
(Woodside & McClam, 2018).
Reference
Wickham, S. (2021, February 21). Abuse and Maslow's hierarchy of
needs. Retrieved from Tribework:
https://tribework.blogspot.com/2021/02/abuse-and-maslows-
hierarchy-of-needs.html
Woodside, M. R., & McClam, T. (2018). An Introduction to Human
Services (9th ed.). Cengage Learning US.
https://mbsdirect.vitalsource.com/books/9781337671262
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