Psychological Needs and Their Relationship to Mental Health Among Orphans Living in Social Care Homes: A Descriptive-Analytical Study

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the psychological needs of orphans living in social care facilities and to show how these needs relate to mental health. The study was motivated by the issue that care facilities frequently concentrate on material and service-related aspects while ignoring psychological needs, given the significance of childhood as a fundamental stage in the development of human personality and the unique circumstances orphans face due to the loss of parental care and its resulting psychological and social effects. Orphans' mental health and psychological adjustment may suffer as a result of this neglect. The study used a descriptive-analytical methodology, which was thought to be appropriate for characterizing orphans' psychological requirements, assessing their mental health, and identifying the type of link between the two variables. The study examined the idea and categorization of psychological needs, concentrating on the most important requirements of orphans living in assisted living facilities, including the desire for emotional stability, security, love, belonging, self-worth, and success. The effects of meeting or rejecting these requirements on mental health were also explored. The study discovered a strong link between improving orphans' mental health and meeting their psychological requirements. While not meeting these demands results in a number of psychological and emotional issues, meeting them helps lower anxiety and depression levels and improve psychological and social integration. In order to support orphans' psychological well-being and their healthy psychological and social development, the study highlighted the importance of implementing psychological and counseling programs at care facilities that address psychological requirements in addition to material care.