FSU PSYC422 2021 February Discussions Latest (Full)

PSYC422 Abnormal Psychology

Discussion 1

Let's Explore the Multipath Model (Read Chapters 1 & 2)

Assignment title: Let's Explore the Multipath Model

Learning objective(s):  Explore the various factors that cause and/or exacerbate mental health issues. 

Submission details:  Please complete these questions in the discussion board below and respond, in-depth (per the criteria outlined in the course welcome letter) to at least ONE classmate.

Scoring criteria/rubric:  A rubric is attached to the discussion board.  The assignment is worth 10 points.

Restrictions: You must complete this assignment INDIVIDUALLY.  You are not to work in pairs or groups.

Length: Your answers to each question should be thorough yet concise.  There is no length requirement, but all aspects of each question must be addressed completely.

Resources: Please refer to chapters 1 and 2 when answering these questions.  Be sure to integrate concepts from the readings as well as any outside sources that are relevant.  If you use outside sources, please cite the sources and provide and APA style reference.

Please watch this documentary (Links to an external site.), then discuss:

Some people are surprised to discover how many incarcerated individuals have chronic and severe mental health issues.  After watching the documentary and reading Chapters 1 & 2, what do you think causes such symptoms? Is it genetics? Early childhood experiences? Culture? Problems with feelings and thoughts? Current circumstances? Wider society? Defend your choices and provide some suggestions for how to improve the way our society addresses mental health concerns.

Link: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/showsasylums/

 

PSYC422 Abnormal Psychology

Discussion 2

The Problem with the Solution" (Read Chapters 3-4)

Assignment title: The Problem with the Solution

Learning objective(s):  Explore various ways in which mental health treatment is conceptualized and implemented in American society.  Explore how we define "normality" vs. "abnormality." Consider what the goal of therapy tends to be and whether that is always in the best interest of clients.

Submission details:  Please complete these questions in the discussion board below and respond, in-depth (per the criteria outlined in the course welcome letter) to at least ONE classmate.

Scoring criteria/rubric:  A rubric is attached to the discussion board.  The assignment is worth 10 points.

Restrictions: You must complete this assignment INDIVIDUALLY.  You are not to work in pairs or groups.

Length: Your answers to each question should be thorough yet concise.  There is no length requirement, but all aspects of each question must be addressed completely.

Resources: Please refer to chapters 3 and 4 when answering these questions.  Be sure to integrate concepts from the readings as well as any outside sources that are relevant.  If you use outside sources, please cite the sources and provide and APA style reference.

The textbook for this course, much like the field of mental health treatment, subscribes primarily to a medical model wherein mental health issues are conceptualized as diseases that can be either cured or treated, often through medications.  Most of us would agree that the goal of mental health treatment in American society is to help a person restore or approximate "normality" of behaviors, thoughts, and feelings.  The title of this course is indicative of our focus on "normal vs. abnormal."

Please listen to this podcast (Links to an external site.), and then respond to these questions:

1) Did this podcast change the way you think about abnormal behavior and psychopathology? If not, why? If so, how?

2) Compare and contrast the medical model that we currently use with the model outlined in the podcast, which you can refer to as the "Geel Model"  What are the pros and cons of each?

3) Do you think the Geel Model could ever be applied here on a wide scale?  Even if it could, do you think it should?

 

PSYC422 Abnormal Psychology

Discussion 3

Who is in Your Corner? (Read Chapter 5)

Assignment title: Who is in Your Corner?

Learning objective(s):  Explore the role of social support in coping with your life demands, stressors, emotional challenges, etc.  

Submission details:  Please complete these questions in the discussion board below and respond, in-depth (per the criteria outlined in the course welcome letter) to at least ONE classmate.

Scoring criteria/rubric:  A rubric is attached to the discussion board.  The assignment is worth 10 points.

Restrictions: You must complete this assignment INDIVIDUALLY.  You are not to work in pairs or groups.

Length: Your answers to each question should be thorough yet concise.  There is no length requirement, but all aspects of each question must be addressed completely.

Resources: Please refer to chapter 5 when answering these questions.  Be sure to integrate concepts from the readings as well as any outside sources that are relevant.  If you use outside sources, please cite the sources and provide and APA style reference.

MAPPING YOUR SOCIAL SUPPORT NETWORK

All of us, to one degree or another, rely on others to cope with life stresses. This activity will help you see the structure and quality of the social support system that is around you. One way to do this experience is to focus on a specific, recent stressful event and the people who supported you. Another way is to think more generally about the helpful people in your life.

Step 1

On a separate sheet of paper (preferably unlined), draw three equally spaced concentric circles so that they take up the entire page. The inside ring will show the people in your support system to whom you feel closest, those who know you most intimately and provide the most crucial support. Those in the second ring have a somewhat less intimate relationship with you; those in the outer ring are still supportive but not as critically important to you. Now consider the major categories of people in your life: family, friends from high school, current friends, people you know from work, and so on. There may be three, four, or more such categories. By drawing lines from the middle of the inner most circle, divide the concentric circles into as many pie-shaped pieces as you have categories of support people.  (Don't fill in any names just yet)

Step 2

On the next page, list by initials the people you consider to be the major supportive individuals in your life. Some could be “specialists,” people to whom you go for help on specific problems; some will be “generalists.” Some people you may see virtually every day; some you may see only periodically. Some might provide emotional support (listening to your problems or letting you know you are important to them); some might provide informational support (how to do something); some might provide instrumental support (loaning you money when you are broke); and, of course, some will provide combinations of these types of support. Just stop when you run out of names. Finally, decide whether your relationship with each person is in the inner (most intimate and supportive), the second, or third ring. You may also want to rate the quality of the support each person provides.

Step 3

Now write the initials of each person on the diagram in the location that identifies his or her closeness to you and the category or sphere of your life where you interact (family, work, school, and so on). Draw a small circle around each of the initials (people). At this point you can do many things to depict the nature of your support system. One is to draw lines between all the people in the network who know or are friends with one another. This activity will reveal the density of the network (the number of connections out of the total possible). It can also reveal how integrated or isolated the various spheres

of your life might be. For instance, if you draw many lines across boundaries of your life, you have a highly integrated network—people at school know your family, and people at work know friends you made in high school. You can use colors or other designations to indicate the kinds of support that people provide (one for emotional, one for information, one for instrumental). You could indicate whether the direction of support is usually from that individual toward you or is mutual—you provide as much support as he or she does. One more issue you could examine is the direction of the relationship: Is the person moving toward the inner ring, toward the outer ring, or staying at the same level of intimacy/support? You can also examine other aspects of the network, but this exercise should have made it messy enough!

Discussion - What did you learn by completing this exercise?  Do you have more or less support than you realized? If you have less, how might you acquire more? Was it easy or difficult to come up with names of supportive individuals? Would you recommend this practice to a friend?  If so, why?

PSYC422 Abnormal Psychology

Discussion 4

The Cost of Combat (Read Chapter 6)

Assignment title: The Cost of Combat

Learning objective(s):  Consider the impact of military service on the mental health of service members.  Consider also the ways in which the military has or is preventing/impeding service members from obtaining treatment for mental health concerns.  Also, outline any programs of which you are aware that have been successful in addressing the mental health needs of service members.  Feel free to generate your own ideas about how our military and Veterans Health Administration can better address the needs of service members.

Submission details:  Please complete these questions in the discussion board below and respond, in-depth (per the criteria outlined in the course welcome letter) to at least ONE classmate.

Scoring criteria/rubric:  A rubric is attached to the discussion board.  The assignment is worth 10 points.

Restrictions: You must complete this assignment INDIVIDUALLY.  You are not to work in pairs or groups.

Length: Your answers to each question should be thorough yet concise.  There is no length requirement, but all aspects of each question must be addressed completely.

Resources: Please refer to chapter 6 when answering these questions.  Be sure to integrate concepts from the readings as well as any outside sources that are relevant.  If you use outside sources, please cite the sources and provide and APA style reference.

Many military service members return from war with anxiety disorders, depression, traumatic brain injuries, and/or PTSD.  After watching this documentary, please provide your general reactions as well as suggestions for how we might improve treatment for combat veterans. Please note: this documentary contains graphic stories of combat trauma - if you feel this will trigger memories of your own combat trauma or the trauma of a loved one, it is okay to skip viewing it and write based on your own experiences. Also, despite the fact that this documentary is somewhat dated, please be aware that military service will always present unique challenges to service members with regard to mental health.  Though improvements have been made in recent years, untreated and/or undertreated mental health issues remain a significant issue among active duty military members as well as veterans.

Link: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/showsheart/

 

PSYC422 Abnormal Psychology

Discussion 5

Understanding Mood Disorders (Read Chapters 7-8)

Assignment title: Understanding Mood Disorders 

Learning objective(s):  Explore the symptoms of depression and bipolar disorder.  Consider how pharmacology plays a role in the treatment of mood disorders.  

Submission details:  Please complete these questions in the discussion board below and respond, in-depth (per the criteria outlined in the course welcome letter) to at least ONE classmate.

Scoring criteria/rubric:  A rubric is attached to the discussion board.  The assignment is worth 10 points.

Restrictions: You must complete this assignment INDIVIDUALLY.  You are not to work in pairs or groups.

Length: Your answers to each question should be thorough yet concise.  There is no length requirement, but all aspects of each question must be addressed completely.

Resources: Please refer to chapters 7 and 8 when answering these questions.  Be sure to integrate concepts from the readings as well as any outside sources that are relevant.  If you use outside sources, please cite the sources and provide and APA style reference.

After reading your text book and watching the videos on depression and bipolar disorder, please respond to the following prompts:

1) How is major depressive disorder different from bipolar disorder?

2) How can you differentiate a manic episode from a healthy period of increased energy and productivity?

3) What factors should someone with depression and/or bipolar disorder consider when deciding whether to use medication in the management of their illness?

4) How are mood disorders different from dissociative disorders?

Remember to provide your reactions to at least one classmate's responses.

 

PSYC422 Abnormal Psychology

Discussion 6

The Media and Mental Health (Read Chapters 9-10)

Along with reflecting on your own life experiences, consider how the media contributes to the development of disordered eating patterns and other mental health issues, especially among young women (though no one is completely immune).  What is the overall impact of these factors on the mental health of women?  Then, consider how the media portrays men.  From your perspective, what is the overall impact of the media on on the mental health of men? 

 

PSYC422 Abnormal Psychology

Discussion 7

The Heroin Epidemic (Read Chapters 11-12)

Assignment title: The Heroin Epidemic

Learning objective(s):  Consider the causal factors in substance abuse disorders as well as the factors that maintain addiction.  Reflect upon your level of empathy for those with addiction issues.  Explore whether the criminalization of substance abuse is helpful for harmful when it comes to preventing substance abuse disorders in wider society.

Submission details:  Please complete these questions in the discussion board below and respond, in-depth (per the criteria outlined in the course welcome letter) to at least ONE classmate.

Scoring criteria/rubric:  A rubric is attached to the discussion board.  The assignment is worth 10 points.

Restrictions: You must complete this assignment INDIVIDUALLY.  You are not to work in pairs or groups.

Length: Your answers to each question should be thorough yet concise.  There is no length requirement, but all aspects of each question must be addressed completely.

Resources: Please refer to chapter 11 and 12 when answering these questions.  Be sure to integrate concepts from the readings as well as any outside sources that are relevant.  If you use outside sources, please cite the sources and provide and APA style reference.

Please watch this documentary (Links to an external site.), then discuss:

1) Did watching this documentary increase your empathy for those with substance abuse problems?

2) How might society better address substance abuse treatment?

3) Do you think decriminalizing drug use would improve outcomes for those with substance abuse problems?  Or do you believe prison is a helpful deterrent?

4) Compare and contrast substance abuse diagnoses with schizophrenia/psychosis. 

Link: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/chasing-heroin/

 

PSYC422 Abnormal Psychology

Discussion 8

Death Before Dying (Read Chapter 13)

Assignment title: Death Before Dying

Learning objective(s):  Explore the role that psychology has to play in end-of-life care. Reflect upon your own beliefs about death and how that impacts your stance on end-of-life issues.

Submission details:  Please complete these questions in the discussion board below and respond, in-depth (per the criteria outlined in the course welcome letter) to at least ONE classmate.

Scoring criteria/rubric:  A rubric is attached to the discussion board.  The assignment is worth 10 points.

Restrictions: You must complete this assignment INDIVIDUALLY.  You are not to work in pairs or groups.

Length: Your answers to each question should be thorough yet concise.  There is no length requirement, but all aspects of each question must be addressed completely.

Resources: Please refer to chapter 13 when answering these questions.  Be sure to integrate concepts from the readings as well as any outside sources that are relevant.  If you use outside sources, please cite the sources and provide an APA style reference.

Please watch the following documentary (Links to an external site.) and consider the ways in which psychologists or mental health therapists might play a role in assisting individuals and families through the death process. 

1) Do you think our society could be doing a better job of addressing issues related to end-of-life?

2) What ethical issues might be faced by a counselor working in a hospice setting?

3) Did this documentary change any of your pre-existing beliefs about hospice care and/or assisted suicide?

Link: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/facing-death/

 

PSYC422 Abnormal Psychology

Discussion 9

"Growing Up Trans" (Read Chapter 14)

Assignment title: Growing Up Trans

Learning objective(s):  Explore the experience of those living with Gender Identity Disorder and/or who identify as Transgendered.

Submission details:  Please complete these questions in the discussion board below and respond, in-depth (per the criteria outlined in the course welcome letter) to at least ONE classmate.

Scoring criteria/rubric:  A rubric is attached to the discussion board.  The assignment is worth 10 points.

Restrictions: You must complete this assignment INDIVIDUALLY.  You are not to work in pairs or groups.

Length: Your answers to each question should be thorough yet concise.  There is no length requirement, but all aspects of each question must be addressed completely.

Resources: Please refer to chapter 14 when answering these questions.  Be sure to integrate concepts from the readings as well as any outside sources that are relevant.  If you use outside sources, please cite the sources and provide and APA style reference.

Please watch this documentary (Links to an external site.) and explore the following:

1) Did this documentary change your perspective on what it means to be a transgender person?

2) What concerns would you have if you were the parent of a transgender child desiring gender reassignment through medical intervention?

3) Why do you believe that our culture has such a difficult time accepting folks who identify as trans? We seem to be very accepting of many other types of statistically atypical brains (gifted/talented, ADHD, autism spectrum) but when it comes to an atypical presentation that involves sex/gender, our emotions often run very high.  Why might that be?

PSYC422 Abnormal Psychology

Discussion 10

The Overprotected Kid (Read Chapters 15 & 16)

Assignment title: The Overprotected Kid

Learning objective(s):  Explore the changing nature of childhood in modern American society.  Consider whether the increase in supervision of children has any potential downsides and may be a contributing factor in the increase in childhood disorders.

Submission details:  Please complete these questions in the discussion board below and respond, in-depth (per the criteria outlined in the course welcome letter) to at least ONE classmate.

Scoring criteria/rubric:  A rubric is attached to the discussion board.  The assignment is worth 10 points.

Restrictions: You must complete this assignment INDIVIDUALLY.  You are not to work in pairs or groups.

Length: Your answers to each question should be thorough yet concise.  There is no length requirement, but all aspects of each question must be addressed completely.

Resources: Please refer to chapter 15 and 16 when answering these questions.  Be sure to integrate concepts from the readings as well as any outside sources that are relevant.  If you use outside sources, please cite the sources and provide and APA style reference.

Please read this article (Links to an external site.) and explore how modern parenting may be unintentionally contributing to the development of mental health and neurological disorders among children.  Consider:

Childhood abuse (verbal, physical, sexual) is a major risk factor for the development of certain personality disorders (i.e. borderline, antisocial). As a result of our knowledge of the harm that is caused by abuse, modern parents often go to great lengths to protect their children from harm, in contrast with years ago when children were far less closely supervised. After reading the article, what negative repercussions do you think might result from such close supervision of children? Do you think avoiding the possibility of abuse (through round-the-clock supervision) is worth the potential negative repercussions of highly supervising children?  Might there be other ways to reduce the possibility of exposure to abuse?