Week 6 Discussion: Case StudiesDiscussion Topic Ends Apr 27, 2021 11:59 PM

This week we will continue to tap into our analytical abilities, applying them to four case studies.  Through the review, evaluation, and drawn conclusions for each study, we will apply our knowledge and understanding of clinical and counseling concepts. 

Your Task

Part 1:  Read:  Read the four case studies provided this week.  They are included in the Week 6 Learning Resources. Links to access the case studies are included below as well.   

Part 2: Main Post:  In order to express our mastery of professional psychology’s prerequisite knowledge, skills, and abilities, this week we will exchange responses to diversely different case studies.

Select the case study you would like to analyze and discuss.  Read the case study carefully and compose your responses to the assigned questions, provided below. Your responses should reflect your unique, personal, response to the case addressed.  Once you have crafted your analysis and written your answers, post your answers here as your main post.

Part 3.  Peer follow-up:  Respond to two of your classmates’ postings.  In 5+ sentences, share how their posting reinforces your understanding of the case or an ethical principle.  Provide constructive, thoughtful feedback designed to build an engaging dialog.  To achieve this, you can ask questions, or share a website or articles, that address topics relevant to the case.  

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CASES

Study 1: Josie: An Interdisciplinary Case Study of Madness

Josie:  An Interdisciplinary Case Study of Madness by Joan-Beth Gow. Susan M. Nava, and Kerri W. Augusto. Case copyright held by the National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science, University at Buffalo, State University of New York. Originally published July 30, 2011. https://sciencecases.lib.buffalo.edu/files/josie.pdf

This case study is divided into 6 parts.  After each part there is a series of questions.   Jot down your initial impressions after each part.  At the conclusion of your reading, answer the following questions.  Post your answers and discuss the case with your classmates.

Questions (Required): Answer these three questions.

1.  Outline for the class a brief history of this case.

2.  Discuss the presenting problem addressing your early and concluding assessment of the problem.  That is, in the beginning did you think Josie was physically or mentally ill?  How or why did your thoughts change?

3. What kind of treatment strategy would you recommend? Mention theoretical perspectives, or interventions/techniques and prognosis.

Questions (Pick Two):  Select. then answer two of the following questions.

4. Do you think Josie’s behavior or appearance influenced the care she received?  Why?  How did this impact her case?  

5.  What questions still remain?  What other information would help you more accurately assess what Josie is experiencing?

6. With respect to the general public, how has the treatment of the mentally ill changed over time?

7.  Do you think medical professionals are sufficiently trained to differentiate medical from psychological illness?  Why or why not?  Can you give us an example of another illness which presents as a psychological concern but is chemically based?

Study 2:  Artificial Sanity

Artificial Sanity by Sheila O’Brien Quinn.  Case copyright held by the National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science, University at Buffalo, State University of New York. Originally published June 23, 2005. https://sciencecases.lib.buffalo.edu/files/artificial_sanity.pdf

Questions: Answer five of the following questions.

1. Discuss two accepted models of mental illness, i.e., psychological, biological, behavioral.  What assumptions are made within the models? How do they differ?  

2.  How do these two different models influence the treatment of people with mental disorders?

3.  Tell the class the history of the present case.   What does “right to treatment” entail for Singleton?  Does Singleton have schizophrenia, in your opinion?

4.  What are the assumptions about mental illness held by Singleton’s lawyer and the prosecutor?  Support your answer with direct quotes from each lawyer.

5.  Each lawyer appears to believe in a different model of mental illness.  What model is each lawyer using to support his/her argument about how Singleton should be treated?

6.  What is artificial sanity?  Argue your personal side of the case.

Study 3: Sins of the Mother

ID Crimefeed (2017, October 25). A look back at Susan Smith – the South Carolina mom killed her two young sons.  (Webpage)

Read the attached article.  Then answer at least 4 of the following questions.

http://www.investigationdiscovery.com/crimefeed/crime-history/a-look-back-at-the-susan-smith-case-23-years-after-the-south-carolina-mom-killed-her-2-young-sons

Questions: Answer five of the following questions.

1. Susan violated what most people consider our most sacred trust when she killed her children. How could she have done it? Develop a profile of a woman who might kill her own children. Online, find the FBI’s profile of women who kill their own children. Compare your profile with the FBI’s profile.
2. Discuss potential effects that sexual abuse can have on a young woman. How might Susan’s experiences with her stepfather have affected her behavior?
3. Discuss possible pressures on a young couple that marries in their teens, especially under the circumstances of David and Susan’s marriage.
4. Identify nonverbal cues that Susan gave. Discuss how it is possible to tell if someone if lying from nonverbal behavior. What information does the use of the polygraph supply?
5. Speculate on why Susan might have done what she did. Include speculations about her marriage as well as her own childhood and adolescence.
6. Susan wanted relief from loneliness and the problems in her life. She wanted to commit suicide but did not want her sons to suffer as she had after her father’s suicide. She believed that if she killed her sons first and then committed suicide, her sons would suffer less than if she left them on their own. She felt burdened and was overwhelmed by the responsibilities of being a single mother. What role might depression have played in her actions?
7. Classify Susan according to the DSM V?
8. Why didn’t her attorneys use the mental illness defense?

Study 4: Nature or Nurture: The Case of a Boy Who Became a Girl

Nature or Nurture: The Case of the Boy Who Became a Girl by Keith K. Schillo.  Case copyright held by the National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science, University at Buffalo, State University of New York. Originally published November 16, 2011. https://sciencecases.lib.buffalo.edu/files/gender_reassignment.pdf

Questions: Answer five of the following questions. 

1. Some people have argued that the Johns Hopkins psychologist used this opportunity as an experiment to test his nurture theory of gender identity. What are the expected results of this experiment, assuming that the nurture theory is valid?

2. According to the nurture theory, predict the gender identity Bruce would express if he were not subjected to gender re-assignment surgery and raised as a boy?

3. Provide one peer-reviewed article, selected from our UMGC Library’s databases, that address current research or theory on gender identity.

4.  In light of newer research on gender identity, what advice would you give parents who are considering gender re-assignment of a male infant who lacks a penis, but has functional testicles?
5.  What are your thoughts on therapist behavior. What guidelines and codes of ethics direct therapists managing cases of this nature?

This assignment is designed to help you reflect on the environmental practices in your home. For the audit, you will each select ten (10) topics of interest in regards to environmental aspects of your household operations. The topics you may choose from are:

Topics

Waste management

Composting, Trash produced, Recycling, Fast fashion, Paper decor

Water

Faucet efficiency, Toilet efficiency, Showers (length, efficiency, temperature, etc.), Washing machine type, Water used to produce your clothing, Water source, Irrigation (sprinklers, drip systems, water barrels, etc.)

Energy

Appliance efficiency, Computers, Power source sustainability, Water heater type, Lighting (type, efficiency, age), Energy vampires, External shade on roof (trees, etc.)

Air handling

Insulation, Window/doorway sealant, AC age, Keeping vents clear

Useful resource:  http://efficiencytips.tumblr.com/tagged/at-school (Links to an external site.) ; https://www.epa.gov/statelocalenergy/local-residential-energy-efficiency (Links to an external site.)

Task:

1. Select ten topics listed above
2. Write a paragraph (minimum) discussing how you address and/or implement each topic (Ten paragraphs total-minimum).  Does your home actively plan accommodations for this topic?  What could you do do to better on this subject? How much would it roughly cost to do so (look up what it would cost to replace equipment if necessary, ball park figures are okay)?
3. Evaluate your home. Do you consider your home “green”?  Why or why not?  
4. Propose some monetarily and personally feasible changes that you/your family should consider.  

What to submit – Generate a report with the following sections and submit to the assignment dropbox:

• Introduction – Discuss the specifics of your home.  How many people live there?  How large is it? This section should familiarize the reader with your home.
• Topic Discussions – Include the description of each topic in this section.  
• Evaluation – Include your evaluation in this section
• References – Include all reference material (MLA format)

Minimum word count is 750. 

 

Many developed countries have had great success in controlling communicable diseases, thus increasing life expectancy, which creates a larger aging population living with non-communicable diseases.  The rising number of people living longer with non-communicable diseases is creating concern over healthcare spending across the globe, especially with new developments in medical technology and treatments that are more costly to treat these conditions (National Institute, 2014).  “Per capita expenditures on health care are relatively high among older age groups” (National Institute, 2014, para.1).  In addition to the rising cost of healthcare services in relation to the aging population, there have been economic losses associated with rising rates of chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes, as high as 1 billion in countries such as China and India (National Institute, 2014).  Ultimately, the increase in non-communicable diseases across the globe and populations living longer with these conditions due to medical advancements will place strain on healthcare systems across the globe in terms of cost, access to care and quality care delivered (National Institute, 2014).

How is the transition from communicable to noncommunicable diseases a  major cause of morbidity and mortality impacting the sustainability of healthcare systems in developing countries?

Respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts.

Research Project (5-6 double-spaced pages,)

Your research project is meant to have you build on the historical themes and issues we have been probing all semester. At the center of our course has been trying to better understand the relationship between what societies consume and how those things are produced. Commodities made in one part of the world circulated into others, transforming global society in the process. Your project will analyze this process through the lens of a single commodity that you regularly consume.

The Commodity

Think about the things you regular eat, drink, or use. Coffee, tea, bottled water, yogurt, gasoline, your cellphone, shoes – the choices are literally endless! Which of those things would you like to learn more about? As you think about it, pay close attention to your daily habits. My goal is for you to do an applied project through which you will learn a bit about the history and footprint of the things you purchase. Please check in with me as soon as possible to let me know what you are thinking of writing about. I’m happy to help.

The Project

Almost all modern commodities are sold through complex global supply chains. Those chains have lengthy histories that have evolved over time. Or, to put it simply, how we access and consume coffee today is very different than how we did half a century ago. Once you have identified a single commodity to study, your job will be to explain that history. As part of your paper you should consider the following questions:

• How has the consumption or use of this product changed over time?
• Where does it come from? How does it get here (both into the country and into the local setting where you purchase it)?
• Who produces the commodity? What types of labor issues does the production of the product allow you to examine?
• Does the production or consumption of the product raise environmental concerns? In other words, are there sustainability issues? If the answer is yes, make sure you explain
• What other issues or concerns does the commodity you chose raise that would be helpful for you to analyze in this type of a project?

These are just a few questions that I hope give you a sense of what I want you to do for this project. You can examine other issues, too. The goal is a unified essay complete with a clear thesis, so please do not merely answer the questions I posed above one after the other.

Requirements

You should use academic sources to develop and support this project. By academic I mean published books or articles. Please do not merely use the Internet. I encourage you to consult at least one unique source per page. Sources should be cited using Chicago Manual of Style (see https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide/citation-guide-1.html (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.). Citations should appear as footnotes in the text itself, in places where you use the material, and also separately, in a bibliography.

Projects should be roughly five to six double-spaced pages with standard margins. Do not skip extra spaces between paragraphs. Do not use separate subheadings to divide the paper into sections. Do not use images, tables, or anything like that.

The Commodity for choice is Chocolate.