Thursday, April 24, 2008
Reference info. for Casebook in Abnormal Psychology (used in case study assignment)
Brown, T. A., & Barlow, D. H. (2007). Bulimia Nervosa. In Casebook in abnormal psychology (3rd ed., pp. 155-169). Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Case Study Analysis Guidelines
General Psychology
Case Study Analysis Guidelines
Overview. For the case study analysis, you will be required to summarize and analyze one of the abnormal psychology case studies I have placed on reserve for the class. The goal of the assignment is to demonstrate your ability to understand and summarize the major points of the case study, and to expand on one area of the case study using outside research. Your final paper should be 4-5 pages, double-spaced, 12-point font. Your paper should summarize the background and symptoms, diagnosis, case formulation, and treatment of the patient in the case study you have chosen by answering the questions below about each section.
In addition, you should find an academic research article that will add to your understanding of one of these areas and use it to add depth to your analysis of that area. Your overall analysis, then, should cover all of the following points in a well-organized essay format, with considerably more emphasis on the area you have chosen to research. For example, if you found an article about therapeutic exposure in the treatment of social phobia, you would summarize the major points of the case study about symptoms, diagnosis, and case formulation, but discuss treatment in more depth; perhaps adding updated information or discussion of an alternative approach. Make sure to cite your case study and your research article using correct APA style whenever you refer to information from these sources.
Background and symptoms. Wade and Tavris (2008) define a mental disorder as “any behavior or emotional state that causes a person great suffering, is self-destructive, seriously impairs the person’s ability to work or get along with others, or endangers others or the community” (p. 371). Using these criteria, what symptoms experienced by the patient make clear to you that this is a mental disorder requiring treatment? What symptoms seem most bothersome to the patient?
Diagnosis. Explain the diagnosis or diagnoses given, and the reasons for that diagnosis. If the patient received more than one diagnosis, what factors made one diagnosis stand out as more central than the others?
Case formulation using the integrative model. A case formulation may be thought of as a hypothesis about the factors that may have contributed to the patient’s psychological disorder(s). It is also the first step in developing a treatment plan that takes into account all of the complexities of a patient’s history, needs, and circumstances. The authors of this casebook use the integrative model to develop case formulations; this is a variation of the vulnerability-stress model (also known as the diathesis-stress model) described in your textbook. Using this section, along with background information from other sections, as a guide, explain the authors’ hypothesis about what factors may have led to the patient’s current condition.
Treatment. What course of treatment did the therapist and patient decide to pursue? What reasons were given for that choice? Explain how the treatment was carried out, and how the patient responded to treatment. Do you believe it was successful?
Research Requirements. Your additional source for this paper must be an article published in an academic psychology journal. Internet sources are not acceptable, unless they are electronic versions of academic sources published elsewhere. Please submit the first page of any research article along with your portfolio.
Your paper grade will not exceed “C” if you fail to meet the research requirements explained above. Feel free to check your source with me to make sure it meets these requirements.
You will receive an “F” on your course paper if you include material taken directly from other sources without complete and accurate acknowledgement. All research sources must be cited correctly in your text and included in your references. All direct quotations must be enclosed in quotation marks, cited correctly, and included in your references. Feel free to discuss with me any questions you may have about this policy.
References. At the end of Portfolio #2, include a references page with a reference for your case study and your supporting research article in correct APA format.
Grading: This assignment is worth 100 points, including 10 points for participation in the small group discussion of your case study. Full credit will require that you have prepared for the discussion by having read the article carefully. The remaining points will be awarded based on the quality of the writing (10 points), citation of sources using APA style (10 points), summary and analysis of the article (40 points), and use of outside research source to expand on case study (30 points).
Case Study Analysis Guidelines
Overview. For the case study analysis, you will be required to summarize and analyze one of the abnormal psychology case studies I have placed on reserve for the class. The goal of the assignment is to demonstrate your ability to understand and summarize the major points of the case study, and to expand on one area of the case study using outside research. Your final paper should be 4-5 pages, double-spaced, 12-point font. Your paper should summarize the background and symptoms, diagnosis, case formulation, and treatment of the patient in the case study you have chosen by answering the questions below about each section.
In addition, you should find an academic research article that will add to your understanding of one of these areas and use it to add depth to your analysis of that area. Your overall analysis, then, should cover all of the following points in a well-organized essay format, with considerably more emphasis on the area you have chosen to research. For example, if you found an article about therapeutic exposure in the treatment of social phobia, you would summarize the major points of the case study about symptoms, diagnosis, and case formulation, but discuss treatment in more depth; perhaps adding updated information or discussion of an alternative approach. Make sure to cite your case study and your research article using correct APA style whenever you refer to information from these sources.
Background and symptoms. Wade and Tavris (2008) define a mental disorder as “any behavior or emotional state that causes a person great suffering, is self-destructive, seriously impairs the person’s ability to work or get along with others, or endangers others or the community” (p. 371). Using these criteria, what symptoms experienced by the patient make clear to you that this is a mental disorder requiring treatment? What symptoms seem most bothersome to the patient?
Diagnosis. Explain the diagnosis or diagnoses given, and the reasons for that diagnosis. If the patient received more than one diagnosis, what factors made one diagnosis stand out as more central than the others?
Case formulation using the integrative model. A case formulation may be thought of as a hypothesis about the factors that may have contributed to the patient’s psychological disorder(s). It is also the first step in developing a treatment plan that takes into account all of the complexities of a patient’s history, needs, and circumstances. The authors of this casebook use the integrative model to develop case formulations; this is a variation of the vulnerability-stress model (also known as the diathesis-stress model) described in your textbook. Using this section, along with background information from other sections, as a guide, explain the authors’ hypothesis about what factors may have led to the patient’s current condition.
Treatment. What course of treatment did the therapist and patient decide to pursue? What reasons were given for that choice? Explain how the treatment was carried out, and how the patient responded to treatment. Do you believe it was successful?
Research Requirements. Your additional source for this paper must be an article published in an academic psychology journal. Internet sources are not acceptable, unless they are electronic versions of academic sources published elsewhere. Please submit the first page of any research article along with your portfolio.
Your paper grade will not exceed “C” if you fail to meet the research requirements explained above. Feel free to check your source with me to make sure it meets these requirements.
You will receive an “F” on your course paper if you include material taken directly from other sources without complete and accurate acknowledgement. All research sources must be cited correctly in your text and included in your references. All direct quotations must be enclosed in quotation marks, cited correctly, and included in your references. Feel free to discuss with me any questions you may have about this policy.
References. At the end of Portfolio #2, include a references page with a reference for your case study and your supporting research article in correct APA format.
Grading: This assignment is worth 100 points, including 10 points for participation in the small group discussion of your case study. Full credit will require that you have prepared for the discussion by having read the article carefully. The remaining points will be awarded based on the quality of the writing (10 points), citation of sources using APA style (10 points), summary and analysis of the article (40 points), and use of outside research source to expand on case study (30 points).
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