Discuss the Strengths and Weaknesses of the Hypotheses Presented On Extended Childhood Development

Humans are normally unusual as their childhood is characterized by a prolonged duration of exception slower growth which is regulated by the brain. This hypothesized has thus been proposed in order to explain why childhood development has evolved the particular life history (Kazawa, 2016). However, it is characterized by different strengthens as well as weaknesses.  The hypothesis holds strength in that it provides adequate scenarios in support of the slow development in humans.  However, since the hypothesis is based on observation and literature that had prior been conducted by other individuals its accuracy can be questioned.  In addition, the observation made can be argued out as they may not be seen in every child during their development.

Chris Kazawa (2016) proposed that the brain requires more energy in development which results in slower human development.  He is thus one of the fewer researchers who dedicated much time in justifying the slow human development.   The hypothesis therefore contributes highly to the scientific forefront debate on human development and this served as empirical evidence towards the subject of development.  The hypothesis holds an additional strength in the manner in which it presents its findings clearly and well detailed to enhance better understanding of the concepts.  Through this, it is clear that fast development requires high energy that can be stored in a large brain which is not present in humans.  The hypothesis can, however, be criticized by the evolution theory which does not consider the size of the brain as the major determinant of the human growth rate.  This theory would argue that development is mainly determined by nature rather than nurturing as held by the study’s hypothesis.

Despite the fact that human development was hypothesized to be different based on the brain’s component which is lower as compared to the high energy that is required in fast development this can be termed as inaccurate.  Humans are hypothesized to have traits that are different and they may change depending on the environment.  The hypothesis, therefore, failed in demonstrating how the slow development differs from an individual to another.  It would be crucial for the hypothesis to recognize that the human development is highly influenced by genetics as well as environmental mechanisms (Kazawa, 2016).  The simplicity and systematic structure of the hypothesis presentation is an additional strength which is well supported by literature review as well as actual observation.  This helped in increasing the efficiency of the study thus decreasing the chances of arguing against the hypothesis.

The hypothesis held its strength in that it adequately supported and justified the acquiring of characteristic from one human to another which influences development.  In addition, the hypothesis stated that development is highly affected by the ability of the brain to produce energy for development as age increases (Kazawa, 2016).  The actual strength of the hypothesis is the provision of adequate evidence in support of its findings.  In addition, the produced evidence generally details the slow development of children through studying the brain as the major driver of growth.  Additionally,  the results that the brain energy peak requirements occur after the weaning phase which shows that most of the human brain growth energetic costs are not given by maternal metabolism but rather they are offered by social provisioning.

            Reference

Kazawa, C. (2016). Brain Energetic and the Evolution of Human Childhood. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhLTtIaUVlQ

Suicide and Elder Abuse

Response 1

            One of the reasons as to why suicide may be obscured is the fact that people consciously and willingly help others in committing a felony in many of the nations. Once a person commits suicide, it is fully investigated and the evidence acquired is used to point out the type of crime committed. Some of the family members to the victim will try to hide a suicide for insurance reasons as some insurance policies may not be able to pay out for a person who has committed a suicide. Other families will hide away the fact that one of their family members has committed a suicide so as to evade the embarrassment that comes along with such an action. The family may feel responsible for the suicide action of their family members as they may have seen some signs but ignored simply because they did not care while others may not have a clue of what the victim was going through so as to reach to that extent of committing suicide (Bartol 2012). Anger also causes suicide to be hidden by the family members as they feel angry and guilty since they did not do something to prevent it from happening. Law enforcement should, therefore, carry out a full investigation into the felony where they carry out an interview with all the people who are aware of the happenings.

Response 2

            The sensitivity and hard nature of elder abuse subject make it so difficult for anyone to discuss. The main reason as to why cases of elder abuse go unreported is the fact that most of the facilities that take care of these seniors want to protect their name and hence they don’t report the case so as not to get into any trouble or face any risk of having a lawsuit thus losing their funding. The victim may also feel ashamed and afraid of reporting the case. The only way to solve this kind of behavior is through standing up for the abused and speaking up for them thus getting them the help that they need and becoming their voice hence removing them from this situation.

References

Bartol, C. R., & Bartol, A. M. (2012). Criminal & behavioral profiling.

Sexual Assault Evidence and Forms of Abuse among Children

Response 1

            There are many forms of rape and sexual assault that have been identified and each form of rape has its own evidence that is associated with the kind of sexual assault. The evidence may be retrieved from the medical examination where the victim may be medically examined so as to prove the victim’s claim (Degun 2006). Evidence may also be retrieved from the condition of the rape victims home or from the various photographs that may have been taken during the incidence. Therefore, the investigators should be able to interview all the relatives and especially the family members who are in constant contact with the victim so as to identify what really happened.

Response 2

            According to the various studies undertaken by many investigators, it is quite evident that a large proportion of children have at some point been kicked, beaten by their guardians or parents while others have been physically assaulted with sharp objects such as a knife or a gun. This has caused to tragic occurrences such as the death of some of these mistreated children (Krug et al 2002). The need to protect the physically abused children from further abuse by their parents and the difficulty of carrying out an interview with the children without the presence of their abusive parents has made it a challenge to investigators. Thus the investigators should first identify the rules and laws put in place so as to protect a child in a given abuse as each abuse is unique and hence it should, therefore, be solved uniquely. Wise decisions ought to be made by the investigators before causing more harm to the abused child b and they should also act quickly before being too late.

References

            Degun-Mather, M. (2006). Hypnosis, dissociation, and survivors of child abuse: Understanding and treatment. Chichester, England: John Wiley & Sons.

            Krug, E. G., Dahlberg, L. L., Mercy, J. A., Zwi, A. B., Lozano, R., & World Health Organization. (2002). World report on violence and health. Geneva: World Health Organization.

One Child by Torey L. Hayden (book)

Q1

The book about one child by Torey Hayden comprises of real life. Hayden a special teacher was reading about a six years old girl who attempted a boy who was three years old. There was no place for her in the hospital and ended up being a student in Hayden class where she remained for five months. Sheila can be said to be a forgotten child by the entire system, her family as well as the society. Even at school Sheila is unable to mix well with other children just as she did at home. However, under Hayden care, Sheila is able to change and became a self-assured student as well as a happy child who heads for a second grade rather than the state hospital (Hayden, 2004).

Q2

The role of a foster parent in one child is to be devoted to the child and try to learn their behavior. This is shown in the book when Hayden does not place a demand on Sheila as she is allowed to be comfortable in her new surroundings which are not the same case with many foster parents (Hayden, 2004).

Q3

The most important thing that I have learned in the book of one child is that it is always important to learn about the personal life of a child and try to understand them to form their perspective (Hayden, 2004). This will help the child feel loved and they will open up which will help in realizing the best part of the child.

Q4

The one this that I would change about being a foster parent is being strict and demanding from a child. The best way to go about it is to try and understand them out. Remaining calm and consistent is also a great factor that a foster parent should consider (Hayden, 2004).

Reference

Hayden, T. L. (2004). One child. London: Element.

Human Growth and Development II

Introduction

This paper aims at understanding the human growth that relates to various stages in life cycle. The middle childhood involves a period when children starting to build social relationships, develop basic skills and learn roles in preparation for adolescence and young adulthood. Adolescence stage focuses on the period where the child is developing psychologically and physically more so in the period after onset of puberty to the young adulthood. Young adulthood focuses on the stage that precedes middle adulthood that has passed the late adolescent stage.

In middle childhood, a child self identity relates to the development of competence in social and interpersonal relationships. The self-concept of the child is under the influence of the various relationships with peers, family members and teachers. Most children at this stage develop the self-definition, self-understanding and self-control and which is influenced by the support they receive from the people around them such as parents and peers (Feldman, 2011). If a child is excellent in a given area, this raises their overall self –esteem and thus sense of belonging in a social world. For instance, a child who dislikes mathematics may discover a talent for playing piano or music. At this stage there is relatively little concern about physical appearance more so for the boys. This may as well be influenced by media or peers. In adolescence self-image and the identity formation process becomes intense and with beginning of puberty there is increased social comparison as the girls experience pressure to conform to gender stereotypes (Oregon State University, 2001). At this stage there is experimentation with various roles, for example, looks, values, sexuality, friendships, values and more so occupations.  Minority youths may seem to explore various patterns of identity formation such as bi-cultural identity and ethnic identity. They may also want to be included into or alienated from the majority culture. In the transition from the late adolescent to adulthood, an individual’s tends to become more independent and some of these individuals tend to be struggling with identity exploration, self-focus and an in-between feeling (Oregon State University, 2001). A major feature of this stage of development is a need for exploration in work, love and views of the general world than other the other age periods.

During the middle childhood years, a child is need of individuation and autonomy affects their intimate relationship with family members and their peers at school. They look forward to sharing and communicating with their peers while enjoying their company. The interactions are based on the need for coexistence between the love they had in early childhood and newfound independence. The parent-child relationship aspect influences on the efficiency of the adaptations of the child (Feldman, 2011). The competence the child acquired through the interaction with the family members more so parents are reflected in how the child interact with the their peers at school. The peer interaction at school is characterized by sensitivity and autonomy and the ability to express emotions reflect the formation of later intimate relationships. This is shown in adolescence, where the children must start adapting to the adult world while coming to understanding their own emerging parts. As adolescents experience emotional and physical changes, they seek out relationships that enhance their adaptation to new stresses. They seek to share their feelings or thoughts with fellow age mates experiencing similar changes. Since the intimate interactions offer opportunities for self-identity, they are more pronounced. As the adolescents enter into early adulthood, they have to deal with the issue of many selves. They start realizing their personality changes from a situation to the other. At this stage they desire to form a narrative of how they are different from the others (Feldman, 2011). They tend to be keen in forming intimate romance and friendship which is influenced by early childhood and adolescent relationships. Identity difference can be recognized by their capacities to establish intimate relationships that are deep, committed and individuation of partner on the basis of early interactions (Prager, 1997).

In middle childhood, the intimacy experienced relates to the understanding of various friendships. Children become friends with others who have similar behavioral characteristics. At this stage, there is a great deal of growth and change in the peer relationships of children and interpersonal skills (Prager, 1997). The selection of friendship is normally informed by the neighborhood at this stage and these children depend on caretakers to bring them close to other children (Oregon State University, 2001). Conditions within their surroundings such as classrooms organizations or seating arrangements are reflected in the selection of the children friendships. The intimacy in friendship is characterized by preference for same sex friends and even companions. While some children with sophisticated behavior may engage in conversation that are intimate and self-disclosing for no apparent reason, there is little intimacy changes in the middle childhood (Prager, 1997). However, these intimate relationship offer psychological preparation for higher intimate friendship they may experience in their adolescence and even in young adulthood. In adolescence unlike middle childhood, there is more emphasis on the peer group and close relationships with both sexes. The increased emphasis on intimate relationships is informed by the improved social cognitive capabilities and the growth in experience for the young person. While the young children’s intimacy is activity based while the young adults become more intimate due to interpersonal situations (Prager, 1997). The transition to the young adulthood, intimacy for the sake of romantic relationships becomes more pronounced especially for the girls. This intimacy fills the need for young adults to confront the challenges associated with the molding of adult identity (Feldman, 2010). Young adults look for love and companionship with others.

The physical development in middle childhood involves uneven growth of organs which can lead to awkward appearance and early inception of puberty. The children’s logical thinking has limited ability to extend logic to abstract ideas. There is accumulation of general knowledge, steady development of learning ability in application of the concepts (Prager, 1997). In adolescence, there is wide difference in growth spurt and onset of puberty and clear sexual development and changes in voice. Cognitive ability is more developed and thinking is more dimensional and about possibilities (Oregon State University, 2001). In the young adulthood, the youth has entered complete puberty, and there is little variation in growth and are sexually developed. There is a huge broadening of abilities to think and more so abstract thinking. The young adults are now considering various possibilities and possible outcomes of any events (Oregon State University, 2001). Due to ability for more perspective-taking, they can be more empathy or concern for other people.

This assignment was aimed at understanding of the various aspects of human and growth and development of a person from the middle childhood to the young adulthood. These populations involve individuals who are in the process of growing physically, emotionally and socially. The information has informed my understanding of the various changes that children undergo which are informed by the environment in which they grow in including family and school.

References

Feldman, R. S. (2011). Development across the Life Span.

Oregon State University, (2001). Middle Childhood and Adolescent Development.Retrived from:

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/tillamook/sites/default/files/documents/4h/ecno1527.pd

Prager, K. (1997). The Psychology of intimacy. New York: Guilford Press.

Key Concepts Discussion

Social justice is based on human rights and equality. It can be defined as the way in which individual rights are manifested in their life as well as the rights of others in different levels of the society. The key concept of equality and human rights aims at promoting a just society in which challenges of injustices are dealt (Sensoy & DiAngelo, 2012). This increases diversity in a given society due to the right of equitable treatment as all people share a common humanity. This creates a sense of belonging as the individual are treated in a fairly manner without favor or discrimination. The society resources are fairly allocated to the members of the society that make them feel valued. This is encouraging to the members of the society as it also promotes harmony among them resulting in a successful society (Sensoy & DiAngelo, 2012).

Corporate social responsibility CSR is a business practice that aims at benefiting the society. The initiatives carried out are not meant to yield a profit for the organization but rather help the society. The key concept of CSR includes accountability, corporate environment, business ethics and sustainable development (Benn & Bolton, 2011). Accountability ensures that the organization carries out initiatives that are relevant to the community as well as being responsible for offering support to the society that will improve their living standards. Corporate environment ensures that the organization practices are environmentally friendly that conserve the environment. Business ethics can also be referred to as corporate ethics ensures that the organization carries out ethical principles in the business environment. Corporate ethics helps in conducting moral aspect of the business. Sustainable development ensures that the organization carries out its activities without the exhaustion of the natural resources by meeting human development goals (Benn & Bolton, 2011).

Reference

Benn, S., & Bolton, D. (2011). Key concepts in corporate social responsibility. Los Angeles: SAGE.

Sensoy, O., & DiAngelo, R. J. (2012). Is everyone really equal?: An introduction to key concepts in social justice education.

College Essay

Due to the changing state ways of life, and high developments in the technological sector, most students have found themselves indulging in evil acts, such as the abuse of substance and drugs, and sexual activities (Lilienfeld et al, 34). These behaviours therefore lead to spread of diseases, through sexual activities and addiction due to the abuse of drugs. Drug abuse and sex education, will be a very good course for the first years, in order to broaden their minds, thus making them to avoid indulging into such activities. When I was a first year at the university, I did not know match about sex and drug abuse, and this really affected me because I found myself abusing drugs. I was influenced by my peers who made me believe that life could not be enjoyable without doing drugs. I therefore decided to abuse drugs, in order to explore the beauty of drugs, this consequently led me into very sexual behaviours, which really ruined my life (Bowen, 12).

Drug abuse and sex education will mainly focus on teaching the students the importance of abstaining from both sex and the abuse of drugs (Lilienfeld et al, 34). Moreover, it will also educate on how to deal with drug addiction, thus helping those who are addicted to drugs to reform. On sexual matters, students will be taught on the importance of using protection particularly during a sexual intercourse. The social media will also be a topic of discussion in this course. The reason as to why the social media has been included in this course, is simply because of the influence that the social media has on the youths (Bowen, 12).

Most of the youths indulge in either sexual activities of drug abuse, because of the influence of the social media. Most celebrities post images and videos on the social media either doing drugs or even posting erotic images (Bowen, 12). This consequently encourages students to do according to the celebrities whom they look up to. On the other hand, some students also indulge in the abuse of drugs due to the negative criticism that they receive from the social media. These will therefore teach on how to manage negative criticism from the social media, and how to avoid posting erotic images on the social media (Lilienfeld et al, 35).

These is very valuable since it will help to restore the moral traditions of the students, thus changing the negative view of the youths by the world. Furthermore, it will also help in the reduction of sexual transmitted disease which lead to deaths (Bowen, 13). This therefore means that the number of sexual related diseases deaths will therefore fall. Students will also be able to focus on their educational goals other than fighting with either drugs, sexually transmitted diseases or negative criticism from the social media (Lilienfeld et al, 35).

This course basically appeals to me because of the type of message that it will be sending to the students (Bowen, 14). The course will therefore impact the lives of the students positively, as it seeks to improve and protect the students from indulging into evil acts which are likely to ruin their lives. First year students will therefore be able to understand how to deal with campus life, hence being able to achieve their academic goals (Lilienfeld et al, 35). Each and every student focuses on achieving his or her goal but the influence that either their peers or the social media has on their lives, leads them to end up not reaching their goals. This course will therefore see to it that all students are able to understand how to live peacefully and to be able to reach their goals.

Work Cited

Lilienfeld, Scott O, Steven J. Lynn, John Ruscio, and Barry L. Beyerstein. 50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology: Shattering Widespread Misconceptions About Human Behavior. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, 2011. Internet resource.

Bowen, José A. Teaching Naked: How Moving Technology Out of Your College Classroom Will Improve Student Learning. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, a Wiley imprint, 2012. Internet resource.

Unified world

A politically unified world is an idea of world government where all humankind comes together under one government. Such an idea has only existed as a utopian thinking and history has seen ambitious rulers such as kings, emperors and popes and philosophers propose for it but it has never existed. Therefore, there is no time the world will ever be unified under one political rule looking at various reasons for it.  First, a single political authority is infeasible and the assumption that the world government would result to desirable effect in terms of perpetual peace is farfetched. It will never materialize in terms of institutional reality due to the inherent human nature that is egoistic and corrupt where everyone is serving their self-interest (Titley, 2004). This is depicted in the logic of international anarchy in the world of states where they are all protect own sovereignty or allege to supreme authority. The difficulties that would be experienced in establishing such hierarchies at international level are unsurpassable; hence it cannot solve global problem (Titley, 2004). Second, there is the possibility of political tyranny given that such an authority would go unchecked, and would perpetuate the desire for humanity to serve self-interest needs.   

Politics involves making decisions that has effects on almost all facets of life in terms of the human rights, where to live, where to go, what is done and even the public health (Chafe, 2005). For instance , politician make laws that directly influence how the society use land , acquire education , access health care and how the living conditions within various neighborhoods will be. The political authorities come up with rules that limit the places I can go or actions that I cannot get involved in. Therefore, I cannot traverse all the parts of the world anyhow as I wish to due to political limits.  

Reference

Titley, G. (2004). Resituating culture. Strasbourg: Council of Europe Publ. 22-23.

Chafe, W. H. (2005). Private lives / public consequences: Personality and politics in modern America. Cambridge, Mass. [u.a.: Harvard Univ. Press.

FAMILY THEORY

Q1

A family is the center of every person’s life. This is because it provides love, security, identity and value regardless of age. In most cases, families are there to offer help to one of them for the love they hold for each other is unconditional. The blood connection gives a family a strong meaning because despite the difference among the members of the society there mostly see an eye for an eye. A family gives an individual a sense of self and gains that gives them a strong foundation throughout their lives (Allen, 2016).

Culture is an important aspect of family. Family tradition forms a ground to showcase the importance of family. Families attend functions such as religious services, community gathering creating experiences and memories for years that results to a stronger sense of belongingness. This makes them bond together and make them feel more important (Bengtson, 2005). However, it is important to understand that the challenges that families do face. Divorce is considered to be has a negative effect on a family. When parents divorce each other their children suffer the most resulting to depression especially when the children are young. It is also important to address fights and the financial problems that may strain a family resulting to misunderstanding. Infidelity is another issue which is an important to understand as it results in lack of trust between spouses (Allen, 2016).

Studying family is important as it gives some insightful view about what entails in a family. This creates a better understanding as individuals in a family may be different from each other which should not be used to tear down the family but to build it. It also addresses the importance of living in unity as well as the role the family plays in making the society a better place (Bengtson, 2005).

Q2

Decoupling has changed the American family and structures. Over the years there has been a drastic change in the family formation due to implications such as childbearing and the general well-being of adults. It is true to say that most Americans are either marrying late or stay unmarried. Divorce rates have also been on the rise hence making it a common occurrence (Gurman & Kniskern, 2014). Most women have remained childless while others choose to only have one child and others at an older rate. Surrogacy has also been on the rise as most women have chosen not to give birth by themselves but rather have others to do it for them. The proportion of births to that of unmarried women is on the rise. Decoupling can also be viewed to be a reason causing high childbearing outside marriage (Gurman & Kniskern, 2014).

School curriculum has incorporated the golden rule so that students may treat each other as they may want to be treated. This is in close connection with every religion and ethical traditions. At home, it is the responsibility of the parents to ensure that the children from other relationship cope well with each other in order to enhance a friendly environment at home (Gurman & Kniskern, 2014). Decoupling of natural resources has been faced with challenges of human well-being. There has been a stabilization of resources and consumption of energy which has had an environmental impact on the economy. Trump transition policy involves decoupling the utility revenue in order to allow efficiency in the institution by changing their structure. Therefore it is true to say that decoupling has its own advantage and disadvantage to the family structure as well as institution structure.

Reference

Allen, K. (2016). Theory, research and practical guidelines for family life coaching. Cham, SWITZERLAND: Springer.

Bengtson, V. L. (2005). Sourcebook of family theory & research. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Sage.

Gurman, A.S. & Kniskern, D. P. (2014). Handbook Of Family Therapy. Routledge

Gender and Culture Interview

The Oakland Hotel, Washington D.C

Interviewee: 24 years old, Bachelor of Science in Psychology Graduate.

Interviewer: How have the motivations to be in a relationship or get married changed over time?

Interviewee: Yes, the motivations to be in a relationship or to get married have really changed. This is basically because of the rapid technological changes that the world is facing. Most people have therefore been devoted into doing things associated with the new technology hence forgetting about relationship matters.

Interviewer: Who should pay on the first date? What does paying on the first date mean for the
relationship?

Interviewee: The man is supposed to pay on the first date. Paying on the first date is very symbolic and it could also explain if the man is caring or not. Thus paying is the determinant of the state of the relationship in future.

Interviewer: What is “love” and do you think that men and women perceive love differently? Explain.

Interviewee: Love is a strong feeling towards someone or something that one adores. Men and women perceive love in the same, thus they can be able to love each other and live peacefully with one another.

Interviewer: How do you perceive masculinity and femininity? How does that perception effect how you think about power in a relationship?

Interviewee: According to my point of view, I believe that even if one is masculine and the other one is feminine in a relationship, they must handle their affairs equally without any interference. I believe that in order for a relationship to be good, one submit to the other partner and thus making the relationship to be long lasting.

Interviewer: How has dating changed? Is dating still a thing? What is dating? What constitutes “a
date”?

Interviewee: Dating has really changed, since now people can be to date multiple partners, either virtually or in reality. When dating virtually, the partners do not meet physically but they only do it over the social media. Dating is currently not a thing since most people have multiple partners and thus making it to seem as if it is something more of joke. Dating is the relationship two partners have before marriage. Love and commitment constitutes a date, and if one is not therefore committed to his or her partner, then they cannot be able to date. 

Interviewer: Is it still necessary to fit into a binary of masculine or feminine?

Interviewee: Not it is not necessary since both a man and a woman are equal in a relationship.

Interviewer: What does the commitment of marriage mean today as opposed to a traditional sense? Are they the same?

Interviewee: No. Commitments are not the same. Commitment to of marriage today means being loyal to your partner, as opposed to the traditional sense which meant being loyal and as for women to submit to men.

Likert Scale Questionnaire

Questions:

Please provide answers to all the questions below with incorporation of accuracy and honesty.  Thank you very much in advance for your participation.

Personal Details

Student’s full name: …………………………

Age …………..

Gender …….

Please answer the entire provided question using the criteria of selecting the correct answer to the questions.

1. What is your general impression of dubbed television series in the modern American society and the Arabian culture today?
2. Excellent
3. Good
4. Average
5. Poor
6. Please indicate the effectiveness of dubbed television series?
7. Excellent
8. Good
9. Average
10. Low
11. Do dubbed Turkish television series holds any impacts on the Arabian cultural values for the Arabs students in Girne University?
12. No
13. Never
14. Yes
15. Rarely
16. Do you believe that dubbed television series holds negative effects on Girne students?
17. Yes
18. No
19. Rarely
20. Sometimes
21. What are your general feelings in regard to dubbed Turkish television series?
22. Strong
23. Somewhat
24. Neutral
25. No feelings
26. Do you agree that dubbed Turkish series results in diminish of cultural values on the Arabs students in American Girne university.
27. Strongly agree
28. Strongly disagree
29. Somehow agree
30. No opinion
31. Do you believe that watching dubbed Turkish television series for the Arabs students in are responsible for the assimilation of Arabian cultural values?
32. No idea
33. Strongly approve
34. Disapprove
35. Strongly disapprove
36. Do you disapprove the dubbing of television series?
37. Yes
38. No
39. Not sure
40. Never
41. What is your general rating of the effects of dubbed Turkish television series influences on students?
42. High
43. Average
44. Low
45. No opinion

 Psychology and education

Part I:

            Susan/client is an educated, white woman who suffers from an eating disorder that has impaired her personal perception, relations and overall quality of life. Among many reports of mixed feelings related to her eating disorder, Susan also reported that she was worried about her current weight (96 pounds) as not being low enough to meet the diagnosis criteria for Anorexia Nervosa. Client first noticed her eating disorder in grade school when she was sick and missed a few days. Upon returning back to school she reported that it felt good to receive compliments on her weight loss. The worst she has ever gotten was down to 87 pounds in her mid twenties. At her best she reported to be 118 ponds, when due to her accomplishments such as obtaining a Master Degree, a great job and with that financial independence her weight obsession diminished. Suzan is clearly presenting characteristics that define Anorexia Nervosa with cross-over between subtypes, restricting and binge/purging but more information is needed to clearly identify her eating disorder. 

Part II:

Client Statement # 1 (CS): I do not want to eat because it seems like I gain weight immediately I eat which makes me feel like I look fat or bulgy thus making matters worse. Even though there are times where I cannot help but eat, I always have the urge to purge or take laxatives.

CPP: Smiles while talking and at times posterizes with hands

TT: Although the client is aware of what she is doing wrong, she is not really concerned about stopping. She believes that her actions are justified because they help maintain the weigh she is comfortable with.

TA: The client is overly obsessed with her weight and is more concerned on how she looks than the effect that her actions has on her body.

 PS: you are really concerned over your weight and how it affects your image.

RF: You are worried and depressed that eating affects your body image negatively.

V: Although the approach you are taking to maintain your desired body weight is harmful to your health, the desire to not add weight is common amongst teenagers your age.

Client Statement# 2 (CS): Worrying about weight it gets really obsessive like getting on the scale 10 times a day.

CPP: Maintaining strong eye contact.

TT: she is just like any other teenager who wants to abide to the image portrayed by society as ideal.

TA: like most ladies, the only way she will be comfortable is if she maintains an image that is acceptable in society.

PS: you are really bothered by adding weight that you even try to lose it before it is gained.

RF: you are depressed and paranoid that any amount of food will result to you adding weight.  V: It is understandable that you want to lose weight; however, you could try more healthy ways to do it.

Client Statement# 3 (CS): Body- It feels fat. When I look in the mirror, especially around the stomach and hips, and the back, it just looks fat…it hangs, almost like I’m pregnant.

CPP: points at the various parts of her body that she believes are overweight and are causing her issues.

TT: I wonder if she will ever be satisfied with her weight. She is on a cycle where the more weight she loses the more she wants to lose.

TA: Like with all other eating disorders she feels as if her self-image is distorted

PS: she does not see the weight she has lost; she only sees what more she wants to lose.

RF: You are worried about something that you should not concern because being overweight is all an illusion.

V:No clear spoken validation.

Client Statement # 4 (CS): Since I cannot monitor what I eat, I end up eating everything on my plate.

CPP: Moving head and then finishing sentence with her gaze fixed at me.

TT:  the client was angry and frustrated because no matter how hard she wanted to reduce weight, she could not prevent herself from eating often too much. 

TA: The client was frustrated over the wrong thing. She is mad that she eats too much and blames herself for adding weight.

PS: she is not really mad that she eats too much but rather because she thinks it makes her overweight when it really does not.

RF: you are frustrated and angry but it is over the wrong thing.

V:  it is normal to be frustrated when you feel like something is getting in the way of all your efforts.

Example Client Statement # 5 (CS): There was a time when I thought I got it under control. I was not using the scale at all. I ate regular meals and weighed around 118 pounds.

CPP: Client uses a lot of hand gestures to show what she used to do in the past.

TT: She is aware of other times when she felt different and weighted more than she does now.

TA: Client ideal weight is 118 pounds.     

PS: Client has a target weight that she wants to reach

RF: None

V: None

Client Statement # 5 (CS): I didn’t think I would be sick enough to be anorexic

CPP: maintains eye contact

TT: the client is aware of the problem that obsessing about weight has caused for her.

TA: Client is aware of her problem and is willing to do something about it.

PS: Her decision to come see me was so that I could help her get the guidance she needs.

RF: Most people who accept that they have a problem that they are unable to resolve on their own often seek professional help.

V:None

Part III:

 1) What were your initial impressions of the client?  How did you form those impressions and what influence did they have on your ability to listen (to both content and process)?

We were viewing the video clip in class. I was concentrating on taking down statement notes for this assignment while watching. We only watched the video once. All I can say is that the setting was not ideal for me to be able to form a first impression. Then it is not in my nature to judge a book by it is cover. Although I feel pressured by this assignment to respond with my first impression, I would rather stay true to myself and see what I can learn from that. There is a high demand to report client’s appearances in our field and I should start paying more attention to “first impression” as I develop into my profession. First impression can be extremely deceiving. Unfortunately one’s presentation is the first thing others see and based on that first impressions are made. But for this assignment I would rather not discuss my perspective on first impression and state simply the facts. I was so focused on the writing down of client’s statements that I do not think my ability to listen was influence at all by my first impression.

2) Were you emotionally present throughout the session? Were you distracted by anything? What was your emotional response?

Although it involved taking a lot of notes, I tried to be as emotionally present as possible. I realized that by taking notes and keeping records, I was able to memorize better and understand what I am listening to. Writing also helped me to process my feelings and express myself better. However, one thing I found challenging was deciding which statements were worth noting down so as to remain significant and come up with informed solutions.  I was pushed towards an emotional reaction at some point in the session when the client was narrating her past and the trauma it had caused throughout her life. Although one cannot prevent themselves from having an emotional reaction, it is important to mind as less as possible so as to be opinionated and this is what is required of a professional therapist.

3) Were you able to remain client-centered and non-directive?  If so, how did you accomplish this, if not, what interfered?

To my best ability under circumstances I believe I was able to remain client-centered and non-directive.  Most attention was given to the client so as to identify what issues she was dealing with so as to come up with solutions that are based on well informed information. Rather than telling the client what to do, I guided the client down a path where she got to see the core of the problem on her own because only she could make the decision to solve it.

4) What did you do well? How can you continue to improve?

I did well under circumstances. I was able to take enough notes for this assignment while watching the video in class and remain somehow client-centered and authentic.

To improve I will need to be more assertive about my process of learning. I need to step up and ask to watch the video again if needed and have clarifying discussions with peers and teacher about the assignment in class. I would have done much better with extra time for this assignment and in general. I fell that there is not enough time to listen to our clients and instead of advocating for more time I find myself following the mainstream and not felling satisfy with my performance. Self-assertiveness and client’s advocacy is what I need to improve so I can better balance my practice.