describe your reaction in the following ways:  How does this trait represent who you are as a person? Were you surprised by the results

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Access the Psych Central Personality Test: http://psychcentral.com/personality-test/start.php

Navigate to Quizzes then scroll down to Personality. Take the test by answering the questions as honestly as possible.  Upon completion, find your comprehensive personality report on the five personality traits and reflect upon the positive aspects of your relationship with each trait.  Choose the most positive information in the report and reflect upon how that trait is a personal strength that you possess.

To begin your essay, state and highlight or indicate in italics or bold your positive Trait.  It is not necessary to define the trait or reiterate the description of it from your results.

Now, describe your reaction in the following ways:  How does this trait represent who you are as a person? Were you surprised by the results?  How does this trait act as a personal strength, and in what ways do you find having it important and helpful to your quality of life?  Aside from the test results, what other character strength(s) do you feel you have, and how are they important or helpful in reference to your psychological well-being?  Some examples include leadership, gratitude, spirituality, bravery, honesty, justice, perseverance, appreciation of beauty, wisdom, etc. You will want to address the answers to these questions clearly and completely as this is 25% of your grade on the essay.

Next, explain how you can apply this personality trait / strength or your other strengths to the important areas of your life such as work, school, relationships, play, and/or parenting.  You may even wish to use your strengths in a way that you have not done before and report on that.  Again, please provide a thorough discussion, as this part is also worth another 25% of your grade on the essay.

Submit your Traits to Strength Project to the assignment folder no later than Sunday 11:59 PM EST/EDT. (This folder may be linked to Turnitin.)

Describe the type of research design that was used in the study.  Do you think the research in this article was conducted in an ethical manner? Why or why not? 

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For this journal task, you will first select one of three tracks in the study of abnormal psychology (biological, psychological, or sociocultural), on which you will focus your final project research investigation.

Next, you will analyze one of the articles within the track, which will provide practice for your literature review. Prompt: First, refer to the Tracks and Topics for the Final Project document and select a track that you would like to focus your final project on. (Note: In this document, you are provided with three articles for each topic, but you will need to find two additional articles to use for your final project.)

Next, analyze one of the articles within the tracks which, will provide practice for your literature review.

Keep in mind that these questions are practice and preparation for the more detailed literature review elements to come. In your journal entry, answer the following questions about the article:

1.  What is the title of the article? Provide the reference for the article in proper APA format.

2.  What is the purpose of the article?

3.  What is the hypothesis of the study? In other words, what claims do the authors make in the article?

4. What variables (factors) are being looked at as an influence on abnormal behavior?

5. If these variables or the relationship between these variables have been studied before, what does the article indicate about the findings of previous studies? This shows historical significance.

6. Describe the type of research design that was used in the study.  Do you think the research in this article was conducted in an ethical manner? Why or why not?

7. What was the outcome(s) of the study, that is, the conclusions that the authors made as a result of the study?

Each question requires an answer in one to three sentences, although you can write more if needed. This should result in a journal entry that is around 1 page in length.

Be sure to cite directly from the article to support your answers.  APA formatting of sources.

Edit question’s body

Edit question’s attachments

Recognizing Toxic People and Toxic Relationships

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Lately I have been reflecting on some past and present toxic relationships I have associated with. From friends and boyfriends to co-workers and even relatives, I have witnessed a lot of toxic and hurtful behaviors among a few individuals in my life who, at one time or another, have professed that they truly cared about me. Over this past weekend, I saw some spiteful behaviors and heard some very hurtful words that made me take a step back and question some individuals who are in my life. Throughout my medical training and journey through life, I have learned how to easily recognize red flags, cut ties with toxic people, and most importantly forgive those who have hurt me, even if they are not aware of their actions. Letting go, loving yourself and moving on is sometimes the best recipe to exit these toxic relationships. For those who are wondering if they are surrounded by toxicity, I offer lessons in psychology about recognizing toxic individuals and toxic behaviors:

The term toxic is defined as “containing or being poisonous material especially when capable of causing death or serious debilitation,” according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary. The word is often used to describe chemicals, but it is also commonly used to describe people and relationships.

Most of us have been involved in a toxic relationship at one time or another in our lifetimes. We all have been in the company of others who did not act for the greater good of anyone besides themselves. Toxicity comes in all forms: name-calling, physical abuse, lying, gossip and all the internal turmoil that results from being in an unhealthy relationship. Whether it is a personal relationship involving a family member, lover or a friend, or a professional relationship involving a co-worker or a boss, toxic relationships can damage and leave long-lasting effects on the person involved in one.

Why it matters

Relationships are two-way streets that involve helping each other throughout the journey without any expectation of gaining anything in return except for a lending hand when the tables are turned. Many people assume the word “relationship” refers to a romantic relationship between two people. This assumption is false as relationships can be between any two people and toxicity can be presented between siblings, co-workers, friends, or lovers.

As humans, we are social beings who thrive on companionship and deteriorate on loneliness, according to psychological studies. Entering into a toxic relationship can result in severe inner conflict that can potentially lead to anger, depression or anxiety. It is important to recognize the red flags associated with toxic individuals and toxic relationships, in order to prevent any unnecessary emotional and mental turmoil.

How does this individual treat others?

Look at how the person treats the people closest to him or her. Does he or she speak badly about family members, or display signs of aggression toward parents, friends or co-workers? Is the person in constant conflict with other people? You may feel as though this person is always coming to you complaining about others, whether it’s a constant fight with a boyfriend or girlfriend, or an inability to get along with his or her mother. Is this person using you as an emotional punching bag to take out his or her frustrations and conflicts with others on you? If so, then you may want to take a step back to gain insight into this situation and re-evaluate the purpose of this relationship. The best decision may be to walk away if the person lacks insight and is unwilling to change.

How does this individual make you feel when you are together?

When you are together, does this person talk about himself or herself the whole time? Does he or she verbally put down others or gossip? Does the person make you feel happy about spending time together, or do you feel burdened? Are you walking on egg shells because you are scared to upset this other person? Take a moment to reflect on the time you spend with this person to determine how you feel after each experience. If you feel more miserable than happy when you spend time together, then you may need to set personal boundaries and take a step back from this person in order to protect yourself. This is not selfish, but rather an act of self-love.

How does this individual deal with conflict?

In general, most people do not enjoy dealing with conflict. It can be difficult to communicate your feelings and make yourself vulnerable in a relationship when you have disagreements. However, relationships do grow as you learn to deal with and resolve conflict. If a person refuses to address issues or refuses to communicate or apologize for his or her actions, then the individual may be portraying toxic behavior. Additionally, if this person acts spiteful after the conflict and spreads rumors or speaks poorly about you, then that is a major red flag. A person who truly cares for you will try to make amends and not sever the relationship. You can learn a lot about someone’s character by observing how he or she deals with conflict.

How does this individual make you feel when you are together?

When you are together, does this person talk about himself or herself the whole time? Does he or she verbally put down others or gossip? Does the person make you feel happy about spending time together, or do you feel burdened? Are you walking on egg shells because you are scared to upset this other person? Take a moment to reflect on the time you spend with this person to determine how you feel after each experience. If you feel more miserable than happy when you spend time together, then you may need to set personal boundaries and take a step back from this person in order to protect yourself. This is not selfish, but rather an act of self-love.

Does this individual make you feel important?

Does this person go out of his or her way to cause you grief, or does the individual hurt you when you are already down? Does the person trivialize things that are important to you? Does he or she ignore your requests and needs? If you are having more stressful and bad moments than good moments when you are with someone, this may be a sign of a toxic relationship.

Red flags associated with a toxic relationship

Lying

Apathethy

Narcissistic personality

Refusal to deal with conflict

Unapologetic

Not willing to admit their mistakes

Constantly blaming others

Any form of abuse

Talking poorly about others

Controlling

Manipulative

Refusal to listen to your concernsite

No easy solutions

Recognizing and admitting that you are in a toxic relationship may be difficult, as many people are blinded by love and temporary happiness. Additionally, many people feel they may be lonely without that friend, lover or sibling. They might even intellectually recognize a toxic person or situation, but their emotions end up having more influence over their decisions than their intellect.

In fact, many people who grew up in toxic homes find it hard to accept loving relationships, because they’re not familiar with them. In these cases, familiarity breeds comfort rather than contempt. It is easier for others to see the toxicity. One of the most difficult therapeutic problems I see is helping patients who have been preyed upon, or “toxified,” to accept a kind and loving experience without fleeing. They are attracted to what is familiar, more toxic relationships, which they often experience as normal. It may be scary for them to cut these ties. It’s sad, but true, that they may even believe what the toxic person said about them, that they’re stupid, ugly, worthless, or whatever. The good news is that this toxicity can be reversed with therapy, self-love, setting boundaries, establishing positive relationships and self-help groups.

Describe the specific steps you will take to assess the potential risk to or from your student or client.

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Professional counselors must follow legal and ethical guidelines to protect their clients’ or students’ privacy and confidentiality. However, they also need to protect their clients or students from self-harm and harm by others, and they need to protect other people from potentially dangerous clients or students. At times, these duties may limit a client’s or student’s right to confidentiality. State laws contain specific statutes or regulations that mandate when a counselor must break confidentiality to protect clients or students from harm. Schools and agencies will also have specific guidelines and policies that must be followed in such cases.

Create a 250-word scenario for a client or student who is under the age of 18, reflective of the work you will do as a professional counselor that describes the client or student who expresses one of the following:

  • Thoughts of harm to self.
  • Thoughts of harm to another.
  • Disclosure of abuse.

Address all of the following in your case scenario:

  • Include the student’s or client’s age and the setting in which you are working.
  • Describe the specific steps you will take to assess the potential risk to or from your student or client.
  • Discuss the guidelines you will follow to report if a minor has experienced abuse or is in jeopardy of being harmed. Locate the specific laws in your state that address mandated reporting procedures and cite the sections of these laws that would guide your actions.
  • Explain how you will address informed consent and any exceptions to confidentiality with your student or client so that damage to the counseling relationship is minimized.
  • Include specific examples to illustrate your ideas, and support your discussion with references to state laws and regulations, the 2014 ACA Code of Ethics and/or the 2010 ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors, and articles from the professional literature.