Select and describe a health problem that you believe has a genetic component at least partially inherited. If you do not identify an inherited health condition within your family, choose a disease that interests you or impacts a friend or other family member.

/in /by
Aminimum of 350 words with references. Please read carefully before enswering all questions.

Mutations are changes that occur within the genes of an organism. Sometimes these mutations impact a single gene, while other mutations impact the number or structure of entire chromosomes. Since many mutations change just one tiny piece of information in one single piece of DNA, they usually do not cause any problems. For example, imagine if someone sent you a long email and accidentally misspelled the word “friend” as “freind.” You would still understand the email and would probably still even catch the original meaning – this is a good analogy for what happens with a point mutation, where just one part of a gene is changed.

However, sometimes a single mistake can make a big difference. Imagine if, while composing a long email, you accidentally select and delete an entire paragraph or perhaps auto-correct changes a critical word. You can imagine (and perhaps have even experienced) how such a mistake might cause great confusion and miscommunication.

Many genetic disorders are caused by changes to a single gene in the form of a point mutation or due to a chromosomal abnormality like a chromosome disorder. Sometimes these mutations are passed from one generation to the next, just like other harmless traits like eye color and blood type. These mutations may cause specific disorders, or they may predispose a person to a common disease like cancer or heart disease.

Review the following resources to learn more about genetics and the implications of our genetic knowledge:

http://extmedia.kaplan.edu/genEd/SC200/1605A/SC200_U7_Discussion_Resources.pdf

During the week, discuss the following with your classmates. Be sure to use the provided course materials and feel free to share additional information you find in the KU Library or through your own research.

Imagine that you have a particular genetic trait and that you have four children. Two of the four children also possess this trait. Meanwhile, the other biological parent of your children does not possess the trait.

  • Explain why you think the trait in the scenario is dominant or recessive.
  • Based upon your response, describe why it would or would not be possible for the trait in the scenario to “skip” a generation.
  • Patterns of inheritance within organisms like pea plants, fruit flies, mice, and others are somewhat easy to determine since their mating practices can easily be controlled. Apart from controlling who mates with whom, what other characteristics make species like these ideal for studying genetics?
  • Select and describe a health problem that you believe has a genetic component at least partially inherited. If you do not identify an inherited health condition within your family, choose a disease that interests you or impacts a friend or other family member. Would you be interested in having genetic testing to determine whether you carry a genetic mutation for a particular disorder or a genetic predisposition for a disease? Why/why not? What are the advantages and disadvantages of determining your predisposition?
  • Explore the current state of research for the health problem you selected. Focus on one of the following to discuss as they relate to the genetics of the disease:
    • Cause
    • Testing/Screening/Prevention
    • Treatments/Therapies/Cures

What does it mean to be a macro social worker? A micro social worker? Do these differentiations have any real meaning? If not, why is this language used when referring to the social work profession?

/in /by

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) specifies the ethics and values of the profession in their Code of Ethics. Section 6.04 of the Code of Ethics (1999) states:

Social workers should engage in social and political action that seeks to ensure that all people have equal access to the resources, employment, services, and opportunities they require to meet their basic human needs and to develop fully. Social workers should be aware of the impact of the political arena on practice and should advocate for changes in policy and legislation to improve social conditions in order to meet basic human needs and promote social justice.(Preamble, p. 8)

With the requirement of social and political action among social workers, there is little political activity among clinical social workers. Why? What barriers exist that prevent social workers from fulfilling this ethical obligation?

What does it mean to be a macro social worker? A micro social worker? Do these differentiations have any real meaning? If not, why is this language used when referring to the social work profession?

In this Discussion, you will look at the obligation of social workers to engage in political action in their practice and discuss why there appear to be different perceptions of the responsibility for political action among social work professionals.

Post (400 to 500 words) an analysis of historical divides (such as the schism between Jane Addams and Mary Richmond) and historical influences on current social work practice with respect to policy advocacy and action.

Do such schisms exist in contemporary social work? If you think these divides exist, how do they prevent social workers from fulfilling their ethical obligation(s)? Are they important differentiations?

 

Required Readings

SOCW 6361 Webliography
These websites will be required throughout the semester. Become familiar with these websites, especially when doing research for your assignments.

Jansson, B. S. (2018). Becoming an effective policy advocate: From policy practice to social justice. (8th ed.). Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning Series.
Chapter 1, “Joining a Tradition of Social Reform” (pp. 3–31)

Community Toolbox. (2016). Chapter 5 Section 1: Strategies for community change and improvement: An overview. Retrieved from http://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/assessment/promotion-strategies/overview/main

Gutiérrez, L. M., & Gant, L. M. (2018). Community practice in social work: Reflections on its first century and directions for the future. Social Service Review, 92(4), 617–646.

Hill, K. M., Ferguson, S. M., & Erickson, C. (2010). Sustaining and strengthening a macro identity: The association of macro practice social work. Journal of Community Practice, 18(4), 513–527

What can we expect to learn in the future? What are the possible problems we may face with psychology in the future?

/in /by

Instructions

Psychology is a contemporary science. Listed below are several recent papers. For the first part of this assignment, choose two papers to briefly summarize in a paragraph each, focusing on the contribution each makes to psychological knowledge in general.

The second part of the paper should be a discussion of the contributions and limitations of the field of psychology in our general knowledge. In addition, please discuss the follow;

  • What can we expect to learn in the future?
  • What are the possible problems we may face with psychology in the future?

This paper should be 2-3 pages in length and use APA formatting (cover page, paper body formatting, citations, and references: see Rasmussen’s APA guide in the Resources tab, or by clicking here. Prior to submitting your paper, be sure you proofread your work to check your spelling and grammar. If you use any outside sources, please site those sources in APA citation format.

Ponder, J. D., & Haridakis, P. (2015). Selectively social politics: The differing roles of media use on political discussion. Mass Communication & Society, 18(3), 281-302. doi:10.1080/15205436.2014.940977

Edlund, J. E. (2016). Invited editorial: Let’s do it again: A call for replications in Psi Chi Journal of Psychological Research. Psi Chi Journal Of Psychological Research, 21(1), 59-61.

Wolters, C. A., & Hussain, M. (2015). Investigating grit and its relations with college students’ self-regulated learning and academic achievement. Metacognition And Learning, 10(3), 293-311. doi:10.1007/s11409-014-9128-9.

Paper discusses psychological issues from both papers intelligently and methodically

What might be some fruitful questions to ask about this issue? (Helpful open-ended questions about a complex issue often start with a “why” or “how”)?

/in /by

Choose an issue/problem where finding solutions has been challenging and complex (e.g. a “wicked problem”). This could be one of the issues you have chosen so far, or a new one. Explore this issue through a systems lens, utilizing the systems tools and practices we have explored so far: habits of the systems thinker, ladder of inference, iceberg, living systems principles, and emergence/emergent strategy. We are practicing together here, and if you are not sure about some of the questions below, just make your best guess!

Briefly describe the issue to us.

Which habits of the systems thinker help you understand this issue more deeply, and how? (Choose at least 4 habits)

Chose at least one of these tools/lenses to make meaning of this issue: the iceberg, ladder of inference, living systems principles, or discussions on emergent strategy to make meaning of this issue, and describe your insights to us. What insights about this issue/problem can these tools/lenses offer you?

Who would need to be involved to work together on systemic interventions and solutions to this issue, and why?

What might be some fruitful questions to ask about this issue? (Helpful open-ended questions about a complex issue often start with a “why” or “how”)?

Without being able to do a detailed systems analysis here, what might be some systemic ways/interventions that address this issue (ideally addressing more than one component of this complex problem)?

What (if any) role could you see yourself playing in finding/facilitating systemic solutions to this issue/problem?

What organization or individuals are you aware of that are working on this issue/problem in ways that address it through a systems perspective (utilizing one or more of the systems habits)? How is this organization effective and how could it be even more effective in addressing the complexity of this issue?