Ethical Codes

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To prepare for this Discussion:

  • Review Chapter 3 in your course text, Research Methods for the Behavioral Sciences. Pay particular attention to ethical standards related to psychological research.
  • Review this week’s DVD program, “Ethics.” Think about the ethical principles that are important to follow when conducting forensic psychology research.
  • Review the APA’s Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct and the American Psychology-Law Society’s (AP-LS) Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychologists. Focus on the ethical principles, standards, and guidelines that apply to research.
  • Select two ethical principles, standards, or guidelines that apply to research and that you believe might or should be revised in the future.
  • Think about how the two ethical principles, standards, or guidelines you selected could or should be changed and why.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post by Day 4 your prediction of how the two ethical principles, standards, or guidelines you selected from the APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct or AP-LS’s Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychologists might be revised in the future, why they might be revised, and what the revision might look like and why.

Explain the interaction patterns and the level of group cohesion

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RESPONSE

Respond to two colleagues who identified different empowerment strategies than you by assessing their likelihood of success

Colleague 1: Ladeisha 

Communication:

According to Toseland and Rivas (2017), “Verbal and nonverbal communications are the components of social interaction” (p.68). Communication is the process by which people convey meanings to each other by using symbols. Communication entails (1) the encoding of a person’s perceptions, thoughts, and feelings into language and other symbols, (2) the transmission of these symbols or language, and (3) the decoding of the transmission by another person (Toseland & Rivas, p.68, 2017).   Effective communication is good in areas where clients, co-workers, decision-makers, policyholders, etc, are concerned. Effective communication disrupts down barriers and allows team members to be able to work through their problems, so they can meet their goals.

cohesion

Group cohesion is the result of all forces acting on members to remain in a group (Festinger, 1950). According to Forsyth (2014), cohesion is made up of three components: (1) member-to-member attraction and a liking for the group as a whole, (2) a sense of unity and community so that the group is seen as a single entity, and (3) a sense of teamwork and esprit de corps with the group successfully performing as a coordinated unit. Establishing a group cohesion in a support group allows the participants to become whole and form some type of bond that will help them in their time of distress. The positive quality of a group who has cohesion is that it can solve challenging situations.

social integration

According to Toseland and Rivas (2017), “Social integration refers to how members fit together and are accepted in a group” (p.83). for a group to successfully work, the participants are able to be compliant with the rules and regulations; for example, confidentiality. The group should be able to accept the different cultures and belief system.

Influence

According to Toseland and Rivas, (2017), “In groups with strong social influences, members give up a great deal of their freedom and individuality” (p.83). there can be negative and positive influences to support groups. One negative factor if a person breaks confidentiality. The next negative factor would be not allowing members to express themselves in a positive fashion. A positive influence on a group would be surrounded by people with like issues and being able to be themselves.

Explain the interaction patterns and the level of group cohesion

According to Toseland, Jones, and Gellis (2004), “Interpersonal attraction contributes to subgroup formation and to the level of cohesion of the group as a whole” (p.16). The interaction patterns in the group and the level of group cohesion helps the participants to find themselves and be able to consider themselves powerful.

Describe the social worker’s role in empowering members of the group.

“(Empowerment) suggests a sense of control over one’s life in personality, cognition, and motivation. It expresses itself at the level of feelings, at the level of ideas about self-worth, at the level of being able to make a difference in the world around us (Social Policy, 15, 1985. p. 15-21). As a social worker, I would empower members by helping to realize their strengths. Strengths are something they are good at and or do well such as being a truck driver, barber, mother, etc. The social worker would become involved in what in the engage of the group to ensure no rules are being broken and by doing this, this would empower the group to become bigger and better.

Explain the importance of empowerment in group work and strategies of empowerment that you might implement with this group.

It is important for empowerment to be in a group because the clients are there because they are lacking something whether it is self-worth, love, etc. Or they are there because they are struggling with an ongoing issue. Strategies for empowerment are provided so that resources and interventions are given that will work for the client.

Resources

Festinger, L. (1950). Informal social communication. Psychological Review, 57(5), 271–282. doi:10.1037/h0056932

Forsyth, D. R. (2014). Group dynamics (6th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

Rappaport, J. (1985). The power of empowerment language. Social Policy, 15:2:15-21.

Toseland, R. W., & Rivas, R. F. (2017). An introduction to group work practice (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

Toseland, R. W., Jones, L. V. & Gellis, Z. D. (2004). Handbook of Social Work with Groups, Charles D. Garvin, Lorraine M. Gutierrez, Maeda J. Galinsky: Guilford Publications.

Colleague 2: Damian

Leading group is an essential element of social work practice. As a clinician, there will be many instances were leading or formulating a group will be a huge part of your work. Understanding group, the different types of groups, and how they operate is paramount. Support groups are very popular in social work practice. Especially since they have been demonstrated to provoke fundamental change in client progress, and provide tools that are not received from anywhere else. According to Price, Butow, and Kirsten (2006), although participants in support groups may gain support from family, and friends, but their interest and participation in the support group essentially suggests that there are specific support needs being met in these groups, that are not being met elsewhere. Support groups allow individuals who are dealing with similar conditions, come together, share their difficult experiences, and support each other through it. Often, when individuals deal with severe health issues such as cancer, HIV, etc., or mental health needs, they become isolated and try to deal with these difficult situations on their own. Support groups have shifted this way of thinking, and has demonstrated its effectiveness.

Support groups are a form of evidenced based treatment, and are utilized by social workers, and other mental health providers for various issues. However, developing a support group is not always easy. Understanding group typologies and dynamics are critical. As a group leader, and an expert on the group issue, it is your job to set the tone and develop the dynamics. There are very serious elements to consider: Communication, cohesion, social integration, and interaction.  Group is bigger than sitting in a circle, talking; but it is having the ability to develop relationships, have effective communication about real issues, and work together to synthesize real issues.

Group member’s ability to communicate and interact is a crucial component of group practice. In fact, it is very challenging to lead a group who does not communicate or interact. This is why the leader is responsible for setting the tone, and ensuring all participants feel safe, and comfortable. According to Price, Butow, and Kirsten (2006), the role of the group leader is to encourage the development of group cohesion and structure, to moderate any difficulties and provide any information.

Cancer patients, and other participants of support groups attend these groups because they have a desire to escape their current state of feelings and emotion. This can be fear, anxiety, sadness, depression, etc. This is why the social worker must have the ability to empower the group, and help them overcome their battle with fear and depression. This requires for the social worker to be knowledgeable, and have an engaging personality.  Empowerment is an immense aspect of leading the support group. Clients present with an expectation, and that expectation is to gain some optimism, encouragement, and relief (Price, Butow, and Kirsten, 2006). Knowing that participants have an expectation could be a great way to help with shaping group cohesion, and dynamic. In the beginning, it may be a good idea for the social worker to discuss the purpose of group, but to also include the participants on the goal setting and hopes for outcomes. This ensures that there are no gray areas, and can also help with the reduction of fear.

Reference

Price, M., Butow, P., & Kirsten, L. (2006). Support and training needs of cancer support group leaders: a review. Psycho-Oncology, 15(8), 651-663.

Suicide and Risk Assessment Case Analysis

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Suicide and Risk Assessment Case Analysis

In this assignment you are required to perform a suicide/risk assessment utilizing the following assessment tool, located in the Resource section of your syllabus.

Suicide Check List: Ways to Assess Suicidality, also located in the Resource section of your syllabus.

It is suggested that you print the form and checklist, fill them out, scan and upload as a pdf files.

Review this week’s video and the article on suicide, as well as the reading assignments on suicide prevention and assessment. Using the above Assessment tools, please evaluate the following vignette for risk and suicidality. Please consider culture in your assessment. You are required to reference your work in APA format.

Fill out the forms, describing what you see in the vignette that supports your assessment responses. You may add additional information at the end of the forms to clarify your responses.

After you fill out the forms, write a paper discussing your assessment, possible interventions and prevention strategies that you might use when encountering  similar situations in your professional work.  Justify your responses by using and referencing the course text, the article you read and the video that you watched this week.  All work must be written in graduate level English in APA format.

Your paper should be 1-2 pages plus a title and reference page.

Naomi, a 16-year old Native-American female, is brought to your office by her parents after they found scratches on Naomi’s wrist and a note saying, “I just wish I wouldn’t wake up in the morning”. Triggering event is reportedly seeing her boyfriend with another girl at school. The parents report that Naomi is an excellent student and always has been a happy child. During her adolescence, she reportedly became moody and irritable, with fits of rage when she doesn’t get her way. When she was 15, Naomi apparently told her best friend that she planned on overdosing on her father’s pain pills, but the best friend told Naomi’s parents and this was intercepted. The incident at that time was also over rejection by a boy at school. Currently, Naomi is an excellent student, has no physical ailments, denies substance use and shows no signs of psychosis or mania. Mother tells you that Naomi sleeps a lot, sometimes 12 hours on the weekends, eats very little at dinner, and has gotten quite thin. Father is worried about his daughter as she is not the same little girl that adored him. Both parents are fearful that Naomi will harm herself. In session Naomi appears annoyed and denies intent to harm herself. She tells you, “I’m fine. Everyone is over-reacting. My parents just need to chill. They’re smothering me with their ridiculous worry.”
Family history reveals suicide attempts by Naomi’s mother when she herself was an adolescent due to chronic abuse by her alcoholic father. Mother denies suicidal ideation at present, and is on antidepressant and antianxiety medications. She does reveal that her paternal grandfather was an alcoholic who “killed himself’ when his wife left him. Naomi’s father is a police officer, currently on disability. He suffers from chronic back pain, and is prescribed narcotics for pain management. Both parents are adamant that their medications are safely kept and that Naomi has no access them.
Assignment OutcomesRecognize the major issues related to sound and professional practice in psychology Assess and evaluate legal and ethical mandates in clinical context Describe local laws regulating the practice of psychology

Standard Suicide Risk Assessment

______________________________________________________________________________________

 

A comprehensive suicidality assessment was conducted due to: (check one about the nature of the referral)

___ Referral source identified suicidal symptoms or risk factors

___ Patient reported suicidal thoughts/feelings on intake paperwork/assessment tools (please attach a copy of the assessment instrument with applicable items circled)

___ Patient reported suicidal thoughts/feelings during the intake interview

___ Recent event already occurred (circle appropriate: suicide attempt, suicide threat)

___ Other:

 

In the following sections, circle Y for “yes” and N for “no” and provide accompanying details.

 

________________________________________________________________________

Describe the therapeutic alliance/relationship at the end of the initial session:

 

Poor————-Routine————-Good

 

If Poor, please indicate problems observed:

 

________________________________________________________________________

Precipitants to Consider:

Y N Significant loss Describe:

Y N Interpersonal isolation Describe:

Y N Relationship problems Describe:

Y N Health problems Describe:

Y N Legal problems Describe:

Y N Other problems Describe:

 

 

Nature of Suicidal Thinking:

Y N Suicide Ideation:

Frequency: Never Rarely Sometimes Frequently Always

Intensity: Brief and fleeting Focused deliberation Intense rumination

Other: _____________________________________

Duration: ____ Seconds ____ Minutes ____Hours

 

Y N Current Intent

Subjective reports(Provide quote): _______________________________________

Objective signs(behaviors): ____________________________________________________

Y N Suicide plan:

When___________________________________________________________

Where___________________________________________________________

How_______________________________________ Y N Access to means

Y N Suicide Preparation ___________

Y N Suicide Rehearsal_____________________________________________________

Y N Reasons for Dying:____________________________________________________

Y N Reasons for Living: ______________________________________________________

 

Y N Evidence of emergence of capability to suicide? _______________________________

 

 

History of Suicidal Behavior, Self-Harm

Y N History of Suicidality

Ideation_____________________________________________________________

Single Attempt_____________________________________________________________

Multiple Attempts____________________________________________________________

 

Y N History of Self-Harm (no intent to die)

Type: _______________________________________________________________

Frequency:___________________________________________________________

Duration: ____________________________________________________________

 

 

Symptom Severity:

Depression: Rating (1-10)________

Anxiety: Rating (1-10) )________

Anger: Rating (1-10) )________

Agitation: Rating (1-10) )________

 

Onset of symptom clusters:____________________________________

Duration of symptom clusters:__________________________________

 

Hopelessness:

Rating (1-10)___________

Onset:________________

Duration:______________

 

Perceived Burdensomeness:

Rating (1-10)___________

Onset:________________

Duration:______________

 

 

Sleep Disturbance:

Rating of severity: (1-10)___________

Initial, middle or terminal insomnia (circle)

Nightmares? Yes or No

 

Impulsivity/Self-Control:

Y N Impulsivity

Subjective reports: _____

Objective signs: _____________________________________________________________

Y N Substance abuse Describe:

 

Additional Factors to Consider:

 

Y N Homicidal ideation Describe:

 

Recent hospital discharge for suicidality? Y N

How long ago was the discharge? ______________________________________________

 

Additional risk factors: (check all that apply)

____ Age over 60 ____Male ____Previous Axis I or II psychiatric diagnosis

____ Previous history of suicidal behavior ____History of family suicide

____ History of physical, emotional or sexual abuse ___ Access to firearms

 

 

Mental Status:

Alertness: alert…..drowsy…..lethargic……stuporous……other:

Oriented to: person place time reason for evaluation

Mood: euthymic, elevated, dysphoric, agitated, angry,

Affect: flat, blunted, constricted, appropriate, labile

Thought continuity: clear and coherent, goal-directed, tangential, circumstantial, other:

Thought content: WNL, obsessions, delusions, ideas of reference, bizarreness, morbidity, other:

Abstraction: WNL, notably concrete, other:

Speech: WNL, rapid, slow, slurred, impoverished, incoherent, other:

Memory: grossly intact, other:

Reality testing: WNL, other:

Notable behavioral observations:

 

___________________________________________________________________________

 

Rating of Acute Risk (circle appropriate category)

 

None—–Mild—–Moderate—–Severe—–Extreme

 

___________________________________________________________

 

Presence/Absence of Chronic Risk (circle appropriate category)

 

Absent

 

Present

 

If present, summarize markers of chronic risk:

 

 

 

_____________________________________________________________________

 

DSM-5 Diagnosis:

 

P: At the current time, outpatient care can/cannot provide sufficient safety and stability.

Intervention plan for safety is:

1.

2.

3.

4.

 

Patient agrees to this plan: Y N

Patient was provided a written crisis response plan: Y N

Patient was provided a commitment to treatment statement: Y N

· Explain the person’s life in terms of nature/nurture influences.

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For this Final Project Assignment, you will complete a 6- to 8-page paper (including Parts 1 and 2), not including title page and references. You will incorporate and finalize the feedback you received from your Instructor on Part 1, and prepare your Final Project for submission.

For each of the following, explain the development and outcomes of the person’s life in terms of the appropriate constructs, processes, and theories of development. Address as many of the ages and stages as possible and that are relevant.

· Explain the person’s life in terms of nature/nurture influences.

· Provide an analysis of the role cognitive, physical, and social-emotional development/changes played in the person’s life. Note: You must select two of the three processes to include in your paper.

· Include at least one theory that is relevant in describing the individual’s development.

· Explain major developmental events, phases, and turning points in the person’s life, with developmental theories that best explain each. Include a brief description of each developmental theory and use as many as is fitting. You must include at least two theories from this course in your Final Project Assignment.

· Explain the impact of diversity* on the person’s life (success, lack of success, struggles, challenges, decisions, etc.).
*Diversity includes characteristics and factors such as gender, race, ethnicity, culture, socioeconomic status, religion, sexual orientation, and physical ability. Diversity characteristics are distinct from adversity, which refers to hardship or misfortune.

Use proper APA format, citations, and referencing.

 

    EXCELLENT—Above expectations

GOOD—Meets expectations

FAIR—Below expectations

POOR—Significantly below expectations or missing component(s)

 

Content

63 (63%) – 70 (70%)

Paper demonstrates   an excellent understanding   of all of the concepts and key points presented in the text(s) and Learning   Resources. Paper provides significant detail including multiple relevant   examples, evidence from the readings and other sources, and discerning ideas.

56 (56%) – 62 (62%)

Paper demonstrates   a goodunderstanding   of most of the   concepts and key points presented in the text(s) and Learning Resources.   Paper includes moderate detail, evidence from the readings, and discerning   ideas.

49 (49%) – 55 (55%)

Paper demonstrates   a fairunderstanding of the   concepts and key points as presented in the text(s) and Learning Resources.   Paper may be lacking in   detail and specificity and/or may not include sufficient pertinent examples   or provide sufficient evidence from the readings.

0 (0%) – 48 (48%)

Paper   demonstrates poor understanding of the concepts and key points of the text(s) and   Learning Resources. Paper is missing detail and specificity and/or does not   include any pertinent examples or provide sufficient evidence from the   readings.

 

Writing

27 (27%) – 30 (30%)

Paper is well   organized, uses scholarly tone, follows APA style, uses original writing and   proper paraphrasing, contains very few or no writing and/or spelling errors,   and is fullyconsistent with   graduate-level writing style. Paper contains multiple appropriate and exemplary sources   expected/required for the assignment.

24 (24%) – 26 (26%)

Paper is mostly consistent with graduate-level writing   style. Paper may have some small or infrequent organization, scholarly tone,   or APA style issues, and/or may contain a few writing and spelling errors,   and/or somewhat less than the expected number of or type of sources.

21 (21%) – 23 (23%)

Paper is somewhat belowgraduate-level writing style, with multiple   smaller or a few major problems. Paper may be lacking in organization,   scholarly tone, APA style, and/or contain many writing and/or spelling   errors, or shows moderate reliance on quoting vs. original writing and   paraphrasing. Paper may contain inferior resources (in number or quality).

0 (0%) – 20 (20%)

Paper is well below graduate-level writing style   expectations for organization, scholarly tone, APA style, and writing, or   relies excessively on quoting. Paper may contain few or no quality resources.

Some Notes to help with paper: Paula – I enjoyed reading PART 1 of your paper focusing on Oprah Winfrey. Below, I’ve included some feedback that you should focus on not only to improve PART 1 of the paper, but to consider when writing PART 2 which is due in week 10 of the course. Don’t forget to read the Grading Rubric for the paper in the “Course Information” section of the classroom. Also, the score for this is a zero, but please don’t be concerned; it’s not graded (though, it is a requirement – see the classroom).

— Transitions: Work to make sure that you include transitions between each of your paragraphs. This would help the reader better follow the flow of your argument.

— Headings: Use headings in your paper to mark each major section of the paper. One heading might read “Cognitive Development” and another might be “Physical Development” (you don’t have to use these specific headings; use headings that make sense for the organization of your paper).

— Grammar: You have some grammatical mistakes in the paper. I strongly recommend reading the paper carefully and addressing the errors. Just one example:

Oprah Winfrey family and environmental experienced through the stories she tells show

how much the family and environmental experiences have influenced her.

FYI: You repeat yourself in the first paragraph…

— Literature: One of the biggest issues with your paper, Paula, is that information from the professional literature and textbook needs to be more thoroughly integrated. This is VERY important and something I think you’d benefit from focusing on for the next draft. As written in the announcement about the paper I asked the class to read: “Bottom line: THOROUGHLY integrate information from your learning sources AND textbook. If the majority of your paper is merely your analysis of the biography with little substantive integration of information from your sources, the paper is unlikely to earn the kind of grade you want.”

Be sure you incorporate several sources from the developmental literature (aim to integrate information from at least 10 scholarly sources in addition to the biography) into your paper.

Look up some scholarly articles in PsychInfo database and/or integrate some from the classroom we’ve discussed this term (just be sure to go beyond internet sources and videos, of course). Here are some examples of papers you could draw upon that come from the course Learning Resources (in not particular order):

-Meyer, D., Wood, S., & Stanley, B. (2013). Nurture is nature: Integrating brain development, systems theory, and attachment theory. The Family Journal, 21(2), 162–169. doi:10.1177/1066480712466808

-Jensen, L. A. (2012). Bridging universal and cultural perspectives: A vision for developmental psychology in a global world. Child Development Perspectives, 6(1), 98–104. doi:10.1111/j.1750-8606.2011.00213.x

-Aldwin, C. M. (2014). Rethinking developmental science.Research in Human Development, 11(4), 247–254. doi:10.1080/15427609.2014.967045

-Greenfield, P. M. (2009). Linking social change and developmental change: Shifting pathways of human development. Developmental Psychology, 45(2), 401–418. doi:10.1037/a0014726

-Entringer, S., Buss, C., & Wadhwa, P. D. (2015). Prenatal stress, development, health and disease risk: A psychobiological perspective—2015 Curt Richter Award Paper. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 62, 366–375. doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.08.019

-Keller, H. (2012). Attachment and culture. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 44(2), 175–194. doi:10.1177/0022022112472253

-Nisbett, R. E., Aronson, J., Blair, C., Dickens, W., Flynn, J., Halpern, D. F., & Turkheimer, E. (2012). Intelligence: New findings and theoretical developments. American Psychologist, 67(2), 130–159. doi:10.1037/a0026699

-Martins, N., & Wilson, B. J. (2012). Mean on the screen: Social aggression in programs popular with children.Journal of Communication, 62(6), 991–1009. doi:10.1111/j.1460-2466.2012.01599.x

-Baams, L., Dubas, J. S., Overbeek, G., & Van Aken, M. G. (2015). Transitions in body and behavior: A meta-analytic study on the relationship between pubertal development and adolescent sexual behavior. Journal of Adolescent Health, 56(6), 586–598. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2014.11.019

-Dimler, L. l., & Natsuaki, M. N. (2015). The effects of pubertal timing on externalizing behaviors in adolescence and early adulthood: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Adolescence, 45, 160–170. doi:10.1016/j.adolescence.2015.07.021

-Berger, B. (2016). An unexpected war of ages: Clinical issues and conflicts related to young and middle adult development. Smith College Studies in Social Work, 86(1), 35–44. doi:10.1080/00377317.2016.1116296

-Boucher, H. C., & Maslach, C. (2009). Culture and individuation: The role of norms and self-construals.Journal of Social Psychology, 149(6), 677–693.

-North, M. S., & Fiske, S. T. (2015). Modern attitudes toward older adults in the aging world: A cross-cultural meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 141(5), 993–1021. doi:10.1037/a0039469

-Stein, G. L., Cupito, A. M., Mendez, J. L., Prandoni, J., Huq, N., & Westerberg, D. (2014). Familism through a developmental lens. Journal of Latina/o Psychology, 2(4), 224–250. doi:10.1037/lat0000025

— Paragraph structure: Read every paragraph and ask yourself whether each has a topic sentence (it should) and all of the other sentences support that topic sentence.

— Constructs: I suggest more thoroughly discussing some of the constructs we’ve been discussing in class and apply them. For example, there’s room to discuss nature and nurture in a more nuanced fashion and integrating information from some of the sources you have in the classroom (e.g., Pinker, S. (2004). Why nature and nurture won’t go away. Daedalus, 133(4), 5–17.; Meyer, D., Wood, S., & Stanley, B. (2013). Nurture is nature: Integrating brain development, systems theory, and attachment theory. The Family Journal, 21(2), 162–169.

— Elaborate: There are some areas of your paper that need to be further developed. For example, can you go into more details about her physical development? The minimum for this part of the paper was 3-4 pages, but your paper was significantly less; there’s room to elaborate on your ideas and the literature

I uploaded the part on of my assignment to use for part 2