Description
Ashford 6: - Week 5 - Final Paper
Applied Psychology: From Theory to Practice Final Paper
For your Final Paper assignment, you will demonstrate your knowledge of applied behavioral science by utilizing summarizing information you have learned throughout this course.
Prepare: To begin, review the case study you selected in Week Three of the course. Remember, you must use this case study. Pay special attention to the topic you selected and the area from which you will draw your research on the topic as noted in the title of the case study. For example, if you selected Case Study #1, you would explore the topic of Major Depressive Disorder from the clinical psychology perspective. If you selected Case Study #5, you would explore motivation from the industrial organizational psychology perspective.
CHOSEN CASE STUDY
Case Study #1 Clinical Psychology: Major Depressive Disorder Joe is suffering from severe depression. His father, grandmother, and two uncles suffered with the same condition. One of Joe’s uncles who met the criteria for Major Depressive Disorder committed suicide at the age of 57. Joe’s depression started after he was laid off from work, and became disabling when his wife divorced him, receiving full custody of the kids and their home.
Reflect: Next, research the chosen topic using scholarly resources, and craft a thesis statement regarding your selected topic. For assistance with creating a thesis statement, utilize the Thesis Generator tool on the Ashford University Writing Center website. Your final paper must contain at least six peer-reviewed journal articles, published within the past 10 years, which are cited according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. Examples of peer reviewed journals include, but are not limited to, the Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, Journal of Clinical Psychology, Behavioral Interventions, The Behavior Analyst Today, Journal of Speech-Language Pathology & Applied Behavior Analysis,and Journal of Behavioral Education. Additional scholarly sources (e.g., information from government websites and professional association websites) may be included over and above the required six peer-reviewed journal articles. Popular sources (Wikipedia, Newsweek, New York Times, Psychology Today, About.com, PsychCentral.com, etc.) are not considered peer-reviewed sources. For further assistance in determining whether or not a source is a peer-reviewed journal article, be sure to access the Scholarly and Popular Resources tutorial on the Ashford University Library website.
Write: In a well-developed eight- to ten-page paper address the following criteria for the case study you selected in Week Three. See the ABS200 Case Study List located in your online classroom to review the case studies.
- The paper must begin with a well-written introduction that includes a succinct thesis statement. For assistance with creating a thesis statement, utilize the Thesis Generator tool on the Ashford University Writing Center website.
- Your introductory paragraph must include a description of the basic characteristics of science and a definition of applied behavioral science and the area of psychology from which the case study is explored.
- Identify and describe the potential source(s) and/or cause(s) of the issue that is/are relevant to the selected case study (e.g., genetic, environmental, social, cultural, organizational).
- Examine the case study by applying one psychological theory of your choice pertinent to applied behavioral science.
- Describe scientific research that is relevant to your selected case study. Include past and current findings and note any key changes.
- Identify and describe any relevant trends in working with your intended population.
- Detail a suggested plan of action, including advantages and disadvantages, for moving forward.
- Specify what you would do to build rapport with the clients in the selected case study.
- State ethical considerations that are relevant to this case.
- You must end your paper with a conclusion that reaffirms your thesis and include an examination of the pros and cons (advantages and disadvantages) of utilizing at least one applied behavioral science intervention method to address the concerns in the scenario you selected.
The Applied Psychology: From Theory to Practice Final Paper
- Must be eight to ten double-spaced pages in length (not including title and references pages) and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
- Must include a separate title page with the following:
- Title of paper
- Student’s name
- Course name and number
- Instructor’s name
- Date submitted
- Must begin with an introductory paragraph that has a succinct thesis statement.
- Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought. View the Critical Thinking Community website for further assistance.
- Must end with a conclusion that reaffirms your thesis and summarizes supporting evidence.
- Must use at least six peer-reviewed journal articles as sources, including a minimum of four from the Ashford University Library.
- The Scholarly, Peer Reviewed, and Other Credible Sources table offers additional guidance on appropriate source types. If you have questions about whether a specific source is appropriate for this assignment, please contact your instructor. Your instructor has the final say about the appropriateness of a specific source for a particular assignment.
- Must document all sources in APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
- Must include a separate references page that is formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
Carefully review the Grading Rubric for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.
Explanation & Answer
Here is the complete work
Running Head: MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER
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Major Depressive Disorder
Name
Professor Name
Unit
Date
MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER
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Major Depressive Disorder
Introduction
Major depression is seen as a medical condition that is distinguished by one or even more
major depressive episodes. The major depressive episode is usually characterized by loss of
interest or depressed mood and it is accompanied by at least four other more depression
symptoms. These symptoms are such as changes in weight, appetite, having difficulty in thinking
and in concentration along with recurrent thoughts of committing suicide and death. Depression
usually differs from feeling blue which causes severe problems that interfere with a person’s
daily functioning (McGrath, 2013).
Prevalence
Major depression is commonly a psychiatric disorder. It is commonly experienced in
adolescent and adult women that it is with adult men. It has been found that in between fifteen to
twenty people out of a hundred, experience major depression episode during their lifetime. There
is no prevalence found that relates to ethnicity, education, marital status or even based on
income.
Diagnosis
Major depression can’t in anyway be diagnosed by blood test, through CAT-scan, or even
through any other laboratory test. A clinical interview has been the only way used to diagnose
major depression. The interviewer usually checks if the person has actually experienced
symptoms considered severe for at least two weeks. In case the symptoms tend to be less severe
and might have lasted over a long period of time, then the person has to be diagnosed with a
MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER
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persistent depressive disorder. Clinicians are required to also check and make sure that there is
actually no other physical problem that can cause symptoms that are similar to those of major
depression, such as thyroid problem or even brain tumor (Piet,2015).
Course of illness
The mid-20s has been confirmed as the average age onset, but major depression might
begin at any age in once life. The episode frequencies do vary from one particular person to the
other. Some individuals have been able to isolate their episodes for many years, with others
suffering from the clustered frequent episodes together. The episodes have generally increased in
numbers as the individual grows older. The initial episode serenity to major depression indicates
persistence. The episodes might be followed by major stressors, such as divorce as it is seen in
Joe’s case or even death of loved one. Resulting substance abuse and chronicle medical
conditions might further exacerbate the depressive episode (Johnstone, 2013).
Causes
There has never been found any simple answer towards knowing what actually causes
depression, due to several factors that take part into this disorder onset. It is involved with
genetics or depression family history, life events, environmental stressor, psychological
vulnerability and biological factors to depression. On Joe’s case, it can be considered as a family
history of depression. The problem has been along the family line because his grandmother, his
father along two of his uncles also suffered from this similar condition.
Research has proven that the risk for depression can result from multiple genes influence that
acts together with the environmental factors. It is referred to as the stress-vulnerability model.
The family history of depression necessarily doesn’t means that the children or even of the other
MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER
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relatives will also develop the major depression. Those with a family history of depression,
however slightly have higher chances of becoming depressed along their stages in life. Genetic
research although suggest that depression runs within families, because genetics alone tend to
unlikely cause depression. Adult life events, or a traumatic childhood events, might act as
triggers within the environmental factors. Studies have shown that an early childhood loss or
trauma, in the likes of divorce, death of a loved one, serious financial problem, and loss of a job,
family conflict, and retirement can result in depression onset. More mild stressors result from
subsequent episodes or might from none at all.
Most scientists do believe that the cause is usually biological, from a result of brain
chemicals imbalance, specifically the norepinephrine and serotonin. There are also theories that
claim that the bodies physical changes also plays a role in depression. Some of this physical
changes included are viral, while others infections, cancer, heart attack, hormonal disorders
(Kramer, 2014).
Personality style might also be a contribution to depression onset, because most people
are usually at greater risk of being depressed if they tend to be low self-esteemed, overly they are
dependent on others, they usually worry a lot, tend to expect too much from themselves and also
from others, or they might be perfectionists.
Symptoms of depression
For a person to meet the major depressive disorder criteria, they have to meet at least five
depression symptoms. Occupational, social along other functioning areas have to significantly be
impaired, or to at least require an increased effort. Any depression mood that might be caused by
substances such as alcohol, drugs or even medications, or might be related any other medical
MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER
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condition, is usually not considered as a major depressive disorder. A person who has a history
of hypomanic, manic, they have been having mixed episodes or in any case, their depressed
mood is accounted better by schizoaffective disorder cannot be diagnosed with a major
depressive disorder (Carr, 2015).
It is not necessary for all symptoms to be present for an individual to be diagnosed with
depression. Five or even more of these symptoms should have taken place with...
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