31 Dec Return to this Discussion

Individuals generally exhibit one of two main types of coping strategies—problem-focused or emotion-focused. A problem-focused coping strategy involves changing your behavior, the behavior of others, or the source of the stress; whereas, an emotion-focused coping strategy involves relieving emotional distress (Folkman & Lazarus, 1980). Children and adolescents tend to use more emotion-focused strategies such as releasing the emotions or distracting themselves while adults tend to use more problem-focused strategies by directly addressing the problem. Consider the coping strategies of a parent and a child with a health issue and the differences in their behaviors. How might these different coping strategies affect how parents and children deal with a child’s health issue?

With these thoughts in mind:

Post by Day 4 a brief explanation of how a parent/guardian’s coping strategies may affect how a child might cope with a health issue. Then, explain how a child’s coping strategies may influence the parent/guardian’s coping. Provide specific examples. Support your response with the Learning Resources and other current literature.

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings.

Respond by Day 6 to at least one of your colleagues’ postings in one or more of the following ways:

Expand upon a colleague’s strategy.

Ask a probing question.

Share an insight from having read your colleague’s posting.

Offer and support an opinion.

Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned and/or any insights you have gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made.

Click on the Reply button below to reveal the textbox for entering your message. Then click on the Submit button to post your message.

References

Folkman, S., & Lazarus, R.S. (1980). An analysis of coping in a middle-aged community sample. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 21(3), 219–239.

Week 2 discussion

In 2011, the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC), a global epidemiological research program established to investigate asthma in children, released The Global Asthma Report 2011 in conjunction with the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease. ISAAC conducted a 20-year global study on childhood asthma and discovered that the overall percentage of children and adolescents reported to have ever had asthma increased significantly, which might be the result of more community awareness about asthma and advances in medical practices and diagnoses. Yet, the study also found there were multiple variations in the triggers for asthma (The Global Asthma Report, 2011).

Environmental triggers for asthma include dust mites, mold and mildew, wood burning stoves, and the ozone (Cabana, Slish, Lewis, Brown, Nan, Lin, & Clark, 2004). While there may be a number of triggers to exacerbate symptoms and cause an asthma attack, researchers have been unable to identify a single environmental factor as the cause of asthma. Reflecting on the prevalence of asthma cases in children and adolescents, do you consider increases to be a result of environmental factors or advances in medical practices and diagnoses?

With these thoughts in mind:

Post by Day 4 your position on whether the increased prevalence of asthma is due to environmental factors or advances in medical practices and diagnoses and explain why. Support your position with the Learning Resources and other current literature. Then, explain how you might educate parents/guardians on this subject and provide two examples to support your response.

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings.

Respond by Day 6 to at least one of your colleagues who has an opposing position in one or more of the following ways:

Share an insight from having read your colleague’s posting.

Offer and support an opinion.

Validate an idea with your own experience.

Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned and/or any insights you have gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made.

Click on the Reply button below to reveal the textbox for entering your message. Then click on the Submit button to post your message.

References

Cabana M. D., Slish K. K., Lewis T.C., Brown R. W., Nan B., Lin X., & Clark N. M. (2004). Parental management of asthma triggers within a child’s environment. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 114(2), 352–357.

The International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease. (2011). The global asthma report. Retrieved from http://www.globalasthmareport.org/sites/default/files/Global_Asthma_Report_2011.pdf

Week 3 discussion

Diabetes is a metabolic disease that affects how the body uses blood sugar, or glucose, for energy. Adolescents with diabetes should try to control their blood sugar, because blood sugar levels that are high or very low can be dangerous to an individual’s health. Managing diabetes can be difficult for adolescents, as they cannot produce or respond to insulin, which is often used to manage diabetes. Managing diabetes also is difficult for adolescents because they may be encountering many new experiences and learning to juggle many adult responsibilities. There have been many advances and scientific breakthroughs, such as oral medications and insulin pens; yet, treatment still can be overwhelming (Hood, Huestis, Maher, Butler, Volkening, & Laffel, 2006; Schreiner, Brow, & Phillips, 2000). While families may try to help adolescents manage their diabetes, there often is a need for independence at this age. How do you determine the appropriate age for an adolescent to self-manage his or her diabetes? How might families assist in the self-management of diabetes?

With these thoughts in mind:

Post by Day 4 a brief description of the age in which you consider it appropriate for adolescents to begin self-management of their diabetes and explain why. Then, explain two potential barriers to adolescents managing their diabetes. Finally, describe one behavioral strategy a family may use to promote the self-management of diabetes in an adolescent and explain why it might be effective. Support your responses with the Learning Resources and other literature.

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings.

Respond by Day 6 to at least one of your colleagues who has an opposing position on the appropriate age for adolescents to begin self-management of their diabetes. Share insights from having read your colleague’s posting. Then explain if you would change position based on their posting and why.

Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned and/or any insights you have gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made.

Click on the Reply button below to reveal the textbox for entering your message. Then click on the Submit button to post your message.

References

Hood, K. K., Huestis, S., Maher, A., Butler, D., Volkening, L., & Laffel, L. M. B. (2006), Depressive symptoms in children and adolescents with Type 1 diabetes: Association with diabetes-specific characteristics. Diabetes Care, 29, 1389–1391.

Schreiner, B., Brow, S., & Phillips, M. (2000). Management strategies for the adolescent lifestyle. Diabetes spectrum, 13(2), 83. Retrieved from http://journal.diabetes.org/diabetesspectrum/00v13n2/pg83.htm

Week 4 discussion

Cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in the United States for children and adolescents, but survival rates have significantly increased over the past 20 years. This increase is due to advancements in medical treatment and technology, which have resulted in cures and long-term remission rates for children and adolescents (St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, 2012). Yet, children and adolescents diagnosed with pediatric cancer still experience significant lifestyle changes, which can affect many aspects of their educational experience. For example, students may be likely to miss more than a month of school due to hospitalization and treatment plans (Katz, Kellerman, & Siegal, 1980).

In order to combat the effects of cancer treatment and student absenteeism, schools, hospitals, and cancer treatment centers provide creative options for students to continue school during treatment. For example, the MD Anderson Children’s Cancer Hospital provides education programs for students to stay at grade level while they are in the hospital (The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2012).

For this Discussion, consider impacts of pediatric cancer on the educational experience of children and adolescents.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post by Day 4 an explanation of the potential impacts of having pediatric cancer on an individual’s education and academic success. Then, explain two ways in which pediatric cancer might impact peer relationships within the academic environment. Finally, explain one strategy that a school might use to effectively support a student who is experiencing these issues. Support your response using the Learning Resources and other current literature.

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings.

Respond by Day 6 to at least one of your colleagues’ postings in one or more of the following ways:

Share an insight from having read your colleague’s posting.

Offer and support an opinion.

Expand on your colleague’s posting.

Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned and/or any insights you have gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made.

Click on the Reply button below to reveal the textbox for entering your message. Then click on the Submit button to post your message.

References

Katz, E. R., Kellerman, J., & Siegel, S. E. (1980) Behavioral distress in children with cancer undergoing medical procedures: Developmental considerations. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 48(3), 356–365.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. (2012) Facts about childhood cancer. Pediatric Cancer Genome Project. Retrieved from http://www.pediatriccancergenomeproject.org/site/facts-childhood-cancer

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. (2012). Continuing school during treatment. Retrieved from http://www.mdanderson.org/patient-and-cancer-information/care-centers-and-clinics/childrens-cancer-hospital/support-programs/school-during-treatment.html

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute (2008). Childhood Cancers [Fact sheet 6.40]. Retrieved from http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Sites-Types/childhood

Week 5 discussion

Discussion – Week 5

COLLAPSE

Cystic fibrosis is a chronic genetic disease of the mucus glands that affects respiratory and digestive systems. For those afflicted with the disease, their bodies have difficulty moving salt and water in and out of cells, which results in thick mucus that interferes with breathing and growth patterns. Children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis may exhibit coughing, frequent lung and sinus infections, and poor growth and weight gain even with a normal appetite. Most doctors are able to diagnose people at birth with cystic fibrosis based on a typical set of symptoms. Historically, cystic fibrosis was a fatal disease for children and adolescents; however, medical advances have increased their life expectancy (Abbot, Webb, & Dodd, 1996). Due to technology, such as the cystic fibrosis vest, the average life expectancy has increased to the mid-thirties which is much longer than just a generation ago (Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 2011). Although there have been significant advances, consider how cystic fibrosis may affect the quality life for children and adolescents. Consider how families may support children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post by Day 4 a brief explanation of how cystic fibrosis may impact the quality of life for children or adolescents diagnosed with this disease. Provide two examples to support your response. Then, explain two approaches a family might take to support children or adolescents with cystic fibrosis to enhance their quality of life. Support your response with the Learning Resources or current literature.

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings.

Respond by Day 6 to at least one of your colleagues’ postings about the recommended approaches for the family. Expand on your colleague’s posting and support your response with the Learning Resources or current literature.

Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned and/or any insights you have gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made.

Click on the Reply button below to reveal the textbox for entering your message. Then click on the Submit button to post your message.

References

Abbot, J., Webb, K., & Dodd, M. (1996). Quality of life in cystic fibrosis. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 90(31), 37–42.

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. (2011). Frequently Asked Questions. Retrieved from http://www.cff.org/AboutCF/Faqs/

Week 6 discussion

DQ1

Think back to the last commercial or advertisement you saw for a headache reliever. Who was suffering from the headache? Most likely, that person was neither a child nor an adolescent. Often the media portrays adults with headaches, such as a mother struggling through her daily activities or a businessman working in the office late at night. Yet, headaches afflict children and adolescents at a high rate. Children and adolescents may experience many types of headaches, such as tension, migraine, mixed (tension and migraine), cluster, and sinus headaches. Some possible causes of these types of headaches include illness, lack of sleep, and watching television for long periods of time. Although children and adolescents experience headaches, adolescents tend to experience greater impacts. For many illnesses that affect adolescents, a non-medical treatment may be preferred. Psychologists and clinicians continue to search for non-medical treatments for adolescents that experience headaches.

For this Discussion, select a type of headache common to adolescents. Think about how that type of headache might impact various areas of an adolescent’s life and consider non-medical treatments that may be effective.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post by Day 3 a brief description of the type of headache you selected. Then explain possible impacts of this type of headache on adolescents’ educational experience, social functioning, and families. Finally, describe one type of non-medical treatment that might be recommended for adolescents experiencing the type of headache you selected and explain why that treatment might be effective. Support your responses with the Learning Resources and current literature.

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings.

Respond by Day 5 to at least one of your colleagues who selected a different type of headache than you selected. Then, offer an alternative non-medical treatment than the one in the original post. Briefly explain why the treatment you recommended may be effective for the headache that your colleague selected.

Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned and/or any insights you have gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made.

Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned and/or any insights you have gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made.

Click on the Reply button below to reveal the textbox for entering your message. Then click on the Submit button to post your message.

DQ2

Discussion 2 – Week 6

COLLAPSE

Children and adolescents are diagnosed with epilepsy after experiencing two or more seizures that are not attributed to high fever or low blood sugar. There are several types of seizures that children and adolescents may have, and some types are extremely difficult to recognize. During generalized seizures, children and adolescents may be convulsing, involving muscle spasms, and/or jerking movements. However, if children and adolescents experience non-convulsive or petit mal seizures, they may stare blankly with little awareness of surroundings. Non-epileptic seizures are different from epileptic seizures in that while they look like seizures, they do not have any abnormal brain activity (National Institutes of Health, 2004).

It would be ideal if children and adolescents with epilepsy or non-epileptic seizures could take medications to control their seizures without experiencing side effects. Unfortunately, there is no magic pill that delivers perfect results. While dozens of medications may be effective in controlling seizures, most patients experience side effects, such as fatigue, dizziness, and impaired cognitive function (Schachter, 2006). For some children and adolescents, these side effects are minimal, but for others, they can have a more significant impact. The side effects from the medication and the symptoms of the seizures can interfere with children and adolescents’ social acceptance and self-esteem levels. It is imperative for parents and guardians, health care providers, and children and adolescents to find the right balance in medication dosage levels; however, it can be difficult (Epilepsy Foundation Western/Central Pennsylvania, 2003). Often, as part of their developing autonomy, adolescents want to participate in the decision-making process regarding their medications.

For this Discussion, students whose last names begin with A–M should review Scenario #1 (Bobby). Students whose last names begin with N–Z should review Scenario #2 (Jake). Consider strategies and interventions that might be most effective in your assigned scenario.

Scenario 1 – Bobby is an eighth grader in middle school. During lunch, he drops his tray, falls to the ground, and has a grand mal seizure. Many students in the cafeteria surround him. Some were afraid while others laughed. Bobby was taken to the hospital by ambulance. He did not return to school the next day because he was embarrassed by his seizure. When he returned two days later, some students were concerned about his health, but mostly he was greeted by jokes and teasing. Because of the seizure, Bobby was no longer allowed to play football for the rest of the season.

Scenario 2 – Jake is a 16-year-old junior in high school and is experiencing side effects from his seizure medication, including poor attention, decreased motor skills, lack of motivation, low energy levels, and decreased mood. Because these impairments have affected his academic success and kept him from obtaining a driver’s license, he would like to stop taking his medications so that he can feel “normal.” As Jake is only 16, he needs parent or guardian approval to discontinue medication use.

With these thoughts in mind:

Scenario 1 – Post by Day 4 a description of an intervention you might suggest to the school and to the family to support Bobby with his epilepsy. Then, explain why the intervention you selected might be effective to support Bobby in dealing with embarrassment, bullying, and his removal from the football team. Justify your response with the Learning Resources and current literature.

Scenario 2 – Post by Day 4 whether you would advocate for Jake stopping his medication and explain why. Then explain strategies the family might employ to include Jake in the decision-making process. Support your response with the Learning Resources and current literature.

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings.

Respond by Day 7 to at least one of your colleagues that was assigned the alternate scenario. Provide an alternative strategy for Scenario #1 or an alternative intervention for Scenario #2. Briefly describe why your recommendation might that be effective.

Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned and/or any insights you have gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made.

Click on the Reply button below to reveal the textbox for entering your message. Then click on the Submit button to post your message.

References

Epilepsy Foundation Western/Central Pennsylvania. (2003) Epilepsy and learning. Retrieved from http://www.efwp.org/programs/epilepsy_learning.shtml

National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Office of Communications and Public Liaison. (2004). Seizures and epilepsy: Hope through research (NIH 04-156). Retrieved from http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/epilepsy/detail_epilepsy.htm

Schachter, S. C. (2006, December 15). Side effects. Epilepsy Therapy Project. Retrieved from http://www.epilepsy.com/EPILEPSY/MEDICINE_SIDEEFFECTS

Week 7 discussion

Experimentation with drugs and alcohol is common among adolescents. While many stop before using drugs becomes a problem, others cannot ignore the attraction and may develop a dependency. Generally, these adolescents have certain risk factors that make them more susceptible for drug problems, including those who have a family history of addiction, are depressed, have low self-esteem, or feel like an outsider (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 2011). These are the adolescents that may use drugs and alcohol to cope with their daily stressors, pains, and traumas, also known as self-medicating.

In 2009, 8 percent of children and adolescents ages 12-17 had major depression, and twice as many females in this age range were diagnosed with depression than males (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2010). Researchers have been studying the relationship between substance abuse and mood disorders for years. For example, some have said that adolescent cigarette smoking is associated with depression (Audrain-McGovern, Rodriguez, & Kassel, 2009). Do you think mood disorders lead to the substance abuse, or does the substance abuse lead to the mood disorder?

For this Discussion, select depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Consider the relationship between substance abuse in adolescents and the disorder you selected.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post by Day 4 the disorder you selected. Explain the relationship between the disorder and the potential for adolescent substance use. Then provide an example of when an adolescent with the disorder might use substances to self-medicate and explain why. Finally, provide one suggestion for how families might support adolescents in refraining from using substances to self-medicate. Support your responses with the Learning Resources and current literature.

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings.

Respond by Day 6 to at least one of your colleagues who selected a disorder that is different from the one you selected. Then, offer an alternate suggestion for families to support adolescents in refraining from self-medicating.

Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned and/or any insights you have gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made.

Click on the Reply button below to reveal the textbox for entering your message. Then click on the Submit button to post your message.

References

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. (2011, March). Teens: Alcohol and other drugs. Retrieved from http://aacap.org/page.ww?name=Teens:+Alcohol+and+Other+Drugs§ion=Facts+for+Families

Audrain-McGovern, J., Rodriguez, D., & Kassel, J.D. (2009). Adolescent smoking and depression: evidence for self-medication and peer smoking mediation. Addiction, 104(10), 1743–1756.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Office of Applied Studies. (2008). The NSDUH report: Major depressive episode among youths aged 12 to 17 in the United States: 2004 to 2006. Rockville, MD: Author. Retrieved from http://oas.samhsa.gov/2k8/youthDepress/youthDepress.cfm

Week 8 discussion

Obesity rates tripled in children ages 2–19 living in the United States from the 1960s to the 1990s (Ogden, Flegal, Carroll, & Johnson, 2002). Who or what do you think is the cause of these rising rates? Some people blame schools for removing gym class from their curriculums. Yet, others say that while schools play a role, it is ultimately the responsibility of the families. Schools and families can either positively promote healthy lifestyles to children and adolescents or negatively expose them to habits that lead to obesity

The United States federal government recognized that obesity was becoming a public health issue for children and adolescents. In 2012, the government instituted federal guidelines mandating that schools supply healthier food and drink selections (Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, 2012). For example, schools changed drinks in soda machines to juices; however, juices still offer students additional calories (Martin, 2007).

The family environment can be influential as well in decreasing the rates of overweight and obese children and adolescents. Although the federal government cannot make laws forcing families to change, programs such as the Let’s Move campaign and ChooseMyPlate.gov were created to educate families about healthier lifestyles. For example, lifestyle changes such as eating meals at home have significantly decreased obesity in children and adolescents (Epstein, Valoski, Rena, & McCurley, 1994). However, families that continue to eat fast food on a regular basis may be promoting obesity in children and adolescents.

For this Discussion, consider whether the school or the family environment has a greater negative impact on a child or adolescent’s diet and exercise. Then think about strategies that you might use to promote diet and exercise in those environments.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post by Day 4 your position on whether the school environment or the family environment has a greater negative impact on a child or adolescent’s diet and exercise and explain why. Then, describe two strategies you might use to promote diet and exercise in that environment and explain why each might be effective. Support your responses with the Learning Resources and current literature.

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings.

Respond by Day 6 to at least one of your colleagues who has an opposing position. Explain how a child or adolescent may be able to expand upon a strategy that your colleague suggested within your chosen environment.

Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned and/or any insights you have gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made.

Click on the Reply button below to reveal the textbox for entering your message. Then click on the Submit button to post your message.

References

Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service. (2012). Nutrition standards in the national school lunch and school breakfast programs. Federal Register, 77(17), 4088–4167. Retrieved from http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2012-01-26/pdf/2012-1010.pdf

Epstein, L. H.,Valoski, A., Wing, R. R., & McCurley, J. (1994). Ten-year outcomes of behavioral family-based treatment for childhood obesity. Health Psychology, 13(5), 373–3 83.

Martin, A. (2007, September 5). The school cafeteria, on a diet. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/05/business/05junkfood.html?pagewanted=all

Ogden, C. L., Flegal, K. M., Carroll, M. D., & Johnson, C. L. (2002). Prevalence and trends in overweight among U.S. children and adolescents. JAMA; The Journal of the American Medical Association, 295(13), 1549–1555.

Week 9 discussion

Although less commonly discussed, males also suffer from eating disorders, and the disorders are clinically similar to those of females. It is estimated that approximately 10–15% of people with anorexia nervosa or bulimia are male, but they are less likely to seek treatment because of the perception that eating disorders are female diseases (National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, Inc., n.d.). Eating disorders are universal diseases that know no boundaries of age, race, or religion. They are psychological disorders that create disturbances to proper diets, causing people to eat very small amounts of food or excessively overeat. Eating disorders include anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and a binge-eating disorder. A binge-eating disorder is in a category defined as eating disorders not otherwise specified (EDNOS). EDNOS involve disturbances in behavior such as restricting diet, excessive exercising, using diet pills or laxatives, and vomiting (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2011).

With these thoughts in mind:

Post by Day 4 your position on which disorder (anorexia, bulimia, or a binge-eating disorder) is more likely to occur in adolescent males. Justify your position using the Learning Resources and current literature. Then explain how media, peer pressure, or sports participation might increase the risk of developing an eating disorder in adolescent males. Finally, suggest one strategy a family or school may use to support an adolescent male with an eating disorder to improve his overall health.

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings.

Respond by Day 6 to at least one of your colleagues who has a differing position in one or more of the following ways:

Share an insight from having read your colleague’s posting.

Offer and support an opinion.

Validate an idea with your own experience.

Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned and/or any insights you have gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made.

Click on the Reply button below to reveal the textbox for entering your message. Then click on the Submit button to post your message.

References

National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, Inc. (n.d.) Eating disorders statistics. About Eating Disorders. Retrieved from http://www.anad.org/get-information/about-eating-disorders/eating-disorders-statistics/

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Health. (2011). Eating disorders, (NIH Publication No. 11-4901) Retrieved from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/eating-disorders/complete-index.shtml

Week 10 discussion

DQ1

Children and adolescents may experience long-term psychological effects from experiencing traumatic events, which is known as childhood post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Childhood PTSD can be found within every area of the world, and many studies have found that children who have been exposed to armed conflict or refugee camps have high rates of PTSD. For example, 20 percent of 56 children living in a Sudanese refugee camp had chronic PTSD (Moss et al., 2006). As a potential health psychology professional, you may work with a child or an adolescent that has has experienced trauma or has PTSD. While children, adolescents, and adults may all experience PTSD, children often exhibit symptoms that require unique interventions.

For this Discussion, review the media located in this week’s Learning Resources on child and adolescent trauma. Then, select a type of trauma discussed in the media or another trauma of interest to you. Consider the PTSD symptoms that a child may display and possible interventions to reduce those symptoms.

Disclaimer: Please be aware that any trauma-focused work, even including coursework specific to crisis, disaster, and other trauma-causing events, may elicit painful emotions and reactions. Further, it is possible that you may be a survivor of the events discussed or similar events. It is important that you be self-aware and monitor any potential emotional reactions to work in this course, specifically when a Discussion or Assignment Assignment has you reflect and discuss personal experiences associated with trauma. If you find a need to work through unresolved trauma response, you may access mental health services through the Student Assistance Program. For more information, visit the Walden University website at http://www.waldenu.edu/experience/support-services

With these thoughts in mind:

Post by Day 3 a brief description of the type of trauma you selected. Describe three potential PTSD symptoms children experience with this type of trauma. Then describe one intervention that may be effective in reducing one of the symptoms and explain why it might be effective. Finally, explain how the timing of a PTSD intervention may influence the success rate of reducing PTSD symptoms in children. Support your responses with the Learning Resources and current literature.

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings.

Respond by Day 5 to at least one of your colleagues’ postings in one or more of the following ways:

Share an insight from having read your colleague’s posting.

Offer and support an opinion.

Validate an idea with your own experience.

Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned and/or any insights you have gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made.

Click on the Reply button below to reveal the textbox for entering your message. Then click on the Submit button to post your message.

References

Moss, M. J., Ramakrishnan, M., Storms, D., Siegle, A. H., Weiss, W. M., Lejnev, I., & Muhed, L. (2006). Child health in complex emergencies. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 84, 58–64. Retrieved from www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/84/1/58.pdf

DQ2

What defines culture? Culture is not limited to race or ethnicity. It may include your religion, political values, personal values, and your community. Culture, ultimately, is how you define yourself. Many adolescents strive to gain their own personal identity, one that may or may not be defined by their parents or guardians. Identity formation is one of the most important tasks for adolescents within their development. Adolescents form their identities by exploring many roles and may feel pushed to succeed in many aspects of their lives, which can lead to stress. Culture may affect how well adolescents manage stress, as well as the amount of family support or pressure they receive.

For this Discussion, select a culture of interest to you. Think about a type of stress adolescents may experience within that culture. Then consider culturally sensitive interventions that may address that type of stress. Finally, think about how personal biases can affect an intervention.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post by Day 4 a brief description of the culture you selected and a type of stress adolescents within that culture are likely to experience. Then, describe one stress-related intervention for that type of stress. Explain why that intervention might be effective for adolescents in the culture you described. Finally, explain one way personal biases may influence the cultural sensitivity of interventions. Support your responses with the Learning Resources and current literature.

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings.

Respond by Day 7 to at least one of your colleagues who selected a different culture. Discuss whether you believe the recommended intervention would be beneficial to adolescents within the selected culture. Then provide one additional stress-related intervention for adolescents within that culture.

Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned and/or any insights you have gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made.

Click on the Reply button below to reveal the textbox for entering your message. Then click on the Submit button to post your message.

References

Naar-King, S., & Suarez, M. (2011). Motivational interviewing with adolescents and young adults. New York, NY: Guilford Press.

Week 11 discussion

Ethics are moral principles that may be used as guidelines for your personal or professional life. You may have ethics for how to live, ethics for how to conduct business, and a professional code of ethics that sets standards for your industry. For example, the American Psychology Association (APA) has an ethics code for psychologists, which is formally known as the Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct.

In 2006, APA Ethics Director Dr. Stephen Behnke used metaphors for psychologists to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of the Ethics Code. For example, the Ethics Code is a stop light because it tells you when you must come to a full stop, when you may proceed with caution, and when you may continue with your interventions (Behnke, 2006). Consider the stop light when working with children and adolescents. At what times might you see red, yellow, or green? When working with children and adolescents, the use of the stop light is significant. You also must be aware of state and federal laws when working with children and adolescents. When ethical and legal considerations conflict, which ones should you follow? This is a common dilemma in the field of psychology. Therefore, you should be aware of both ethical and legal dilemmas and strategies to address them.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post by Day 4 an example of an ethical or legal dilemma related to child and adolescent health psychology. Then explain two strategies you might use to address this dilemma as a future health psychology professional. Support your response with references to the APA Code of Ethics and/or ACA Code of Ethics.

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings.

Respond by Day 6 to at least one of your colleagues and provide one additional strategy to address their dilemma. Support your response with references to the APA Code of Ethics and/or ACA Code of Ethics.

Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned and/or any insights you have gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made.

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References

Behnke, S. (2006, December). Beyond mere compliance: Three metaphors to teach the APA Ethics Code. Monitor on Psychology, 37(11). Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/monitor/dec06/ethics.aspx