Abstract This paper briefly addresses two forms of psychopathology in children and families. These forms of psychopathology are those created by external and internal factors. Those that have a psychopathological condition caused by an internal factor are similar to those that manifest a physiological disease. Those individuals that manifest a form of psychopathology triggered by external factors are best perceived as having a behavioral or mental condition that was generated through environmental conditions, such as post- traumatic stress syndrome or attention deficit disorder.
Abstract This paper examines approaches to communication between parents and teenagers according to what is referred to as "Win-Win Negotiation", a term that connects to several bodies of research which gained great prevalence in various fields of the Applied social sciences through the 1980s. As a set of methods to be promoted within the family, the model represents a departure from past ideals of parent-teenager interaction, in a break from both the authoritarian approaches of old and their more lenient counterparts. The former has insisted that the teenager is a person negotiating the difficult years of adolescence and who therefore requires strong and externally-exerted direction from his or her parents; such movements as Tough-Love may be associated with the approach's general trend.
Abstract This paper examines the one-child policy of population control in China. With exceptions, it limits all families to one-child. This paper outlines the importance of population control in China, the effects of the policy and problems with it.
Abstract This paper explores advertising towards children in Europe and demonstrates that the predominant trend in advertising for children between the ages of birth to twelve years of age is directed towards promoting maturity - namely maturity beyond that expected of the target age group - and consumption of junk foods.
Abstract This paper explores the future of families in the United States through a discussion of social changes related to marriages, family economics, accessibility of resources and new technologies.
Abstract This ten-page undergraduate paper is a discussion of Television's impact on the family, and its role in defining and structuring the moral values in a family as a unit.
Abstract This paper is a comparison of the suicidal behaviors exhibited by troubled teenager Conrad Jarrett in the film, "Ordinary People", with two people, Elizabeth Wurtzel and Kelly O'Connor, real people who have experienced depression and contemplated suicide. Themes in this paper include depression's effects on everyday functioning, loss of emotional control, and the motives behind attempted suicide, among others.
From the Paper "The film "Ordinary People", which was directed by Robert Redford, showcases depression as seen through the eyes of an adolescent. Behind the idyllic upper middle class lifestyle of the Jarrett family lies a history of tragedy and turmoil. Ever since the eldest son, Buck, died in a boating accident, the family has been falling apart. The mother has been suffering from a lack of empathy, the father has been struggling to keep his family together in these times of heartache, and at the center of it all is his younger brother Conrad. Guilt-ridden over having survived the accident, he spirals into a state of depression that ultimately leads to a suicide attempt. Now, recently discharged from a four month stay at a mental facility, he seeks the guidance of a therapist, Dr. Berger; the sessions and exchanges with the doctor are the focal point of the movie."
Abstract This paper explores four types of child abuse: physical, emotional, sexual, and neglect. It includes definitions, descriptions, and case studies, as well as the cyclical nature of abuse. The paper explores how child abuse can be prevented and how to get help for those who have already been affected by child abuse. The paper concludes with the author's personal reaction to child abuse.
From the Paper "According to statistics from 1998, 78% of all child abuse in the United States is committed by birth parents. Physical abuse is carried out relatively equally by mothers and fathers. Sexual abuse, in 90% of the cases, is perpetrated by a man, but most often the man is not the father but an adult who has an ongoing relationship with and access to the child. In 87% of neglect, the mother is the neglectful parent (Morales, 1998). A study done in North Carolina from 1985-1994, found that most perpetrators of child abuse are biological parents (almost equal between the mother and father). Other people who are likely to commit the child abuse are relatives, friends, baby-sitters, mother's boyfriends, and stepfathers (Herman-Giddens, 1999)."
Abstract This essay discusses the reasons many couples end up in a divorce. Essay includes statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau. Reasons included are an underestimation of what marriage really is, misunderstandings through communications, and not really understanding your spouse. Solutions to these problems are also provided.
From the Paper "Giving a divorce is as easy as selling a car. First the decision to get rid of it is made, then there is a trip to the dealer or an independent buyer where documents are signed, and ultimately the keys are handed over never to see again. Funny as it may seem, divorce procedures are fairly similar. Divorce is just as common as selling a car in our society today. The divorce rate since 1970, which was 4.3 million, has quadrupled to 18.3 million in 1996(Saluter, Lagaila). In our ever changing and fast paced society this problem goes unnoticed. It's considered as a freedom right. While divorce may be suitable for domestic violence and other critical cases, it's not suitable for those couples that think they can?t stand each other. If couples do not take their marriages seriously, our world will be affected in the future. Children of single parents will most likely repeat what their parents did, leading to a society full of unhappy and depressed people. To attack this problem, we need the cooperation of every individual to understand what the multiple causes are that lead to divorce and how to prevent them before they become a threat."
Abstract Maturity is the passage from the innocence of childhood to the responsibilities of adulthood. Rituals are ceremonies or acts of transitional stages from childhood to adulthood that help differentiate levels of responsibility and times of life. This paper examines maturity rituals in various cultures, including the Jewish Bar-Mitzvah and the Old Order Amish. The paper also discusses how modern American culture affects these rituals and how it provides some its own.
From the Paper "Where is the dividing line that our culture needs to define true maturity? Without this they have nothing but confusion, loss of identity, and a lack of understanding the responsibilities that are expected of them from our society. For instance; when my twenty-one year old daughter went to an oral surgeon for an initial check-up, they sent the bill to my husband with a written note explaining his responsibility if the insurance company didn"t pay. How can we expect our adult children to know what their responsibilities are and take them seriously when there are no dividing lines""
Abstract This paper explores the tragic social ailment of child abuse. It looks at its effects on the victims, the various forms it can take, the primary causes of child abuse, and the cycle of repetition often seen in child abuse. Also examined are some measures that could be taken to help reduce the number of child abuse incidents and how to intervene when child abuse is suspected.
From the Paper "The emotional environment of the family is critical to a growing child and their development, so a supportive, non-abusive parent reacting in a positive manner towards a child, will help not only the child get through the abusive situation and feelings of anxiety, depression and guilt; but in the case of physical spousal abuse, could give the supportive parent incentive to remove them both from the situation. When that occurs, it is important that the community and society in general are able to provide them with the resources and support in order to regain their lives."
Abstract This paper explores the social problem of youth gangs in the United States. It looks at some of the historical roots of the problem, the increase in gang activity society is experiencing, and how the media tends to sensationalize and exaggerate the extent of the problem.
From the Paper "During the last decade, crime coverage by the media has increased dramatically, especially juvenile gang crime. The Center for Media and Public Affairs revealed in its study that from 1993 to1996 the U.S. homicide rate fell 20 percent, yet the "media coverage of murders increased an incredible 721 percent" (Perrone, Chesney-Lind 1997). Therefore, it is not surprising that between June 1993 and January 1994, ?the number of Americans naming crime as the nation's "most important problem" increased six-fold"at a time when official crime statistics and victimization surveys showed little change" (Perrone, Chesney-Lind 1997). Critics charge the media with over-reporting and exaggeration of crime-related events and "producing outputs of crime-related articles that bear little resemblance to official crime trends" (Perrone, Chesney-Lind 1997). For example, official crime statistic stories will downplay, ignore, or focus on certain statistics, thus creating a misrepresentation of the actual figures (Perrone, Chesney-Lind 1997). Critics claim this misrepresentation amounts to public manipulation."
Abstract This paper explains that healthy child development features normal development in three areas of human development: physical, mental, and social. This paper discusses these three spheres in detail and the importance of each aspect in ensuring a well-balanced child.
From the Paper "Physical growth is the most obvious change occurring in child development. This occurs in spurts between the ages of zero to around fifteen. As one source notes, "it has been recognized that the physical development occurs in which the stretching of the limbs is alternated with a filling-out in breadth" (Lievegoed 1997, p. 23). By the time the child reaches maturity, they have grown around eight times their original size. For these changes to be managed the child requires both energy and the right nutrients. This is dependant on the child's diet. Therefore, the first important part of healthy child development is a suitable diet."
Abstract Research has found that short-term, reality-based psychotherapies using cognitive or behavioral theories, focusing on changing an individual's thoughts in order to change his or her behavior and emotional state are both cost and outcome effective in cases of abuse, PTSD, etc. The purpose of this study proposal is to show that cognitive behavior therapy is the correct and more effective approach in treating distressed adolescents with a history of sexual abuse, with certain modifications of previous study designs.
Paper Outline
Abstract
Introduction
Literature Review
Specific Study Objectives
Methods
Discussion
References
From the Paper "The object of cognitive therapy is to make the patients aware of these distorted thinking patterns and change them. This process is called cognitive restructuring.(Enright, S 1997) This is followed by behavior modification,, helping individuals replace undesirable behaviors with healthier patterns. It is different from the previously common psychodynamic therapies used in cases of CSA that focused on uncovering or understanding the unconscious motivations that may lie behind the maladaptive behavior."
An overview of teen pregnancy in the United States today that examines the impact of social welfare programs on encouraging and maintaining the high rate of teen pregnancies.
Abstract While the pundits debate on the best way to educate young people about the risks associated with early pregnancies, tens of thousands of babies in the United States will continue to suffer from the physical and emotional problems associated with early teen pregnancies; the social welfare system appears to be contributing to this phenomenon. This paper provides an overview of teen pregnancy in the United States today and examines the impact of social welfare programs on encouraging and maintaining the high rate of teen pregnancies. A summary of the research is provided in the conclusion.
From the Paper "Almost 80 percent of teen mothers eventually go on welfare which comprise more than 59 percent of the social welfare caseload. In fact, more than 75 percent of all unmarried teen mothers received welfare within five years of giving birth to their first child. The data for 1995 shows that 69 percent of births to teens in a five-year period were paid for by Medicaid or other government sources (?Adolescent Pregnancy and Childbearing in the U.S.,? 2001, 10). Teen pregnancies have also been associated with reduced educational attainment and employment opportunities. The research shows that less than one-third of teens who begin their families before age 18 ever complete high school. When compared to children born to women aged 20 and older, babies born to mothers aged 15-17 have poorer health, lower cognitive development, reduced educational attainments, and higher rates of behavior problems (?Adolescent Pregnancy and Childbearing in the U.S.,? 2001, 10-11). Although the teen pregnancy rate (the number of pregnancies per 1,000 teenage women) decreased to 101 in 1995 (the lowest level since 1975), nevertheless each year nearly one million American teenage women become pregnant, and four out of ten American teenage women become pregnant before the age of 20. During this same period, the outcome of teenage pregnancies has changed. Sixty-three percent of pregnant teenagers gave birth and 22 percent had abortions in 1995 compared to 1983 data which shows that 47 percent of teenagers gave birth and 43 percent had abortions (?Adolescent Pregnancy and Childbearing in the U.S.,? 2001, 2). The vast majority of teens who give birth prefer to keep their babies; in fact, fewer than 10 percent of teenagers who delivered babies chose adoption in 1995."
