Abstract This paper presents a detailed discussion about the benefits of sports psychology for athletes and their lives and performance. The author takes us on a tour of what an athlete endures as he perfects his craft and moves toward the top. We are given examples as well as ideas regarding the needs of an athlete and his psyche.
Tags: SPORTS / HEALTH (MEDICINE, PSYCHOLOGY), psyche for athletes
Abstract In this article, the writer discusses the case of Mary, a female of Aboriginal descent, who is 29 years of age and in generally good physical condition. The writer notes that Mary does have some problems with her weight, which is often in considerable flux, and is concerned about diabetes. In addition, the writer points out that Mary also possesses an inherited genetic disability that runs in her family. This paper approaches the health profile of Mary from a multidimensional perspective. The writer concludes that Mary's health profile reveals not only the importance of a multi-dimensional bio-psychosocial approach to health, but also the extraordinary degree to which psychological, biological and social factors overlap each other as primary determinants of her state of health as revealed in the health profile.
From the Paper "Eating and weight are issues of prominent concern in Mary's life. These concerns are associated with her concern about diabetes given her Aboriginal heritage, as noted above. However, they are also connected to family history concerns as well as personal body image problems in youth. She recognizes this is a socialized model of beauty as being equated with extreme thinness that she has inherited from society. Nonetheless, however, Mary is committed to weight reduction through dieting and exercise. It must be noted, however, that her weight has often been in flux due to her admitted habit of "binge eating" on occasion to cope with severe stress or depression."
Abstract This paper examines how workplace psychology is a relatively new dimension within the industry of psychology, and within this new field is a list of important motivational reasons for the administration of psychological testing to both existing employees and potential employees. It shows how the motivation for the application of psychological testing within the workplace can range anywhere from the desire to apply psychological science to work style varieties and, therefore, job descriptions, to assessing the psychologicalhealth of workers in potentially stressful roles. It also looks at how other reasons why psychological testing may occur within the workplace may include use as a tool for the recruitment of new employees or as a tool to assess productivity or workplace problems some associated with social issues and some associated with nonsocial problems.
From the Paper "It must be made clear to the employee that the responses and results of the testing are not conditional to their continued employment and that changes made to benefit them and the workplace are the intended results of any assessment. An employee must understand that it is his or her work that will determine continued employment and not his or her answers on any survey. Whether problems are associated with a social situation or a logistic situation may be assessed through the tools of workplace psychology. It is important with this type of psych testing to make clear to all employees through a wide distribution of the assessments that everyone will have an interest in the results. Employees must not feel singled out as if the results of the test that only they take will determine his or her continued employment."
Abstract This paper examines dentistry from a sociological/psychological perspective. The paper begins by defining oral health, as well as sociology and psychology. Next the paper investigates the sociological and psychological problems a dentist may encounter in his practice. The paper offers many researched recommendations for addressing these issues.
From the Paper "Sociology is concerned with the social and political organizations of society and how these affect the behavior of a person living in a particular community, whereas psychology is concerned with individuals and their relationships with others."
Abstract This paper is an in-depth examination of the field of abnormal psychology and the treatment of mental illness. This paper examines the many different components of this field, including the historical treatment and explanation of mental iIllness, the role of the criminal justice system as a tool used to treat the mentally ill and the benefits and dangers of using labels in mental health. The author also looks at different models that have been applied in this field and presents both the advantages and disadvantages to their use. Also examined in detail is the treatment of children, uses and abuses of medication and child's rights when being treated by a therapist.
The following is a table of contents for the paper:
Historical Treatment and Explanation of Mental Illness
Criminal Justice System as Treatment for Mentally Ill
The Benefits and Dangers of using Labels in Mental Health What is Concordance?
Advantages and Disadvantages of the Medical Model Approach to Mental Disorders
Inter-Rater Reliability of the DSM-IV
Why has ADHD's prevalence recently increased so dramatically?
Who should have control over the treatment of children?
The right of the mentally ill to have children
What are: Mental Retardation, Pervasive Developmental Disorders, and Learning Disorders?
There is a bibliography, but no footnotes or endnotes.
From the Paper "The advantages of this view include getting faster results, attaining functionality, and avoiding stigmatization through labeling. The medical model's approach of treating the behaviour can often achieve much faster results because it does not spend time searching for an often difficult to find, underlying cause. It treats what is already obvious, the behaviour, and thus can attain much faster results. The medical model is also capable of restoring a person to a level of functionality much faster than the non-medical model. By treating the behaviour problems, a person can become able to function within their daily lives. The medical model would advocate teaching coping skills rather than trying to cure the unconscious causes of behaviour, which they may not even admit exist. Another advantage of the medical model is that it avoids the labeling associated with the traditional diagnoses offered by the DSM-IV. By only treating the behaviour, the medical model does not provide a label for the patient and thus avoids the associated stigmatization of labeling."
Abstract The writer of this paper explores in-depth the three schools of psychology which consist of psychoanalysis, the second force of psychology and third force psychology. This paper discusses each school of thought in detail and expresses the different viewpoints each has on man's intrinsic nature regarding human nature, motivation and behavior.
Topics covered in this paper include:
Introduction
Freud - The First Force - Psychoanalysis
Watson and Skinner - The Second Force of Psychology Abraham Maslow and Third Force Psychology Conclusion
References
From the Paper "Until Freud began his study of hysteria in women in the late 19th Century, the mentally ill were thought to be possessed by evil spirits or demons. The main method of treatment was confinement and often-brutal beatings and starvation. Occasionally, a less severe patient would be treated by the application of leeches to restore the balance of the 'humours', blood, bile etc. or at best given a dose of opium to calm them. As mentally ill patients were considered to be spiritually ill or possessed, their 'babblings or outbursts were ignored as they were considered unholy words."
Abstract There are two arguments regarding the treatment of mental health. Some believe that it should receive the same amount of health care coverage as physical illness, while others argue that the costs of treating mental illness could lead to severe problems. To better understand these arguments, this paper examines two articles, "Mental Health Should be Treated on Par with Physical Health," by Lewis L. Judd, and "Mental Health Should Not be treated on Par with Physical Health," by Richard E. Vatz, as well as two of their reference sources.
From the Paper "Martin Bobgan and Deidre Bobgan, the writers of an article titled, "Mental Illness is not a Disease" would probably agree that spending money on mental illness, and treating it equally to physical illness would be a lost cause. Although their opinion is much more drastic than that of Richard Vatz, all three writers would probably seem to agree that covering mental illness in insurance coverage would not be helpful to society. In the article, Mental Illness is not a Disease," Martin and Deidre Bobgan profess that people "continue to promote the false concept of mental illness, to align it with medicine, and consign it to science." It is apparent that these writers believe that the mental state and one's physical well-being fall into completely different categories."
Abstract This paper examines the different forms of family violence and its impact on health. First, the differing types of domestic violence are detailed. Next, various health risks associate with family violence are described, including HIV and abortion. The wide range of mental health issues resulting from family violence are also presented. The paper concludes by suggesting possible assessments, intervention and nursing care for victims.
Outline:
Introduction
Family Profiles and Health Issues
Theoretical Assessments, Intervention and Nursing Care
Conclusion
From the Paper "There are numerous factors that can be discussed with regard to family profiles and domestic violence. Some studies indicate that urban rather then rural populations are more likely to experience family violence. However there are conflicting data on the subject. One statistic however that does seem to show consistency is the fact that women suffer the most through domestic violence. This is borne out by numerous facts. A recent study by the U.S. Department of Justice reports that "intimate partner violence is primarily a crime against women...Of those victimized by an intimate partner, 85% are women and 15% are men. In other words, women are 5 to 8 times more likely than men to be victimized by an intimate partner." (Domestic Violence Facts)"
Abstract This article looks at four psychology papers. The writer discusses two papers on the subject of treatments for insomnia and two papers regarding child psychology. The writer looks at the matter of child stress coping and parental emotions. In this article, the writer also discusses the effect of parental support in childhood on health in adulthood.
From the Paper "The study by Shaw Krause Chatters Connell and Ingersoll-Dayton looked at the relationship between emotional support from parents in early life and its effects on physical and mental health throughout life and into old age. Previous studies have shown a correlation between a lack of parental support in childhood and psychological problems in later life, but few have looked at the effects of parental support on physical health. This study looked at the effects of parental support on adults from age through years. It found ... "
Abstract The paper discusses how, since the first employer-employee relationship, people have been engaging in an informal study of industrial and organizational psychology. The paper further discusses how, building on the experimental methods developed in psychology and other fields of science, industrial and organizational psychologists have developed specific research methods aimed at assessing and improving work environments. The paper shows how these research efforts have resulted in the development of aptitude tests, which industrial and organizational psychologists use to ensure that employees are in the most appropriate work environment. The paper concludes that industrial and organizational psychology has expanded beyond the application of aptitude testing, and industrial and organizational psychologists are now involved in almost every aspect of the employment process.
Outline:
Introduction
History
Basics of I/O
Tools Used by I/O Psychologists
The Application of I/O to the Workplace
Conclusion
From the Paper "Other than aptitude testing and the development of aptitude tests, it is somewhat difficult to identify the tools and methods used by I/O psychologists. This is not because there is a lack of tools or methodology, but because I/O is such a broad category. In fact, research in I/O is very similar to research in other areas of mainstream psychology. It is "based largely on positivism, using quantitative studies and the scientific method to test and disprove hypotheses, often in an experimental context." (Wikipedia, Psychology, 2005). Quantitative research methods rely on tests, rating scales, questionnaires, and physiological measures. (Ehigie and Ehigie, 2005). In addition, I/O psychologists also utilize qualitative research, which "utilizes interpretive techniques and is descriptive in nature, enabling the gathering of rich clinical information unattainable by classical experimentation." "
Abstract This brief yet concise paper details recent research which has proven that unemployment causes, rather than merely results from, poor psychologicalhealth. A study in Great Britain revealed that unemployed individuals were approximately three times more likely, than employed people, to commit suicide. This paper examines the impact of unemployment on one's mental health, including: Anxiety, depression, dissatisfaction with one's life, negative self-esteem and other emotional states have each been demonstrated in complex studies to be higher in unemployed people than in similar groups of employed people.
From the Paper "For many people, the stress of being unemployed is devastating. A recent study of more than 500,000 people in Great Britain revealed that people who said they were unemployed in a 1981 census were approximately three times more likely than employed people to commit suicide in the next decade. "Job loss seems to result in a serious erosion in people's sense of control and self-esteem," says William R. Avison, Ph.D., professor of sociology and leader of the University of Western Ontario study. Because control and self-esteem are two limitations of mental health, it is understandable that unemployment affects people so deeply, he argues."
Tags: mental, health, employment, labor, physical, depression, study, research
Abstract This paper examines the psychological implications of child abuse. It attempts to explain the problem of child abuse, identify factors that generate child abuse and explore the effects of child abuse on development. The paper reports that the United States Department of Health and Human Services contends that a variety of signs may be evident in a child that lives in an abusive environment. For the educator key signs of abuse may include injuries that are reported to the parent but that are left untreated for no apparent reason (Recognizing sec. 2). The child might display a sudden lack of interest in school coupled with the inability to complete assignments or provide homework in a customary fashion.
From the Paper "Child abuse has many terrible implications on a child's development. Several explanations of human development have been given through history to understand human behavior. Inside these diverse development concepts, psychology plays an outstanding part. These explanations recognize and explain the processes by which human beings, from a biological base, will undertake a road that will be good for them to reach maturity. Specific Objectives: * To explain the problem of child abuse * To identify the factors that generate child abuse. * To explore the effects of child abuse on development. A child needs to interact with his environment and in this way to establish a good quality of life, that is to say, the necessary conditions so the human being can reach a state that allows him to mature and adapt in a natural way and in reciprocity with his environment. For that reason when the conditions of the quality of..."
Abstract The paper reveals that the Iraq war has highlighted the negative affects of combat stress and tension in a number of studies of returning and active duty troops. The paper notes the high incidence of post-traumatic stress and explains that this is due to the guerrilla-war nature of the conflict. The paper shows how Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has seriously debilitating and often long-term consequences for the individual sufferer. The paper maintains that PTSD and other related psychological problems as result of the Iraq war can no longer be ignored.
Outline:
Introduction and Overview
PTSD and other Psychological Issues
From the Paper "Research show that, conservatively, about thirty percent of troops returning from Iraq have to deal with PTSD or post traumatic stress disorder, among other psychological disorders. One of the aspects that are mentioned as a contributing factor to the high levels of stress in this war is the particular nature of the conflict. As one commentator notes; "This war has no front line, the enemy is impossible to identify, the dangers are everywhere. There is no safe place." (Hare) The stressful nature of the combat situation where danger and threat are continuous has led clinical psychologists to state that, "Nobody comes back unaffected." (Hare) "
Tags: posttraumatic, stress, combat, guerrilla, mental, health
Abstract This paper explains that the long-term healthcare of Iraq veterans and their families is requiring more and more integrative efforts from many health disciplines especially in the area of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and related syndromes. Selecting the best model to improve both their mental and physical healthcare, the author states, has created a vigorous debate. The collaborative or integrative models, which recommend merging many health fields and the integration of science, technology and the mental-health profession, are analyzed. A complete anecdotal interview of an Iraq war veteran is also included.
Table of Contents:
What Studies Suggest About Personal vs. Environmental Causes
The Debate over Problems and the Problems of Debate: Barriers to Care and the Collaborative/Integrative Model
One-Size-Fits-All Approaches to Military Healthcare: Population-based and Collaborative Models
Barriers to Treatment
Personal, Familial and Communal Impacts of Deployment
Adolescents Reactions to a Military Oriented Family
Appendix: Interview with Mike Harrel, Army Reserve
From the Paper "Studies on the first Iraq war in 1991 provide helpful information as to the prevalence and range of disorders suffered by military personnel, particularly those stationed in the war zone. These personnel had higher frequency of impairments both physical and psychological, occurrences of somatic symptoms, general health decline, and "psychosocial functional impairment". Research has shown that upwards of 12%-13% of those veterans within the first few months of ending their service suffer from PTSD."
Abstract This paper offers an analysis of Princess Diana of Wales' 1993 speech on "Women and Mental Health" using feminist criticism. In this article, the writer discusses the strong influence of the norms and practices of a patriarchal society on the psychological well being of women.
From the Paper "Presented at a conference for mental health professionals, Princess Diana's speech 'Women and Mental Health' at the most superficial level, highlighted the existence of the psychological difficulties experienced by women. However, at a deeper level, this speech also brought up to the surface the oppressive impact of the norms and practices of patriarchal society on the psychological well-being of women. To explore this issue further, the method of feminist criticism will be employed to analyze this artifact. More specifically the research question that will ... "
