Jane $20 Bonus - $30

Total - $50
This assignment is due Sunday. I have listed this as
$20 and will include a $30 dolla !onus. I have
attached a sam"le "a"e #om anothe student that
eceived a gade o# $00 as well as the ten %uestions
that I listed ealie in wee& '
This "a"e must have(
a title "age
a unning head
)*) #omat
Axia College Material
Appendix A
Final Project Overview and Timeline
Final Project Overview
The final project for this course is comprehensive, designed to allow you to analyze a
psychological disorder by reviewing a short profile of Marla, a 42-year-old accountant. This
assignment provides you with a greater understanding of and ability to recognize abnormal
behavior. nce you identify a possible disorder, probe deeper by as!ing "uestions and
completing Marla#s profile. nce you have completed Marla#s profile, suggest possible treatments
based on the models of abnormality in $h. 2. This project reflects the culmination of your
!nowledge gathered through the readings, discussion "uestions, $hec!%oints, and assignments.
Final Project Timeline
&ou should budget your time wisely and wor! on your project throughout the course. 's outlined
below, some assignments in the course are designed to assist you in creating your final project. (f
you complete your course activities and use the feedbac! provided by the instructor, you will be
on the right trac! to successfully complete your project.
)uggested in Week Two* +eview the Mc,raw -ill -igher .ducation /eb site,
http*00www.mhhe.com0socscience0psychology0faces01, which will be used for your final
project.
2ue in Week Four* +eview the re"uirements for your final project and pp. 34-56 of the te7t.
2raft ten probing "uestions to learn more about the patient#s bac!ground.
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)uggested in Week Eight* 9amiliarize yourself with the 2)M-(: to ma!e a decision regarding
a possible disorder.
2ue in Week Nine* )ubmit your final project.
/ee! 4 ;uestions that need to be incorporated-
1. So Joe, what brings you here today?
2. Joe, can you tell me what it is you hope to accomplish by coming here?
. Joe, tell me a little bit about your !amily li!e?
". Joe, what can you tell me about your childhood?
#. Joe, were there any traumatic e$ents or memories that stand out in your
childhood?
%. Joe, was there any history o! abuse, $iolence, or neglect in your childhood?
&. 'a$e you e$er or are you now !eeling depressed or suicidal?
(. Joe, o!ten at times, earlier incidents in li!e can cause problems in present day
issues. 'a$e you had any relationships that ended badly or might ha$e stood
out !rom the rest?
). Joe, how is your current en$ironment? Are you sa!e? *o you ha$e any
concerns or worries about your personal sa!ety?
1+. Joe, is there any medical issues that you are currently dealing with?
SAM,-. ,A,./ 0
/unninghead1 ,S2C'3-345CA- *5S3/*./
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,sychological *isorder Analysis
'/ 6utor
Axia College
,sychological *isorder Analysis
Marla is a !orty7two year7old 'ispanic woman. She wor8s as an accountant. She
has recently sought help at a local clinic !or se$eral unexplained symptoms she has been
experiencing. 'er symptoms are a!!ecting her wor8 li!e. Among her symptoms are
sleeping di!!iculties, inability to concentrate, and !eeling 9umpy all the time :Axia
College, 2++&;. 'as Marla experienced any traumatic e$ents in the past or recently?
Marla has symptoms that are similar to those o! ,osttraumatic stress disorder.
,osttraumatic stress disorder :,6S*; is an anxiety disorder. ,6S* occurs a!ter a person
experiences a traumatic e$ent :Axia College, 2++&;. 6he symptoms include the
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symptoms that Marla is experiencing along with many other symptoms. 6he beha$ioral
model suggests that people with ,6S* undergo conditioning that causes them to relate a
sound, person, place, or ob9ects called stimuli to the traumatic e$ent they experienced.
,eople who !ollow the beha$ioral model belie$e there are ways to unlearn the !ear
associated with the e$ent and the stimuli through $arious !orms o! treatment :Comer,
2++#;.
Any traumatic e$ent can be a causal !actor in the de$elopment o! ,6S*. 6he
traumatic e$ent may be a threatened or physical se$er in9ury to a person, one<s !riends or
!amily, one<s community, a national traumatic e$ent, or any other traumatic e$ent :Comer,
2++#;. ,6S* Support Ser$ices :2++); stated, =6he most traumatic e$ents !or women are
rape, sexual molestation, physical attac8, being threatened with a weapon, and childhood
physical abuse= :para ;. ,6S* can occur immediately !ollowing the traumatic e$ent,
months a!terward, or years a!ter a person experiences the e$ent. ,osttraumatic Stress
*isorder can de$elop at any stage in a person<s li!e :Comer, 2++#;. According to the
>ational 5nstitute o! Mental 'ealth :2++(;, =,6S* starts at di!!erent times !or di!!erent
people. Signs o! ,6S* may start soon a!ter a !rightening e$ent and then continue. 3ther
people de$elop new or more se$ere signs months or e$en years later= :para 11;. ,6S*
can a!!ect a person<s entire li!e including his or her personal, social, !amily, and wor8 li!e
:Comer, 2++#;.
6he symptoms o! posttraumatic stress disorder can range !rom reli$ing the
traumatic e$ent numerous times to ha$ing di!!iculties concentrating. 'ow long ha$e
Marla<s symptoms been occurring? 6he *SM75? o!!ers the criteria that symptoms must
be present !or at least one month be!ore a diagnosis o! ,6S* is o!!ered. 6he main
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symptoms o! ,6S* can be categori@ed into !our di!!erent areasA reexperiencing the
traumatic e$ent, a$oidance o! stimuli, reduced responsi$eness, and increased arousal,
anxiety, and guilt :Comer, 2++#;. A person may reexperience the traumatic e$ent through
ha$ing nightmares or !lashbac8s :Axia College, 2++&;. A$oidance o! stimuli is another
category o! symptoms :Comer, 2++#;. A person creates a response o! !ear in response to a
person, place, item, or other thing that is associated with the traumatic e$ent :Axia
College, 2++&;. Bor example, i! Marla experienced a traumatic e$ent in her home she
could de$elop certain !ears o! things she associates with that e$ent. She may ha$e been
running a bath when someone 8noc8ed at the !ront door. ,erhaps when she went to
answer the door a man pushed his way in, robbed, and attempted to rape her. 6he sound
o! the bath water can become stimuli that can trigger thoughts or !lashbac8s o! her
traumatic e$ent. 6his is a !orm o! classical conditioning. .$entually, a person may
attempt to a$oid anything that can trigger these !lashbac8s or memories o! the traumatic
e$ent :Axia College, 2++&;. ,eople with reduced responsi$eness due to ,6S* o!ten
experience detachment, loss o! interest in acti$ities he or she once en9oyed, and
dissociation. *issociation is a psychological separation. 6he person may !eel da@ed, ha$e
trouble remembering things, or !eel strangely about his or her en$ironment. 5ncreased
arousal, anxiety, and guilt can occur in ,6S* :Comer, 2++#;. 'as Marla experienced any
other symptoms, such as changes in mood, beha$ior, daily routing, or anything else?
6here are other symptoms that can de$elop due to ,6S*. According to 6he Cur8 and
Darbara 4ronows8 ,sychology Clinic :n.d.;, =6hese symptoms include sleep di!!iculties,
irritability, concentration problems, hyper$igilance or !eeling <on guard< all the time, and
!eeling 9umpy or easily startled= :para 2+;. Ehat type o! sleeping di!!iculties is Marla
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experiencing? ,osttraumatic stress disorder<s symptom o! sleeping di!!iculties usually
consists o! insomnia. .motional numbing, limited amnesia, depression, substance related
disorders, and other anxiety disorders can be symptoms o! ,6S* in addition to the other
symptoms :Comer, 2++#;.
Ehat causes some people, while not others, to de$elop ,6S* a!ter experiencing a
traumatic e$ent? Se$ere or prolonged trauma, existing anxiety problems, poor coping
techniFues, and lac8 o! a support networ8 are !actors in the de$elopment o! ,6S*. Ehat
are Marla<s relationships in her li!e li8e? ,oor relationships and unsupporti$e !riends and
!amily may ha$e been a causal !actor in her de$elopment o! ,6S*.
,eople in lower socioeconomical classes are more li8ely to de$elop ,6S* a!ter
experiencing a traumatic e$ent, too :Axia College, 2++&;. Diological and genetic !actors,
personality, childhood experience, social support, and the se$erity o! the trauma are other
!actors that determine the li8elihood o! de$eloping this disorder.
Diological and genetic !actors can be used to determine the li8elihood o!
de$eloping ,6S*. ,hysical changes in the body and the brain occur when a traumatic
e$ent is experienced. Abnormal le$els o! cortisol and norepinephrine can cause ,6S* to
de$elop. 3nce ,6S* is acti$e in a person e$en more changes occur in the body, and the
brain. 6he changes can occur in the parts o! the brain needed to control the way a person
reacts to stress. 6hese biological !actors play a role in why some people exposed to
traumatic e$ents de$elop ,6S* and others do not. *oes Marla ha$e any !amily who has
had anxiety disorders? 6here is a possibility, too, that anxiety disorders can be inherited.
A person may ha$e a predisposition o! anxiety disorders because o! !amily with anxiety
disorders :Comer, 2++#;.
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Ehat is Marla<s concept o! hersel! and the world as a whole? *oes she !eel in
control o! her own li!e? 'as Marla been diagnosed with a psychological disorder be!ore?
,eople<s personalities can be !actors in determining whether or not they are more li8ely to
de$elop ,6S*. According to Comer :2++#;, =Some studies suggest that people with
certain personality pro!iles, attitudes, and coping styles are more li8ely to de$elop stress
disorders= :p 1"1;. ,eople who ha$e a negati$e $iew on the world o$erall, do not !eel in
control o! their own li$es, or ha$e pre7existing psychological problems are typically more
li8ely to de$elop ,6S*. 6he person<s mood, emotions, !eelings, or thoughts immediately
prior to the traumatic e$ent are other !actors in determining the de$elopment o! ,6S*
:Comer, 2++#;. 5! Marla was !ull o! anxiety or stress prior to opening her !ront door and
the traumatic e$ent occurring that could ha$e been a causal !actor in her de$elopment o!
posttraumatic stress disorder.
Ehat was Marla<s childhood li8e? Childhood experiences can lea$e some people
more prone to de$eloping posttraumatic stress disorder later in li!e. ,eople who were
poor, had !amily members that su!!ered !rom psychological disorders, or experienced a
traumatic e$ent as children are more li8ely to de$elop posttraumatic stress disorder.
6hose who were $ictims o! abuse or assault, or who had parents that died, or di$orced
prior to the age o! ten are also more li8ely to de$elop ,6S* :Comer, 2++#;. A strong
social support networ8 is important in determining who is li8ely and who is less li8ely to
de$elop ,6S*. Eea8 social support systems ma8e it more di!!icult !or a person to
reco$er !rom a traumatic e$ent. ,eople who do not !eel lo$ed, com!orted, 9usti!ied, or
support a!ter a traumatic e$ent do not usually reco$er as Fuic8ly as a person with a
lo$ing, strong support system. Binally, the se$erity o! the trauma is a !actor in
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determining the li8elihood o! de$eloping ,6S*. .$en the most well7raised, happy,
positi$e, stress !ree people can de$elop ,6S*. Someone with an ama@ing childhood,
lo$ing memories, a strong support system, married parents, wealth, and a !antastic li!e
can de$elop ,6S* i! the trauma is se$ere enough :Comer, 2++#;.
6he beha$ioral model consists o! se$eral explanations behind the de$elopment o!
,6S* while !ocusing on one<s beha$ior and li!e. ,eople who !ollow the beha$ioral model
belie$e that actions are determined by the experiences in one<s li!e. 6he beha$ioral model
!ocuses on the responses that one ma8es to one<s en$ironment. 6he beha$ioral aspects
are both external, li8e dri$ing to the store, and internal, li8e what a person is !eeling.
Deha$ioral theorists base their explanations on the principles o! learning. 6he principles
o! learning are the processes o! beha$iors changing in response to a person<s
en$ironment. 6his consists o! di!!erent types o! conditioningA operant conditioning,
modeling, and classical conditioning. 3perant conditioning occurs when a person
recei$es rewards to beha$e a certain way. Modeling occurs when a person obser$es other
people and acts the way he or she sees the others act. Classical conditioning is the
product o! learning by temporal association. 6emporal association occurs when a person
associates two things e$en i! they would otherwise not ha$e anything to do with one
another li8e Marla<s example traumatic experience and the sound o! running water
:Comer, 2++#;. Deha$ioral theorists belie$e that i! something can be learned it can be
unlearned. 6here!ore, i! Marla experienced a situation where she was exposed to a
traumatic e$ent, learned to associate something with that traumatic e$ent, and is now
dealing with symptoms o! ,6S* due to those stimuli she can learn how to unlearn her
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!ears o! the stimuli. 6he symptoms should be able to be lessened or controlled through
the use o! treatment.
6here are se$eral treatment methods !or posttraumatic stress disorder. Systematic
desensiti@ation, stress7inoculation training :S56;, encouraging time management s8ills,
couples therapy, !amily therapy, anger management, cogniti$e techniFues, and
medications are o!!ered indi$iduality or as a combination o! two or more methods o!
treatment. Comer :2++#; stated1
6oday<s treatment procedures !or troubled sur$i$ors typically $ary !rom trauma to
trauma. Eas it combat, sexual molestation, or a ma9or accident? 2et all the
programs share basic goals1 they try to help sur$i$ors put an end to their stress
reactions, gain perspecti$e on their pain!ul experiences, and return to constructi$e
li$ing :p 1"2, 1"";.
Systematic desensiti@ation has also been called exposure therapy. *uring this
method o! treatment a hierarchy o! one<s !ears is established :Axia College, 2++&;.
According to Comer :2++#;1
5n this step7by7step procedure, clients learn to react calmly instead o! with !ear to
the ob9ects or situations they dread. Birst, they are taught the s8ill o! relaxation o$er
the course o! se$eral sessions. >ext, they construct a !ear hierarchy, a list o! !eared
ob9ects or situations, staring with those that are less !eared and ending with the
ones that are more dreaded :p "#;.
3nce the patient learns to relax and has constructed a list o! !ears he or she is exposed to
each !ear on the list starting with the less !eared ob9ect or situation. .ach !ear is
con!ronted. *uring the time o! exposure to each !ear a pro!essional helps the patient
%)& 258
relax. 6his allows the patient to de$elop the s8ill o! relaxing, so that he or she may relax
when a stimuli is present in the !uture instead o! simply a$oiding it or being o$ercome by
it :Comer, 2++#;. Stress7inoculation training is o!!ered to help one gain con!idence in the
ability to cope with one<s !ear or anxiety much li8e that o! exposure therapy.
,ro!essionals bring awareness to the stimuli or triggers o! a patient<s anxiety. 6he patient
is taught coping s8ills, muscle relaxation techniFues, and deep breathing techniFues :6ull,
2++);.
Medications are o!!ered as a !orm o! treatment to people with ,6S*. Antianxiety
drugs are used to control tension in ,6S* patients. Antidepressants are used to reduce
other symptoms in ,6S*A howe$er, not all symptoms can be reduced by using
antidepressants :Comer, 2++#;. 6here is no medication made speci!ically !or the
treatment o! ,6S*. Certain medicines ha$e been pro$en to be use!ul on di!!erent
symptoms o! ,6S* though. Selecti$e serotonin reupta8e inhibitors :SS/5s; are
antidepressants. SS/5s include ,ro@ac, Celexa, ,axil, Golo!t, and other antidepressant
medications. 6hese medications increase the serotonin le$el that is said to be a causal
!actor in the de$elopment o! ,6S*. 6he increase o! serotonin allows anxiety symptoms
to be relie$ed, because an appropriate amount o! serotonin in the brain reduces anxiety
:6ull, 2++);. 6ull :2++); stated1
Se$eral studies ha$e !ound that selecti$e serotonin reupta8e inhibitors :SS/5s;
may be use!ul in the treatment o! ,6S*. Ehile these studies generally !ound that
SS/5s were success!ul in addressing many ,6S* symptoms, !indings were not Fuite
as strong as what is !ound in studies examining the success o! cogniti$e beha$ioral
treatments !or ,6S*. 5n addition, SS/5s may not address all ,6S* symptoms. Bor
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example, one study !ound that SS/5s impro$ed numbing and hyperarousal symptoms
o! ,6S*, but not reexperiencing symptoms :para ";.
Medication used in correlation with a !orm o! therapy has been $iewed as the
more bene!icial way to obtain treatment :6ull, 2++);. Medication used alone may help
reduce the se$erity o! some o! the symptoms associated with ,6S*A howe$er medication
will not rid all the symptoms. 6reatment in the !orm o! therapy can help a patient learn
how to control the !ear o! the stimuli, cope with !uture traumatic e$ents, or e$en unlearn
the conditioned response to his or her stimuli :Comer, 2++#;.
Marla is a !orty7two year7old 'ispanic woman who wor8s as an accountant.
/ecently she has been experiencing symptoms that ha$e begun to inter!ere with her li!e.
She has had di!!iculties sleeping, been unable to concentrate properly, and has been
!eeling 9umpy all the time :Axia College, 2++&;. ,osttraumatic stress disorder contains
the symptoms that are the same as Marla<s 8nown symptoms. ,6S* occurs a!ter a person
experiences a traumatic e$ent :Axia College, 2++&;. 6he beha$ioral model suggests that
people with ,6S* undergo conditioning that causes them to relate an ob9ect or situation
called stimuli to the traumatic e$ent they experienced. ,eople who !ollow the beha$ioral
model belie$e there are ways to unlearn the !ear associated with the e$ent and the stimuli
through $arious !orms o! treatment :Comer, 2++#;. 6reatment can include a !orm o!
medication, a !orm o! therapy, or a combination o! the two.

%)& 258
/e!erence
Axia College. :2++&;. Course Syllabus. /etrie$ed August 1, 2++), !rom Axia College,
Eee8 >ine, ,S22&+ 7 Abnormal ,sychology.
Axia College. :2++&;. Baces o! abnormal psychology interacti$e HComputer So!twareI.
/etrie$ed August 1, 2++), !rom Axia College, Simulation, ,S22&+ 7 Abnormal
,sychology.
Comer, /. J. :2++#;. Fundamentals of abnormal psychology (4th ed.). >ew 2or81 Eorth.
>ational 5nstitute o! Mental 'ealth. :2++(;. Post-traumatic stress disorder (easy-to-
read). /etrie$ed August , 2++), !rom
http1JJwww.nimh.nih.go$JhealthJpublicationsJpost7traumatic7stress7disorder7easy7
to7readJindex.shtml
,6S* Support Ser$ices. :2++);. Treatments of PTSD. /etrie$ed August 2, 2++), !rom
http1JJwww.ptsdsupport.netJ
6he Cur8 and Darbara 4ronows8 ,sychology Clinic. :n.d.;. Problems and disorders
treated. /etrie$ed August &, 2++), !rom
http1JJwww.mentalhealthclinic.orgJhtmlJdisorders7treated.htm
6ull, M. :2++);. Medications for PTSD. About.com. /etrie$ed August %, 2++), !rom
http1JJptsd.about.comJodJtreatmentJaJmeds,6S*.htm
%)& 258
6ull, M. :2++);. !er!ie" of cogniti!e beha!ioral treatments for
PTSD. About.com. /etrie$ed August %, 2++), !rom
http1JJptsd.about.comJodJtreatmentJaJ,6S*treatments.htm
Check Point: Final Paper
Ojective o! Exerci"e: #ead the following profile introduction on Marla*
Marla is a 42-year-old Hispanic female who comes to the mental health clinic
complaining of trouble sleeping, feeling "jumpy all of the time," and an
inability to concentrate. These symptoms are causing problems for her at
wor, where she is an accountant.
Write a 6,488- to 6,5<8-word paper, which follows '%' guidelines, analyzing Marla#s disorder*
2ecide which disorder Marla may have using the information in the 9aces of 'bnormal
%sychology (nteractive 'pplication at1 http*00www.mhhe.com0socscience0psychology0faces01
=>ote that the profile introduction will match more than one of the disorders found in the
application. &ou must choose one of the disorders and complete the profile.?
(nclude the 68 "uestion from the wee! 9our $hec!%oint.
)ummarize the disorder using the information provided in the interactive application.
.7plain the origin of the disorder as well as any potential treatments by using one of the
models of abnormality found in $h. 2 of the te7t.
@ Po"t your final project as an attachment.
Content and Development
200 Points Possible
*oints
*ossi!le
*oints
+aned
$omments
6488 - 65<8 words. 68 1+
(dentified a disorder Marla may have 48 "+
68 $linical interview "uestions included 48 "+
)ummarized the disorder 48 "+
.7plained the origin of the disorder as well as
any potential treatments by using one of the
models of abnormality found in $h. 2 of the
te7t
48 "+
%)& 258
Major points are stated clearlyA are supported
by specific details, e7amples, or analysisA and
are organized logically.
68 1+
The introduction provides
sufficient bac!ground on the topic and
previews major points.
68 1+
The conclusion is logical, flows
from the body of the paper, and reviews the
major points.
68 1+
Readability and Style
25 Points Possible
*oints
*ossi!le
*oints
+aned
$omments
)entences are complete, clear and concise. 68 1+
%aragraphs flow logically from thesis to
conclusion.
68 1+
The tone is appropriate to the content and
assignment.
< #
Mechanics
25 Points Possible
*oints
*ossi!le
*oints
+aned
$omments
+ules of grammar, usage and punctuation are
followed.
68 1+
'%' 9ormatting is followed for all parts of the
paper including citations and references.
68 1+
)pelling is correct. < #
Total Points $%& 2#+ 'umitted on Time(
Date Due and Date Submitted: )*+*&+ (J)J+) ,e"- Full Credit
Adju"ted Point" & Comment": .reat jo-

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