Description

Term paper ( worth up to 10pt)
Your term paper should explore a childhood or early adolescent disorder originating and expressed in
childhood or early adolescence. I will Not be accepting the personality disorders or dissociative identity
disorder. See list.

Your paper should address the following: Due December 3rd submit to sakai assignments section.

• Symptom picture – describe the symptoms commonly seen in the disorder you have chosen to
research.
Prevalence rates – prevalence rates in the US and world. (1pt.)

• Cultural variables – This is not about prevalence rates which should be addressed in the prevalence
rates section. You should discuss a couple countries your disorder is found in and if it presents
differently or with the same symptom picture as seen in the US. You should also include subcultures of
the US (e.g. African American, Native American, Hispanic, Asian American). (2 pts.)

• Age of onset and Gender features – What is the average age when symptoms appear that lead to a
diagnosis? Is the onset acute or insidious? For Gender features: ex. Bipolar is equally common among
adolescents, major depression diagnosed 2X more in females than in males. (1pt.)

• Etiology – Describe the biology and genetics behind the disorder you are researching. E.g. What
neurotransmitter systems and subcortical structures of the brain are effected in the disorder you are
researching? It may be primarily a biological based disorder such as Bipolar or Schizophrenia, but be
sure to address the psychological/emotional issues associated with this disorder. Eg. expressed emotion

(EE) with regard to family relations or coping with peers with either bipolar or schizophrenia. Is this
highly genetic? Does it run in families such as depression, schizophrenia, bipolar, anxiety, ADHD, etc? (2
pts.)

• Course – Will it be a lifelong chronic course e.g. childhood-onset schizophrenia or episodic in nature
e.g. depression? How does the presentation change and effect the child/adolescent over developmental
stages (e.g. Erickson developmental model)? (1pt)

• Prognosis – What is the end result you expect to see with regard to the symptom picture? E.g. What
would the symptom picture look like when the person is 70. E.g. Would the client still have to be on
medication? Would they still exhibit the symptoms of the disorder or would most of the symptoms have
abated? (1pt)

• Current treatment – What is the most effective treatment for your chosen disorder? Explain the main
underlying theory of this treatment(s) and explain a technique that could be employed in the treatment
plan. E.g. cognitive restructuring for major depression). (1pt)

• Differential diagnosis – You should compare and contrast another disorder (ONLY ONE) which is similar
and how to differentiate it from the main disorder you have chosen to research. In what ways is it
similar and in what ways is it dissimilar? E.g. major depression vs Persistent Depressive Disorder. (1pt)

APA style is encouraged

*** You DO NOT need an abstract for this assignment.
• Must be double spaced (12pt type and Times New Roman)
• Must have within text citations. THIS IS A MUST
• Articles, the DSM-V, books, and online sources are fine (.org more preferable but .com is fine with
discretion).
• THE TEXTBOOK or MYSELF IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE SOURCE OF INFORMATION FOR YOUR PAPER. It is
considered a secondary source.
• Try to use empirical sources when possible. E.g. Journal of Abnormal Psychology

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