Monday, December 30, 2019

Data Collection for Discrete Trials

Discrete trial teaching is the basic instructional technique used in Applied Behavior Analysis. Once a specific skill is identified and operationalized, there are several ways to record success. Since trials are generally multiple probes of since skills, when you collect data you want your data to reflect several things: Correct responses, Non-responses, Incorrect responses, and Prompted responses. Usually, a goal is written in a way to name what each response will look like: John will touch a letter from a field of three.When presented with a colored sorting bear, Belinda will correctly place it on a plate of the matching colorWhen presented with a set of counters from 1 to 5, Mark will correctly count the counters. When you use a discrete trial teaching approach, you may want to create a program to teach a skill. Clearly, you will want to be shaping the behavior/skill you are teaching, starting with the antecedent skills. I.e., if the skill you are teaching is recognizing colors, you will want to start with a benchmark that asks the child to distinguish between two colors, in other words, John, touch red, from a field of two (say, red and blue.) Your program could be called Color Recognition, and would probably expand to all the primary colors, the secondary colors and finally the secondary colors, white, black and brown. In each of these cases, the child is asked to complete a discrete task (therefore, discrete trials) and the observer can easily record whether their response was Correct, Incorrect, Non-Responsive, or whether the child needed to be Prompted. You may want to record what level of prompting was required: physical, oral or gestural. You can use a record sheet to record these and plan how you will fade prompting. A Free Printable Record Sheet Use this free printable record sheet  to record five days of the particular task. You certainly dont need to record every day the child is in your classroom, but by providing you with five days, this worksheet is a little more accessible for those of you would like to keep a sheet a week for data collection. There is a space next to each p on each column that you can use to record what kind of prompt if you are using this form not only to record your trial by trial but also to fade prompting. At the bottom is also a place to keep percents. This form provides 20 spaces: you certainly only need to use as many trials as your student usually can attend to. Some low functioning students may only successfully complete 5 or 6 of the tasks. 10 is of course optimal, because you can quickly create a percent, and ten is a fairly decent representation of a students skills. Sometimes, however, students will resist doing more than 5, and building up the number of successful responses may be one of your goals: they may otherwise stop responding or respond with anything to get you to leave them alone. There are spaces at the bottom of each column for next to write when you are expanding your field (say, from three to four) or adding more numbers or letters in letter recognition. There is also a place for notes: perhaps you know the child didnt sleep well the night before (a note from Mom) or he or she was really distracted: you may want to record that in the notes, so you give the program another shot the next day. Hopefully, this data sheet provides you the flexibility you need to successfully record your students work.

Sunday, December 22, 2019

High Risk Family Assessment Health Promotion - 1593 Words

High-Risk Family Assessment Health Promotion Drug and Alcohol Abuse Substance abuse can occur with legal drugs like alcohol, tobacco and prescription medications, illegal drugs that are purchased on the street, or prescription drugs used for reasons other than health. Alcohol is the most frequently used legal drug, and cocaine, heroin, and marijuana are the most commonly used illegal drugs. Each drug has precise effects on body systems. Some drugs can lead to acute and chronic problems; some even can cause death. Nurses are among the few health care professionals who assess and care for substance abusers. As such, they should be equipped to distinguish the symptoms of substance abuse and put into practice measures to support and help these people (Bailes, 1998). Substance abuse involving drugs, alcohol, or both is linked with a variety of negative social conditions, including family disturbances, monetary problems, lost output, and failure in school, domestic violence, child abuse, and crime. Furthermore, both social attitudes and legal answers to the use of alcohol and illicit drugs make substance abuse one of the most multifaceted public health issues. Estimates of the total overall costs of substance abuse in the United States, including lost productivity and health- and crime-related costs, exceed $600 billion annually (Substance Abuse, 2012). Assessment of the Family Type Substance abuse refers to a set of related conditions linked with the consumption ofShow MoreRelatedHigh-Risk Family Assessment and Health Promotion1039 Words   |  5 PagesHigh-risk Family Assessment and Health Promotion NUR 542 University of Phoenix Sandra English High-risk Family Assessment and Health Promotion Homelessness can occur even in the most stable income families. Families that have a one income household can find themselves without employment suddenly from companies that are experiencing economic difficulties which lead to reduction in forces. The United States homeless populations decreased by one percent in 2011. 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Saturday, December 14, 2019

Psychology Essay Critical Evaluation of Machin and Spall (2004) Free Essays

Abstract A critical evaluation of a paper by Machin and Spall which develops a practical model for supporting people suffering from grief and loss through counselling. The model is rooted in a measurement scale, the ‘Adult Attitude to Grief Scale’ which is extended in scope. Machin and Spall’s paper is briefly summarised, then key strengths and weaknesses are highlighted. We will write a custom essay sample on Psychology Essay: Critical Evaluation of Machin and Spall (2004) or any similar topic only for you Order Now 1. Introduction The following critically evaluates a paper by Linda Machin and Bob Spall, ‘Mapping grief: a study in practice using a quantitative and qualitative approach to exploring and addressing the range of responses to loss’, published in 2004. The paper will be briefly summarised, bringing out the key features of the study. Then a number of aspects will be considered in more detail with a critical perspective, highlighting strengths and weaknesses of the paper. Overall, this is an interesting study with a useful practical model proposed, but certain areas seem to have been overlooked. 2. Review 2.1 Overview Machin and Spall’s study is an ambitious attempt to further develop a relatively recent scale for measuring grief, the ‘Adult Attitude to Grief Scale’ (AAG). They have a three-fold aim: first to test the scale further, second to extend its use to other forms of loss, and third to map its use as a therapeutic tool. The scale was developed by Machin (2001) and consists of 9 items rated on a five-point Likert scale from ‘strongly agree’ to ‘strongly disagree’. The nine items can be grouped into sub-categories indicating whether the grief response is ‘overwhelmed’, ‘controlled’ or ‘balanced’. Initially tested on 94 respondents, the present study tests its use amongst 15 elderly men and women. The scale was extended to reflect losses other than bereavement, themes to develop in further counselling sessions were explored, and a flow-chart introduced to create a link between quantitative and qualitative ele ments. Their study took part in three phases, loosely associated with the three aims outlined above. Phase one gathered quantitative data (age, sex and nature of referral for respondents, and responses to the AAG). Phase two amplified responses from the scale and was linked to individual expressions of grief explored in richer detail in counselling. This phase identified themes in dealing with grief including the role of socialisation and the way other people’s attitudes had an impact. Phase three examined the implications of the previous phases for therapy. In a fairly extended discussion, the authors briefly relate their scale to other work in the field, including theories of grief, and set out a 6-stage model for counselling practice protocol. This is clearly explained, and suggests a practical use for the scale. First, the client completes the AAG. This is then assessed by the therapist with the three groupings (overwhelmed, balanced and controlled) in mind. The data illuminates whether the client is biased towards any one or more of the three grief responses. In stage four, the data extracted is used as a basis for exploring themes in more depth with client, and is followed by looking at the influences of social pressures upon the client’s grief. Finally, there is a move in therapy to help the client establish control or balance. 2.2 Critical Discussion Overall, this study develops an innovative way to use a measurement scale for grief and bereavement. In contrast with many studies looking at measurement scales, the authors are clearly concerned that the scale’s practical use is developed. The way that the model for using the scale is developed by the authors allows a clear plan for helping people deal with grief through counselling and therapy.The model is well explained and appears easy to implement. However, there are a number of areas which are more problematic.First, the theoretical context of the scale in terms of other measurements of grief and theories of loss is underdeveloped. In this paper, Machin and Spall do not compare the scale to other measurements of grief and loss. In fact, there exist a number of other models, for example the ‘Inventory of Complicated Grief’ (Prigerson et al 1995), the ‘Grief Measurement Scale’ (Jacobs et al, 1986) and the Grief Experience Questionnaire (Barrett and Scott 1989), and it would have been useful to find out how the AAG relates to these earlier attempts at measurement. Does the AAG incorporate insights from earlier scales, for example, or does it offer a new approach? In addition, there could be more discussion of how the scale relates to wider theoretical perspectives on grief. There are a number of theories regarding the process of grief and loss. Dual Process theory, for example, suggests that experiences of loss are determined by two distinct sets of stressors: loss-oriented stressors (concerning the deceased person and appraisals of what loss means for example) and restoration-oriented stressors (these concern how people deal with the changes that grief brings about, for example rebuilding a sense of self). Dual process theory further suggests that the two sets cannot be processed at once, and that the person suffering the loss oscillates between one or the other. Attachment theory, on the other hand, describes grief and loss in terms of ‘styles’ of attachment which are learned in early childhood and determine responses to grief. The way in which the child relates to the attachment figure (usually the mother) shapes the way in w hich that person handles subsequent experience of loss and separation (Worden 2009). Elsewhere, Machin has provided a useful further elaboration of the scale (Machin 2005) where the three sub-categories of the scale (in their earlier version ‘overwhelmed’, ‘resilient’ and ‘controlled’ are clearly explained first in terms of how each translates into client assumptions and responses to loss, and second how they translate into other theoretical models. For example, Machin explains (2005), in terms of Ainsworth et al’s (1978) ‘attachment style’ theory, overwhelmed becomes ‘anxious / ambivalent attachment’ and in terms of the dual process model (Stroebe and Schut 1999), overwhelmed translates into ‘loss orientation’. In the current paper it would have been useful to have information of this nature. In addition, the paper lacks any discussion of first the relationship between the three sub-scales (overwhelmed, balanced, controlled), and second which of the three positions represents the best position for the client. It becomes clear during the study that a ‘balanced’ perspective is best for the client, however this is not elaborated, nor backed up with any theoretical discussion of responses to grief, of the sort which occurs in Machin’s earlier paper (2005). Curiously, the authors do, however, take such a perspective on what seems a less intuitive question – what happens if bias is towards ‘balance’ and equally distributed towards ‘overwhelmed’ and controlledHere there is an attempt to tie the model to theory, but discussion is scant, and a more detailed theoretical perspective would have been welcome. Another interesting point about the study is the way it combines qualitative and quantitative research. These are often treated as distinct methods of data collection, with quantitative research taking a scientific perspective, testing hypotheses and collecting numbers, and qualitative research concerned to look at subjective experience in greater depth and through text and words (Babbie 2010). However, they are increasingly used to complement each other in a ‘mixed methods’ approach. Such an approach can allow more innovative linking between results, creative design and allow for a problem-focused approach (Denscombe 2007). In this study, Machin and Spall certainly demonstrate a creative approach and one rooted in problem solving, as they use the quantitative data to identify areas of concern for individual clients and feed into subsequent therapy sessions. However, it can be asked whether they fully utilise quantitative techniques. They certainly collect numerical da ta from respondents, however there is no statistical analysis of results to show general patterns, for example looking at mean scores for responses or similar. Additionally, quantitative data is most usually gathered to test a hypothesis or explore research questions (Polgar and Thomas 2008), and there is no clear setting out of hypotheses here. In addition, there are questions about sampling. While there is no one method of generating the ‘correct’ sample size, there is a general idea that at least 30 respondents should be included to generate statistically significant results (Denscombe 2007). This study uses only 15 respondents. In addition, there are questions about the method by which the respondents interviewed (the ‘sample’) were selected. The aim in research is to provide information about a general population (Rubin and Babbie 2009); in this case, adults who have suffered bereavement or loss. In order that results can be generalised from the peopl e included in the study to the overall population of interest, the sample selection should be free from bias and representative of the larger population (Rubin and Babbie 2009). However, in this study, the respondents were all selected through the ‘Older Adults Speciality’, which might have introduced bias, for example if they were from a particular geographical location, from a particular ethnic group, if they happened to be people who responded in a particular way to interviews or to counselling for example. A final point is that it might have been useful to have more information about the respondents who took part in the study. While the paper develops a model for practice, it does not look at the way the participants responded to the six-stage process. Did the process help them deal with their grief for example The results of administering the measurement scale after the therapeutic process would have provided insight into whether the model is effective for helping patients deal with grief and loss. 3. Conclusion The above discussion has looked at a paper by Machin and Spall (2004). This is an interesting and ambitious attempt to marry quantitative and qualitative approaches to research in order to test and extend a measurement scale for grief. The authors develop a seemingly useful model for practical use by counsellors and therapists. However, there are seemingly some problems with the study, for example the lack of integration with theory, and problems with the study’s methodology. 4. References Ainsworth, M, Blehar, M, Waters, E, and Wall, S (1978) Patterns of Attachment. Erlbaum, Hillsdale, NJ Babbie, E R (2010) The Practice of Social Research (12th edn.), Cengage Learning, Belmont, CA. Barrett, T W and Scott, T B (1989) ‘Development of the Grief Experience Questionnaire’, Suicide Life Threat Behav, 19:201-215. Denscombe, M (2007) The good research guide: for small-scale social research projects (3rd edn.), McGraw-Hill International, Maidenhead, Berks. Jacobs, S C, Kasl, S V, Osfeld, A, Berkman, L And Charpentier, P (1986) ‘The measurement of grief: age and sex variation’, British Journal of Medical Psychology, 59, 305-310. Machin, L (2001) ‘Exploring a framework for understanding the range of responses to loss; a study of clients receiving bereavement counselling’, Unpublished PhD thesis, Keele University, UK. Machin, L, and Spall, B (2004) ‘Mapping grief: a study in practice using a quantitative and qualitiative approach to exploring and addressing the range of responses to loss’, Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 4:1, 9-17. Machin, L (2005). The adult attitude to grief scale: A method for mapping grief. [online] Retrieved 25/02/11, The 7th International Conference on Grief and Bereavement in Contemporary Society, from http://www.crusebereavementcare.org.uk/intlconf/pdfs/Machin,%20Linda.pdf Polgar, S and Thomas, S A (2008) Introduction to research in the health sciences (5th edn.) Churchill-Livingston, Edinburgh Prigerson, H G, Maciejewski, P K, Reynolds, C F, Bierhals, A J, Newsom, J T, Fasiczkaa, A, Frank, E, Doman, J, and Miller, M (1995) ‘Inventory of complicated grief: A scale to measure maladaptive symptoms of loss’, Psychiatry Research, 59:1-2, 65-79. Rubin, A and Babbie, E R (2009) Essential Research Methods for Social Work (2nd edn) Cengage Learning, 2009 Belmont CA Stroebe, M and Schut, H (1999) ‘The Dual process model of coping with bereavement: rationale and description’, Death studies, 23,197-224 Worden, J W (2009) Grief counseling and grief therapy: a handbook for the mental health practitioner (4th edn.), Springer Publishing Company, New York. How to cite Psychology Essay: Critical Evaluation of Machin and Spall (2004), Essay examples

Friday, December 6, 2019

Book of night women free essay sample

The Book of Night Women by Marlon James is an incredibly authentic-feeling novel that brings into play many deep issues for being a piece of fiction. I found this book to be a real page-turner that helped, among other things, to widen my understanding of the institution of slavery in the West Indies as well as the dynamics of the relationships between the slave and master. It is this often confusing relationship that I wish to further explore in this paper. In the story our main character, Lilith, ends up developing feelings for her master, an Irishman named Robert Quinn. The character Quinn is a white slave owner that seems to understand that the institution of slavery is an evil one, but does not know what to do about it, so he goes on with life the way it is. It is hard to hate him, but its hard to like him as well. We will write a custom essay sample on Book of night women or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Being an Irishman, he is lower on the social hierarchy put in place by the slave owning community, and because of this he searches for pity and tries to relate to Lilith, his slave. He compares their lives and social standings, which to me seems almost ridiculous, but to him is a completely legitimate understanding. He does treat Lilith with a certain respect that no other slave owners in the story gives to her. One example that stands out in my mind is the matter of their sexual relationship being more tender and loving than the usual animalistic approach that many of the other masters take out on the slave women. No, fucking. No, rutting like animals, like the animal all white man think black woman be. But he say something when he coming and he hold on to her so weak, like she be the master and is all he can do to hold on. However, Robert Quinn and Lilith are still clearly not equal to one another in the way that Quinn so desperatly tries to convey to her. I feel that the time period placed on this story plays a significant role in Robert Quinns treatment of Lilith as a woman. At first glance, even if he is a bit more kind to her, such as insisting that Lilith sit and eat with him while she stands in the corner just watching (something she is accostomed to), and telling her that he wishes to teach her how to ride a horse; he is still incredibly demanding of her. He still tells her that he expects a hearty meal when he returns home late, and that she should clean his home, etc. But keeping this in context, this is how the average woman would have been treated at the time. Robert Quinn is treating her much more like they are in the average relationship based gender roles of the time, and much less like the usual master and slave relationship. This was a somewhat confusing aspect of the text, that unless put into the perspective time, could be completely missed. It is apparent though, that Robert Quinn wants Lilith to feel this connection between the two of them. He wants her to feel as if she is a free woman when she is with him, so much so that he almost forces this upon her. As if demanding her to be a free woman when in his company, which is redicoulous and hypacritical. In conclussion, Marlon James does a great job at unfolding this relationship to his readers in a way that touches many aspects of the gender and class roles of the time. It is my opinion that no matter how much Lilith wanted to hate her master, Robert Quinn, she could not simply because of his often soft treatment of her; even if he was agressive and even brutal at times, there were true feelings between the two of them. No matter how misguided the opinions of Robert Quinn may seem, he truely beleived what he infered about his low social standings and the resulting connections he made with Lilith.