Termpaper Guidelines

Instructor:        Donette Steele M.A.

PAPER:           Paper must be type-written, double-spaced, font-I 2pt or less, and a minimum of four pages. The paper Written must reflect. accepted college grammar and style. Points will be deducted for misspellings and improper use of grammar. No covers of any type. Use a cover page, stapled in upper left hand corner, indicating title, name, day and time you attend class. Paper will be worth 20% towards your total grade). will n&ed a note from you signed stating Failure to turn in the assigned paper or a note will result in the assigning of an incomplete, or letter grade by decision of the instructor. Papers will not be accepted later than the due date and failure submit paper will result in a grade of F (0%) on the assignment. 

The Term Paper will not be assessed according to the actual right or wrong diagnosis. The paper is intended to acquaint you with the DSM­V-TR and how a psychologist assesses and plans a treatment program for an individual. It is also to intended to familiarize you with psychological and pharmacological treaments.

Guideline for Paper ( The paper needs to follow the format below)

Term paper will be based on a Psychological Evaluation, plus the Psychological  and / or Biological Explanation of the disorder and Treatment Plan. You may assess a character from a book, movie or television program. The character you choose must accurately portray the mental illness. **

Format for Term Paper

PART ONE

1. Identifying Information (Age, race, martiaI status, education, etc.,  whatever else you deem relevant.)

2. Presenting Problem

(What is going on with this person that is of concern to you or to him/her)

3. Brief History

(Examples of-specific behaviors in which the presenting problem is shown)

4. Behavioral Observations

(Behavior at the time of Evaluation such as dress, mental state, speech patterns, mood, ability to focus, general health, hygiene, oriented in present etc.)

5. Summary (Summarize the above points into one paragraph)

Section one should be written in paragraph form in third party format.   

PART TWO

1. Biological and Psychological Explanation of the Disorder

2. Pharmacological Treatments used for Disorder - Medications used in conjunction with therapy

3. Psychological Treatment - Therapy for the Disorder (type of therapy normally used to treat the type of disorder you have chosen.

4. Discuss Therapy Chosen - Discuss how the medication and therapy work to treat the disorder

PART THREE

DSM-IV Diagnosis: (Must Have Code Number for Axis I and/or II)

Note:   A client may or may not have an Axis I and/or Axis II diagnosis -if no diagnosis is indicated for one of these Axis put: None

Axis I: Clinical Disorders

Axis II: Personality Disorders, Mental Retardation

Axis Ill: General Medical Conditions

Axis IV: Psychosocial and Environmental Problems

Axis V: Global Assessment of Functioning Score (See DSM)

This next area is not to be included in the term paper for the paper. It is a worksheet to assist you with Axis IV and Axis V

(Specify: Problems with primary support group:

Problems related to the social environment:

Educational problems:_____________________

Occupational problems:____________________

Housing problems:________________________

Economic Problems_______________________

Problems with health care access___________

interactive Problems with Legal system/crime:

Other psychosocial and environmental problems ________

PART FOUR

Justification of Diagnosis

How did you arrive at your DSM-IV Diagnosis? How did the subject meet the requirements for your Axis assignments?  List complete criteria from DSM-IV and specify which criteria your client meets.

DUE ON DAY OF COURSE FINAL: Project may be completed individually or in a group of two individuals. If done as a group project, each team member is responsible for the entire project and each member of the group will receive the same grade

**This means do not use a movie, such as Me, Myself and Irene. Although thought to be funny by some, this movie does not accurately represent the mental illness of Dissociative Identity Disorder.