The assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with sexually abusive behavior.

The assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with sexually abusive behavior requires an understanding of normal sexual development. A multiplicity of biological and psychosocial factors determines the child's sexual development, gender role, sexual orientation, patterns of sexual arousal, sexual cognitions, sexual socialization, and the integration of sexual and aggressive patterns of behavior. The individual's sexuality evolves in concert and as a result of interaction with family, ethnic, social, and cultural influences. These parameters summarize what we know about the epidemiology and phenomenology of sexually abusive youths and provide guidelines for the assessment and the selection of treatment interventions for these youths. Essential considerations in the assessment and treatment of sexually abusive youths, as well as the different categories of sexually abusive youths which should be recognized and which influence treatment decisions, are presented. The spectrum of currently available psy chosocial and biological treatments will be summarized. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry, 1999, 38(12 Supplement):55S--76S. Key Words: juvenile, sex, sexual abuse, sex offender, practice parameters, guidelines, children, adolescents. There is evidence of a significant increase in the reports of juvenile sexual aggression and sexual abuse. Sexual assault is one of

  • Word count: 15499
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Biological Sciences
Access this essay

IMPULSE CONTROL DISORDERS

IMPULSE CONTROL DISORDERS Many of the self-control disorders involve disturbances in the ability to regulate an impulse - an urge to act. People with impulse control disorders act on certain impulses involving some potentially harmful behavior that they cannot resist. Impulsive behavior in and of itself is not necessarily harmful; in fact, we all act impulsively upon occasion. Usually our impulsive acts have no ill effects, but in some instances they may involve risk. Consider the following two examples. While walking through a clothing store, a young woman decides on the spur of the moment to charge an expensive sweater which is over her budget; she may regret her decision later, but few serious consequences will result. Were she to use all her financial resources to buy an expensive sports car, the consequences would be considerably more serious. Neither of these situations is as threatening as that of another woman, who invites a man she has just met at a singles bar to her apartment where they have unprotected sex--a behavior that puts her at serious risk. People with impulse control disorders repeatedly engage in behaviors that are potentially harmful, feeling unable to stop themselves, and experience mg a sense of desperation if they are thwarted from carrying out their impulsive behavior. Impulse control disorders have three essential features. First, people

  • Word count: 6293
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Biological Sciences
Access this essay

Cocaine Addiction: Literature Review, Modalities, and Improved Treatment Plan

Cocaine Addiction: Literature Review, Modalities, and Improved Treatment Plan by Addam Brown A Paper Presented in Fulfillment Of the Requirements of CST5108 - Foundations of Addictive and Compulsive Behavior Addam Brown June, 2011 627 E Trail Creek Dr Nampa ID 83686 208/899.0055 [email protected] Dr. Wayne Cunningham Abstract The purpose of this paper will focus on an intervention design for cocaine addiction that place emphasis on the historical and current role, the rights, diversity, and legal or ethical issues that play a role with cocaine addiction as well as the diagnosis and treatment that will help cocaine addicts become drug free from other researchers through literature review. It will also describe the available treatment interventions critiques from the strengths, weaknesses, and other issues to treat cocaine addiction as well as an existing intervention design that is appropriate for treating cocaine addiction. Table of Contents Literature Review 5 Historical Role 5 Current Role 6 Rights, Diversity, and Legal/Ethical Issues 6 Diagnosis and Treatment 8 Treatment Intervention (Trends Critique) 11 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy 11 Description 11 Strengths 11 Weaknesses 12 Contingency Reinforcement Description 15 Strength 15 Weaknesses 15 Other Issues 15 Other Intervention 17 Comparison of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy & Contingency

  • Word count: 5998
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Biological Sciences
Access this essay

Counselling Theory - Good Practise and Ethics

Define what is meant by the term Counselling Counselling is a process in which a person is given the opportunity to talk openly and freely, exploring issues, thoughts and feelings that are currently affecting their life in an understanding environment free from judgement. It is a private, personal and confidential process and can only take place between a person who feels as though they are in need of help and a qualified practising counsellor. A person can only ‘choose’ to enter in to a counselling relationship, it cannot be forced upon anybody; “It is always at the request of the client as no one can properly be 'sent' for counselling” (BACP, education, what is counselling?) “Counselling takes place only when both sides agree it is taking place and the counsellor has no other role in the client’s life. If the helper does just the same things but as part of another role they are not Counselling but using Counselling Skills.” (Frankland and Sanders, 1994, p.34) A qualified practising counsellor is somebody who has gained the relevant academic qualification and experience to enable them to practice. They adhere to Counselling boundaries within a contract with the client. They have Counselling aims and goals and work within an ethical framework which displays Counselling ethics to ensure good practice. A client seeking help through Counselling will be

  • Word count: 5727
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Biological Sciences
Access this essay

Couples Analysis and Case Study. Kerri, 26, and Patrick 29, have been dating for three years and have been living together for sixteen months.

Couples Analysis and Conceptualization Case Study: Kerri and Patrick Tammy D.Schamuhn, MS Candidate Portland State University Couns 575 Case Study Kerri, 26, and Patrick 29, have been dating for three years and have been living together for sixteen months. Kerri is employed as an elementary teacher, and Patrick works as an assistant manager of an automobile manufacturing company. Both individuals are extroverted with a very gregarious and outgoing way about them. They are both exceptionally social and enjoy spending time together by going to parties, traveling, and participating in outdoor activities such as snowboarding and camping. They are both very close with their families and each maintains close friendships outside of the relationship. They are a very physically affectionate couple, despite their presenting problems. That being said, the couple is experiencing a multitude of conflicts in their relationship. As of late there has been a dramatic rise in the amount of fighting and intensity of the arguments that occurs between the two. Fights are heated and the couple's subsequent interactions are becoming more dysfunctional. The couple is divided on several issues, thus, I will explore the presenting problems from the viewpoint of each person in the relationship and proceed to give my own conceptualization. Kerri From Kerri's point of view, the presenting

  • Word count: 5702
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Biological Sciences
Access this essay

Counseling a Childhood Sexually abused individual.

Counseling a Childhood Sexually abused individual. Sexual violence against children is a serious problem that has gained the attention of researchers over the past decades. The literature reflects the importance of developmental issues salient in early victimization ( Cole & Putnam, 1992, Finkelhor 1994). Each individual's experiences and consequences to this form of abuse are unique, but it seems there are some common short and long term reactions with it's survivors. These children may experience such psychological problems as, "anxieties, fears, depression, angry and destructive behaviour, phobic reactions and deficits in intellectual, physical and social development." (Green, 1993, p.892). Early identification of sexual abuse victims appears crucial to reduction of suffering, enhancement of psychological development, and for healthier adult functioning (Bagley, 1992; Bagley, 1991; Finkelhor et al. 1990; Whitlock & Gillman, 1989). Despite an increased focus on child sexual abuse in the recent decade, many gaps remain in our knowledge. Many of the studies hitherto published suffer from few children being included, and from a high dropout rate in cases with protracted treatment periods. In addition, comparability is limited by the great variations between different studies in terms of gender and age structure, input symptomatology and treatment focus. Reference groups are

  • Word count: 4800
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Biological Sciences
Access this essay

Arson: Why do people do it and how can we prevent it?

Arson: Definition - Any willful or malicious burning or attempt to burn, with or without intent to defraud, a dwelling house, public building, motor vehicle or aircraft, personal property of another, etc. Arson: Why do people do it and how can we prevent it? Arson is a common, costly and complex problem in this country and around the world. Arson affects everyone, invading communities, threatening businesses and family security. Deliberate fire setting is the largest single cause of fires in the UK. It is a problem that leads to loss of life, serious injuries and can result in substantial financial and personal suffering and the visual impact on communities is devastating. The outcome of widespread arson in a community can create degeneration within an area, provoking a loss of business and unemployment (Weiner, 2001; DTLR1, 2002). Every week in Britain there are over 2000 arson attacks resulting in excess of 40 million pounds worth of damage and costing the lives of at least two people and injuring over fifty2. It is obvious then that arson is serious problem within society today; furthermore arson or 'firesetting' is increasing in occurrence at an alarming rate, doubling since 1991 with vehicle arson being the fastest growing type, having trebled during the same time period3. Table 1 illustrates the huge overall increase in arson fires, 29% between 1996 and 2001, is

  • Word count: 4596
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Biological Sciences
Access this essay

A study into the causes of Dyslexia

A study into the causes of Dyslexia Any discussion of the causes of dyslexia must, as we shall see, be a complex and controversial undertaking; even the title may raise controversy: what is 'dyslexia'? Is it the same as 'specific learning difficulties'? Can it be defined as a single problem? Is there a continuum of dyslexic-type difficulties? Should we be using a label at all? The questions are many, and with very few satisfactory answers. For this reason, it is necessary to begin with a working definition of dyslexia, before discussing what may cause it. Once this has been established, it will be seen that the cited causes may be usefully grouped into several categories ( genetic, perceptual, neurological and linguistic). Each of these areas will be examined in some depth, and the evidence evaluated. It will be found that, as yet, no single cause can be definitively established, but that studies into information and language processing in the brain seem to offer the most promising possibilities for the future. Due to the complex nature of the problem, and the many different ways in which it manifests itself, it is impossible to find a definition upon which everyone may agree. Nevertheless, several definitions exist which may serve as a starting point. An early definition by Critchley is that dyslexia is "a disorder of children who, despite conventional classroom experience,

  • Word count: 4485
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Biological Sciences
Access this essay

Depression in Old Age. From an uncritical viewpoint, it would be reasonable to associate old-age depression with being nothing more than a natural part of the ageing process. Burtons famous book, the Anatomy of Melancholy, contained the pessimistic wor

Depression in Old Age: Clarifying Misconceptions Word count: 3,401. From an uncritical viewpoint, it would be reasonable to associate old-age depression with being nothing more than a natural part of the ageing process. Burton's famous book, the Anatomy of Melancholy, contained the pessimistic words "after seventy years, all is trouble and sorrow." (as cited in Baldwin, 1997, p.536). This view is often shared by the general public in their expectation of later life. As reported by Harris (1975), for contemporary Western people, life as an older person is reposted by the majority as having turned out better than expected. However as it stands, it appears that few of the "typical" features of late-life depression that derives from the commonly perceived stereotype of a depressed have withstood the rigours of modern research. Depression is not an intrinsic part of the ageing process, but rather ageing may accentuate some clinical features of the depressive disorder and suppress others (Baldwin et al, 2002). Understanding this difference is becoming exceedingly important, as the world's population is steadily living longer (Gottfries & Karlsson, 1997); the elderly population is expected to double in size and represent one fifth of the population of the United States by the year 2030 World Health Organisation (1999 as cited in Gottfries & Karlsson, 1997) expects elderly

  • Word count: 4467
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Biological Sciences
Access this essay

Describe and evaluate Carl Jungs theory concerning personality types and show how they might usefully help a therapist to determine therapeutic goals

Module Three Essay Title: ‘Describe and evaluate Carl Jung’s theory concerning personality types and show how they might usefully help a therapist to determine therapeutic goals’ Page 1 Introduction In this essay I aim to demonstrate an understanding of Jung’s personality types by describing and evaluating his theory and to show how they might useful in helping a therapist to determine therapeutic goals. I will also look at some of the criticisms levelled at Jung’s theory. Carl Gustav Jung, (26 July 1875 – 6 June 1961), was a Swiss psychologist and psychiatrist, and the founder of analytical psychology. His father was a Pastor, and he had an isolated childhood, becoming very introverted, it seems he had a schizoid personality. Although Freud was involved with analytical psychology and worked with patients with hysterical neuroses; Jung, however, worked with psychotic patients in hospital. He was struck by the universal symbols (or Archetypes) in their delusions and hallucinations (ref. Dennis Brown and Jonathan Redder (1989) p.107). His work and influence extends way beyond understanding personality, and he is considered to be one of the greatest thinkers to have theorised about life and how people relate to it. Carl Jung was among many great personality theorists who drew inspiration and guidance from the ancient models like astrology and the Four

  • Word count: 4365
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Biological Sciences
Access this essay