Assignment 1; Comparing Psychological Strategies
Weight: 40%
Must Complete: Yes
Word Length: 2000 words
Due date: See below
Notes: Written assignment
This assessment relates to: Learning Outcomes 1 and 2
Instructions on how to complete this assessment
This assessment has two (2) parts. It is important to note the word count and weighting of marks for each part.
Assignment format:
This assignment can be formatted using subheadings (e.g: Part A, Part B etc). Please include a short introduction and conclusion (which will not count towards the overall word limit) to orient the reader to the assignments focus. A single reference list at the conclusion of the overall assignment (rather than individual reference lists for each assignment section) will be sufficient. There is no need to include an abstract, although a title page (including your name, student number, unit code, assignment number and actual word limit) is requested.
1. Part A: 1000 words (20 marks)
Choosing two theories from;
•
o Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT)
o Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
o Interpersonal Therapy
Compare and contrast two of these approaches in terms of the:
1.
1. Key theoretical themes
2. How change is conceptualised
3. Therapeutic aims
4. Role of the practitioner and consumer
5. Common interventions
2. Part B: 1000 words (20 marks)
Case study
Paul is 22 year old unemployed man from a Jewish background. He did well at school but has not been employed since. Paul lives with his mother, father and young sister in the suburbs of a large Australian city. He studied IT at TAFE for one year but dropped out before he completed the course in his second year. He has recently been diagnosed with depression by his GP and has been referred to you for brief counselling. While Paul and his GP discussed medication, Paul asked to try counselling first. Paul reports to you in his first session that he has difficulty getting to sleep so he often stays up until the early hours of the morning. He states he has lost five kilograms in the last ten weeks, feels tired all the time and doesnt leave his bedroom much. He states he doesnt drink much alcohol, but he uses marijuana most days, particularly to get to sleep. He reported that he spends a lot of his time playing computer games, some with online friends but rarely talks or sees his other friends. He informed you he had a relationship with a girlfriend at school that lasted for 18 months, but has not been in a serious relationship for the last three years. He hasnt dated anyone in the past year. He reports he wants to become a creative writer, but cant seem to find the motivation to sit and write. He states he has a poor relationship with his mother who complains that he doesnt do enough to help at home. His informed you that his father is a professional musician who has expressed his disappointment that he seems to be wasting his life and not working. Paul reports he is happy to attend counselling as he wants to feel better, but he doesnt want to take anti-depressant medication.
Instructions
Choose one of the following theoretical approaches to work with Paul in brief counselling: CBT, ACT or Interpersonal therapy.
• Outline your case conceptualisation/formulation including your hypothesis(s) relating to his presentation, motivation for change and any contextual features that may be important in treating Paul
• Substantiate why you have chosen this particular theoretical approach using relevant literature and resources
• Identify what you believe Pauls goals for counselling would be and discuss any challenges or barriers that may exist in moving forward for Paul
• Describe broadly the process you would enact to work with Paul, including at least 2 interventions, in order to create positive change using your chosen theoretical approach
• Identify any challenges you may face as Pauls counsellor and discuss your strategies for managing these challenges
Referencing
You must use the APA referencing system.
How many references do I need to include?
There is no set number of references simply because there is more information available for some topics and little information available for other topics. You are expected to research each Part widely by using the UNE library online catalogue and journal databases to identify relevant books and peer reviewed journal articles. Please note: Personal experience, newspaper articles, Moodle notes and information obtained from websites, especially those that start with the prefix -wiki-, are not a valid source of information for this assignment.
There is a plethora of information available for this essay so as a rough guide you should endeavour to find at least: Part A = 5+; Part B = 5+; peer reviewed sources (i.e. journal articles, books) in addition to your textbook, to support the statements in your essay. Make sure you research your essay and do not simply rely on your textbook. Remember a good essay is well researched using information from a range of sources. Remember to include an introduction and conclusion (these are not in word count).
In-text referencing
Every statement of fact in an essay regardless of whether it is written in the first or third person must be supported by an in-text reference.
For this unit page numbers are not required for in-text references unless providing a direct quote. For example: Communication is important to client safety (Higgs, 2012). -Communication is important to client safety- (Higgs, 2012, p.28).