Behavioral and mental health

Your neighbor tells you that his eleven-year-old daughter has been having behavior and academic problems in school. “Her teacher recommended taking her to the pediatrician to get a prescription for Ritalin,” he said.

In a well-thought-out paper integrating information from the learning resources and module readings, make an argument for why your neighbor should first have his daughter evaluated by a clinical psychologist. Discuss the types of assessment tools the psychologist might use in his or her evaluation and how these tools would help in guiding diagnosis and treatment. Make sure to use appropriate sources of information that ground your argument in well-established, empirically sound science and practice. Properly cite and reference resources, applying APA Style.

This paper should be written as a coherent essay, in approximately 700-1000 words, and formatted in APA Style. You are encouraged to include insights in your recommendations as you address the key issues outlined above.

Prepare the Thoughtful Response Paper according to the following guidelines:

  • Structure your paper utilizing APA style (7th Edition); this includes title page, headings, in-text citations, reference page, and general paper format (1-inch margins, double-spaced, appropriately sized sans serif or serif fonts – e.g., 12 Times Roman). An abstract is not required.
  • Apply sound writing mechanics: write with clarity, paying attention to spelling, grammar, and syntax.
  • Submit to your Assignment Folder as a single document in either Microsoft Word, PDF, or RTF format.

Point allocations are as follows. See accompanying assignment rubric for full details.

ContentPoints
All topics discussed in clear detail.

Key focal topics: 1. Clinical psychologists role 2. Assessment types 3. Assessment links to diagnosis. 4. Assessment links to treatment options.

20
Assertions supported correctly. Uses appropriate course resources and outside resources to develop argument.20
Ideas are interrelated coherently and logically20
Organization
An introduction previews main points of reflection, body of paper develops and elaborates main ideas, conclusion summarizes main points20
Writing Mechanics
Paper free of mechanical errors (e.g., misspellings, typos, etc.) and paper grammatically sound (proper sentence structure)10
Citations and references in proper APA style10

Requirements: 4 pages

American Psychological Association. (2017). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct (2002, amended effective June 1, 2010, and January 1, 2017). http://www.apa.org/ethics/code/index.html

Biswas-Diener, R. (2020). Intelligence. In R. Biswas-Diener & E. Diener (Eds), Noba textbook series: Psychology. Champaign, IL: DEF publishers. Retrieved from http://noba.to/ncb2h79v

Davis, H., Peterson, S. & Smith, G. (2017). Assessment. In A. Wenzel (Ed.), The sage encyclopedia of abnormal and clinical psychology (Vol. 1, pp. 310-313). SAGE Publications, Inc. doi: 10.4135/9781483365817.n117

Hubley, A. (2003). Achievement testing. In R. Fernández-Ballesteros (Ed.), Encyclopedia of psychological assessment (Vol. 1, pp. 6-9). SAGE Publications Ltd doi: 10.4135/9780857025753.n2

Korotitsch, W. & Nelson-Gray, R. (2003). Behavioural assessment techniques. In R. Fernández-Ballesteros (Ed.), Encyclopedia of psychological assessment (Vol. 1, pp. 135-134). SAGE Publications Ltd doi: 10.4135/9780857025753.n28

Psychological Testing Overview (2019, March 26). UMGC.

Watson, D. (2020). Personality assessment. In R. Biswas-Diener & E. Diener (Eds), NOBA textbook series: Psychology. Champaign, IL: DEF publishers. Retrieved from http://noba.to/eac2pyv7

Answer preview

A clinical psychologist’s role is to provide counseling and clinical services to individuals who may be portraying behavioral, mental, and emotional disorders (American Psychological Association, 2017). Through assessments and diagnosis of one’s condition, a clinical psychologist uses psychology as a science to propagate the treatment process. Clinical psychologists don’t necessarily have to use drugs to treat all behavioral, mental, and emotional issues. They may also help an individual by assisting them to discover their cognitive strengths and teaching them how to become resilient in the day-to-day lives they face their problems (Davis, Peterson & Smith, 2017). Once a thorough assessment and diagnosis of a patient are completed, the clinical psychologist assists with the patient’s treatment through professional support and advising the patient’s caregivers. If medication is needed to help with the disorder, the clinical psychologist will determine how best to medicate the patient.

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