Final Essays

Instructions

This is your final essay, you will be critically applying psychological principles to examine real life situations.  I highly suggest you work on it outside of Canvas and cut and paste your answer when you are done, to avoid any technical problems you might experience.  You can revise and upload a new revision as many times as you want until the due date. You are expected to use content and materials from the entire course (you will not use everything, of course, but your answer should demonstrate your knowledge of the entire semester).  Work alone; do not collaborate with anyone, including other students.  You may use the internet, if you wish, but all your citations need to come from this class.  Your questions may appear in reverse order, as Canvas randomizes the order they are presented; answer Question 1 before 2.

Questions

John is a student at CCSF.  He is a very social person, and very invested in politics. In previous semesters, he used to go out frequently with friends, and often formed study groups with classmates. Though he signed up only for "in-person" classes this semester, all of his classes ended up being delivered remotely, on Canvas.

John's mother is an ICU nurse, and they live together in a small apartment with his father, Sam, who suffers from Major Depressive Disorder.  John himself has struggled with depression in the past and was medicated, though in recent years he has been okay without medication. John is typically an "A" student, but this semester he is struggling to maintain a C average.  John is having a hard time focusing on his reading and assignments, is easily distracted by electronics and social media, and is feeling his mood worsen.

1. Identify and define using class concepts the factors at play for John's mental health and well-being. What stressors is he experiencing? What impacts might these be having on his functioning, and how? Be complete, write at least 100 words for this question. (10 points)
2. Identify and explain at least five interventions you would suggest to improve John's well-being.  Make sure you explain the reasoning behind your suggestions, supporting your answers using class concepts (remember to cite where your ideas came from: you don't need to use APA for this, but make sure you explain the origins!).  Be complete, write about 200 - 300 words for this question. (4 points each x 5 interventions = 20 points)