The Breakfast Club

The Breakfast Club This paper is an analysis of five dissimilar teenagers representing a cross-section of middle class high school students in the suburbs. The students meet each other for the first time during a Saturday morning detention session. Each student arrived to the school by different means, which is a precursor to determining the type of individual each one is. The group is comprised of a â€Å"princess†, an â€Å"athlete†, a â€Å"brain†, a â€Å"criminal†, and a â€Å"basket case†. These are the roles the students play during the week. Because of typical stereotypes and status levels, at the onset, the students don’t want anything to do each other at the beginning of the detention session. However, once confronted by the controlling principal and realizing they have a whole day to spend together, the students begin to interact. Once the students start communicating with each other, they realize that they are more alike than unlike. Each one of them has their own issues they are dealing with, they each long for self-acceptance; they all fight against peer pressure; they all desire parental approval. Eventually through the course of the day, they break through the barriers and begin to understand each other and accept each other as well as themselves. The students eventually develop a group identity and call themselves, â€Å"The Breakfast Club. † Claire is the â€Å"princess†; an upper-class, popular prom queen who was punished with detention after she ditched classes to go shopping. She enjoys her wealth, but this causes others to envy her. She is a bit shy and doesn’t easily reveal information about herself. She is very insecure with herself because she is not very smart and isn’t athletically inclined which is why she wants to be a part of the â€Å"in† crowd at school. She feels neglected by her parents and is yearning for attention from them. She was driven to school for the detention session in a BMW by her father. As he dropped her off he explained to her that this is a strict punishment and perhaps she shouldn’t skip school to go shopping. Bender the â€Å"bad boy† on the other hand, is a lower-class young man who is perceived to be a ociopathic criminal; he is desperate for attention at school. This may be due to a lack of attention at home or perhaps abuse. Because of his rebellious nature, Bender finds himself in detention more often than not. Bender wanders up to the school by his own free will. His parents are not shown at all during the film. Andrew the â€Å"jock† is a regimented and determined wrestler who wants break free from the athlete role in order to think for himself. His father demands that he succeeds athletically as he doesn’t tolerate losing, he requires Andrew to be No. in his athletic endeavors. His father doesn’t care what Andrew wants in life, he just wants him to win all of his wrestling matches. Andrew was dropped off to the school by his father who was chastising him before dropping him off and explaining that he could potentially lose his athletic scholarship due to his behavior. Brian the â€Å"nerd† is a straight – A student who struggles with expectations of high grades. His parents seem to push him to do very well in school. However, he doesn’t have any confidence in himself and relies upon his success in school to motivate him. His self confidence was crushed when he received a failing grade in shop class. He was sent to detention because a teacher found a gun in his locker which he was going to use to kill himself; however, it wouldn’t have worked because it was a flare gun. Brian was dropped off to the school by one of his parents and his younger sister. He was told to get his homework done while in detention. Lastly, Allison the â€Å"kook† is an introvert who is ignored by her peers. She is a very quiet girl hardly ever speaking, which makes it difficult for people to understand her. When she does speak, she usually does so in self defense. She longs for attention, in order to receive it; she acts like a mentally unstable individual. She suffers from boredom and is very reserved. She shocked the group when she emptied her purse which held nothing but useless items in an attempt to gain attention from the others at the beginning of the detention session. Allison was dropped off to the school, but you can’t tell by who as the person drives off before any words are exchanged. She states that she did nothing wrong to get sent to detention. She displays very peculiar behavior during the detention session. At the onset of the detention session, each student’s status is conveyed by their existing peer social status in school. They form bonds, with whom they feel most comfortable with, for example, Claire and Andrew immediately sit down next to each other and begin exchanging conversation about the friends they have in common within the â€Å"popular† crowd that they are a part of. Brian is next in line in the school social status scene because of his intelligence but he is still considered to be a geek by his peers. In contrast, Allison and Bender are at the bottom of the school social scene. As the morning detention session progresses, each member of the group surrenders their previous roles as they assume new positions within the group. Bender, who usually has a low-status position, assumes a leadership role because of his expertise with detention. He is on a first name basis with the janitor and Mr. Vernon, the principal. Mr. Vernon displays a tough outer shell but seems to fear Bender. Bender is clearly the dominating force in the group. His rebellious personality is displayed when he breaks the established rules and moves from his seat after being told not to. He also tore up a library book and removed a screw from one of the library doors so it couldn’t stay open in order for Mr. Vernon to keep an eye on them. When Mr. Vernon questioned the group as to why the door is closed and wouldn’t stay open the group covered up for him. This behavior clearly displays Bender’s disregard for authority. Instead of being condemned by his peers, Bender’s questions and actions are valued within the group. He leaves the session with a new found respect for his new friends as well as an attraction to Claire whom he had constantly made fun of for being a snob throughout the detention session. He also dropped the tough guy persona and accepted himself as someone who was good in his own way. Claire and Andrew also go against their normal high school behaviors during the session. Andrew no longer appears to play the macho athlete role and actually cries in front of the others as he describes how his father has pressured him to be someone he doesn’t want to be. He expressed how at times he wished for his knee to give out so he wouldn’t be able to wrestle anymore. He finally comes to realize that he doesn’t need to be the man his father expects him to be and that his life is his own to determine and not what his father desires. It is clear that he that he has broken from the grips of his father when he leaves the detention session partnered with Allison. Allison seems to be the epitome of defiance towards his father's law to stay on course and choosing his own path from now on. Claire appears to be very conceited and often asks the group â€Å"Do you know how popular I am? Everyone at this school loves me. † Looking at her from the others perspective, she appears to be very self-centered and more important than the others. Although Claire leads the group to believe she had been sexually active due to peer pressure, she ultimately admitted to the group that she is still a virgin. Allison actually tricked her by lying and being deviant, having Claire to admit she was a virgin. Allison then expressed to the group that being sexually active is actually a double edged sword in their social setting because if a girl admits to being sexually active, she is considered to be a slut while if she denies being sexually active she is considered a prude. Her observation demonstrates she isn’t exactly who the group perceives her to be. Eventually the group allows Claire to see that there is much more to life than being popular in school. On the surface, Brian appears to be submissive; however, the traditional geek ends up asking bold questions and seems to become more secure than his new-found friends. Throughout the session, Brian seems to follow along with whatever his peers are doing while at the same time reminding them that there isn’t supposed to be any â€Å"monkey business. † He actually goes against his normal behavior and along with Andrew and Claire partakes in smoking marijuana with Bender. The group views Brian as their most intelligent member and therefore, they encourage him to write their required 1000 word detention essays. This opportunity allows him to have a bit of power within the group. Through the peer discussions, it becomes apparent that Brian and his parents have required him take on more than he can handle which drove him to his breaking point. Through the relationship with his newfound friends, Brian is able to release the load and the perception of himself being an academic over achiever. He leaves much more confident than when he came and is determined to let go of his past failure. Allison is very quiet during the detention session; her mode of communication was squealing for the first half of the session. The others see her as an outcast and her strange behavior while at detention confirms their perception. During lunch, she takes a sandwich out of her bag, removes the meat, and puts cereal and sugar in its place. She appears to be satisfied with the lunch that the others find disturbing. Until this point, the other students had barely noticed her presence in the room. She continues performing random acts throughout the movie. It is clear that she craves attention both positive and negative and this is her way of obtaining it. While speaking to Andrew, she confides that the attention that she receives at school is much more than she will ever receive at home. She finds her life at home unsatisfying and expresses that her parents don’t give her any attention. Allison’s parents consider her an outcast. She leaves the school well respected by Andrew who seems to have developed a liking to her. She realizes that she should be respected by all as long as she acts as though she wanted the respect she deserved. The janitor â€Å"Carl† is the eyes and ears of the school. He seems to know the students at the school very well and tells Mr. Vernon â€Å"Someday, these kids are gonna take care of me,† Mr. Vernon told him â€Å"don’t count on it. It appears as though Carl previously attended the school. He shows much respect to the students and seems to be able to relate to them and their issues. Mr. Vernon is the school principal who dislikes Bender because he doesn’t have any respect for authority. He is very uptight and tries to get the students in trouble. It appears from his behavior that he thrives in h is position of power; one may safely assume that when he was the age of the students, he probably wasn’t popular or well liked by his peers. Carl caught Vernon reading the private school files; he then blackmails him to keep quiet. He eventually bonded with Carl and declares that he has various fears about the current generation. The group went through the predictable developmental stages including forming, storming, norming and performing phases. The group was formed because each of the students broke a school rule. While in this stage, the students are becoming oriented with each other and learning more about the group. The rules and procedures are being established. During the storming stage, conflicts begin to arise and social tension is apparent. For example, Claire expressed that she doesn’t â€Å"belong here. Bender continuously antagonizes Claire. Bender and Andrew have shouting matches almost bringing them to blows. Also, Allison had a strange outburst during Claire’s disclosure about her parents. The principle tries to set clear expectations and norms by telling the students that there is to be no moving, no talking, and no monkey business while in detention. However, in his attempt to establish the norms; the results prove to be unsuccessful because the group does not agree to Mr. Vernon’s rules. Instead, the students become quite rebellious and show disrespect for authority. Most of this behavior is exhibited by Bender who uses his status, power, and leadership within the group. In regards to performing, the group eventually accomplishes its task which was to write the 1000 word essay with Brian as the leader of this undertaking. The group also achieves other goals such as killing eight hours of detention while remaining free of boredom. They learned about each other and experienced and new found respect for through self-disclosures. They also rebelled against the established norms with each other. By the end of the day, they had established their own cohesive group and learned to look past their stereotypes of each other. However, they question whether or not they will remain as friends come Monday morning. I believe that this movie is a true depiction of high school life in the suburbs, as each group of students has stereotypes about the other groups amongst their peers. It is up to us the individuals to break down the barriers that prevent us from appreciating each others qualities and learn not to criticize and/or condemn our peers.

Lin Article Questions

If any differences are statistically significant and small have the researchers notes that they are small? The researchers share with their readers that the sample sizes were collected at both the pretest, posttest, and the follow up. Is the results section a cohesive essay? 3. Does the researcher refer back to the research hypothesis, purposes, or questions originally stated in the introduction? 4. When there are a number of related statistics, ave they been presented in a table? . If there are tables, are there highlights discussed in the narrative of the results section? 6. Overall, is the presentation of the results comprehensible? Critique of discussion -ch. 12 1 .In long articles do the researchers briefly summarize the purpose and results at the beginning of the discussion session? The researchers begin the discussion section by 2. Do the researchers acknowledge specific methodological limitations? a. Sample size 3. Are the results discussed in terms of their literature cited in the introduction? . Are the results discussed in terms of any relevant theories? 5. Are suggestions for future research specific? Critique of entire article -Ch. 13 1 . In your Judgment, has the researchers selected an important problem? a. Use research to express how full the US Jails are. 2. Is the report cohesive? 3. Does the report extend the boundaries of the knowledge on a 4. Is the research likely to inspire additional research? a. Yes- there was previous research that they extended on.They did not do a large sample group. Potentially future researchers will extend on the theories used, sample size and/or demographics. 5. Is the research likely to help in decision making? -Discuss potential follow up study that has some changes in the design that would add meaningful to this subject area. -adopt basic design of the first study, only with some modification to make it better. :::Sample size and demographics Lin Article Questions By statsisnofriendofmine

Cbt Case Study

CBT – Case Study Identifying Information For the purposes of the case study the client will be called Jane. Jane is a 22 year old single white British female who lives with her parents in a house outside the city. She is heterosexual and has had a boyfriend for seven years. She feels unable to discuss her issues with her boyfriend. Her parents both have mental health issues and Jane does not feel able to talk to her mother about her problems. She has an older brother she has a good relationship who lives with his girlfriend, a four hour drive away.Jane is educated to degree level, having studied Criminology and is currently working part-time for her father managing his client accounts for a business he runs from home. A typical day involves organising all receipts and creating spreadsheets for each client’s accounts. Jane states she would like to get a full time job and be normal like her friends. Jane has a small circle of friends from university who she states have al l gone onto full time employment. Jane also has a puppy she spends time looking after and taking for regular walks.Assessment Jane was referred following a health check at her GP surgery. She had been prescribed Citalopram 20mg by her GP for anxiety symptoms and panic attacks she had been having for two years. Jane has no previous contact with mental health services. Jane’s father had a diagnosis of Bi-Polar Disorder, her brother has Depression and her boyfriend has a diagnosis of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder which he is continuing treatment for. Jane’s anxiety/panic has increased over the past two years.She had read about Cognitive Behavioural Therapy on the Internet and was willing to see if it was help ease her anxiety symptoms. Jane stated that the problem started due to family issues in 2007. Her brother and father were estranged due to a financial disagreement and this resulted in Jane’s brother leaving the country with his girlfriend, causing Jane to bec ome very distressed. Also during this time she was taking her final exams at University, Jane states this was when she experienced her first panic attack.She had spent the evening before her brother left the country, drinking alcohol with friends, she remembers feeling ‘hung-over’ the next day. While travelling in the car to the airport, with her brother and his girlfriend, Jane states she started to feel unwell, she found it difficult to breathe, felt hot, trapped and felt like she was going to faint. Jane stated she felt â€Å"embarrassed† and â€Å"stupid† and had since experienced other panic attacks and increased anxiety, anticipating panic attacks in social situations.Jane had reduced where she went to, finding herself unable to go anywhere she may have to meet new people. Her last panic attack happened when Jane visited her GP for a health check and fainted during the appointment, Jane has blood phobia and she stated she had not eaten since the day before and was extremely anxious about the any medical interventions. Jane believes it was a panic attack that caused her to faint.The GP prescribed her 20mg of Citalopram, a few weeks prior to her initial assessment with the therapist. When Jane and the therapist met for the initial session Jane described herself as feeling inadequate and as if she was trapped in a cycle of panic. Although Jane felt unhappy she had no suicidal ideation and she presented no risk to others. Jane stated she had become more anxious and that she had panic attacks at least twice a week. Prior to and during therapy, Jane was assessed using various measures.These enabled the therapist to formulate a hypothesis regarding the severity of the problem, also acting as a baseline, enabling the therapist and Jane to monitor progress throughout treatment. (Wells, 1997). The measures utilised in the initial assessment were a daily panic diary, Wells (1997) and a diary of obsessive- compulsive rituals, Wells (1997) a self rating scale completed by the client Jane. Other measures used were, The Panic Rating Scale (PRS) Wells (1997), the Social Phobia Scale, Wells (1997), used by the therapist to clarify which specific disorder was the main problem for Jane.Having collated information from the initial measures, a problem list was created so the therapist and Jane could decide what to focus on first. This list was based on Jane’s account of the worst problems which were given priority over those problems which were less distressing. Problem List 1. Anxiety/Panic attacks 2. Obsessive hand washing. 3. My relationship with my family. 4. Not having a full time job. 5. My relationship with my boyfriend Having collaboratively decided on the problem list, the therapist helped Jane reframe the problems into goals.As the problem list highlighted what was wrong, changing them into goals enabled Jane to approach her problems in a more focused way (Wells, 1997), the therapist discussed goals with Jane and she decided what she wanted to get from therapy. It was important for the therapist to ensure that any goals were realistic and achievable in the timeframe and this was conveyed to Jane (Padesky & Greenberger, 1995). Jane wanted to reduce her anxiety and expressed these goals:- 1. To understand why I have panic attacks. 2. To have an anxiety free day. 3. To reduce the amount of time worrying . To reduce obsessive hand washing at home. Case Formulation Jane stated that for about a year she had been repeating certain behaviours, which she believed prevented her from having panic attacks. This involved Jane washing her hands and any surrounding objects at least twice. Jane had a fear of consuming alcohol/drugs/caffeine/artificial sweeteners, she stated she had had her first panic attack the day after drinking alcohol and had read that all these substances could increase her anxiety. Jane had not drunk alcohol for 18 months as she felt this caused her anxiety and made her nable to control the panic attacks. Jane stated she feared that if any of these substances got on her hands and then into her mouth she would have a panic attack and faint. These beliefs increased Jane’s anxiety when Jane was exposed to any environment where these substances were present. This unfortunately was most of the time, Jane stated that every time she saw any of these substances consumed or even placed near her, she became anxious and had to wash her hands and any surrounding items which she may come into contact with again.These safety behaviours maintained the cycle of panic, Jane would always continue the routines that she believed prevented a panic attack. The worst case scenario for Jane was â€Å"the panic would never stop and I will go mad, causing my boyfriend to leave me†. Jane felt this would make everyone realise what she already knew, that she was worthless. Her last panic attack happened when Jane had visited her GP; this caused Jane feelings of shame. â⠂¬Å"There’s all these people achieving, doing great things and I can’t do the most basic things†The therapist used the Cognitive Model of Panic (Clark, 1986), initially developing the three key elements of the model to help socialise Jane to the thoughts, feelings and behaviour cycle (see diagram below) Cognitive Model of Panic Bodily sensations Emotional response Thought about sensation Clark (1986) Using a panic diary and a diary of obsessive-compulsive rituals, Jane was asked to keep a record of situations during the week where she felt anxious, and this was discussed in the next session.Jane stated she had not had any panic during the week, when discussing previous panic attacks during the session, Jane became anxious and the therapist used this incident to develop the following formulation. Heart beating fast/increase in body temperature Fear/dread I feel hot, I can’t control it Clark (1986) Jane stated she felt like she was sweating, she had diffic ulty breathing; felt faint, had feelings of not being here and felt like she was going crazy.All these symptoms suggested that Jane was experiencing a panic attack and Jane met the criteria for Panic Disorder, defined in the DSM IV and states that â€Å"panic attacks be recurrent and unexpected, at least one of the attacks be followed by at least one month of persistent concern about having additional attacks, worry about the implications or consequence of the attack, or a significant change in behaviour related to the attacks† (APA, 1994). During the sessions the therapist continued to socialise Jane to the model of panic (Clark, 1986); together Jane and the therapist looked at what kept the cycle going.The therapist continued to use the model formulation, with the addition of Jane’s catastrophic interpretation of bodily symptoms, to illustrate the connection between negative thoughts, emotion, physical symptoms. Social situation I will be unable to stay here Everyone will notice I am not coping I’m going to faint Sweating/breathing fast/dizzy Clark’s (1986) Cognitive Model of Panic.Progress of Treatment The therapist hypothesised that Jane’s symptoms continued due to Jane not understanding the physiological effects of anxiety. The results were a misinterpretation of what would happen to her while being anxious, and this maintained the panic cycle. Although Jane tried to avoid any anxiety by using safety behaviours, she eventually increased the anxiety she experienced. Session 1 After the initial assessment sessions, the therapist and Jane agreed to 8 sessions, with a review after 6 sessions.Jane and the therapist discussed that there may only be a small amount of progress or change during the sessions due to the complexity of Jane’s diagnosis and agreed to focus on understanding the cycle of panic (Clark, 1986) From the information gained from the formulation process, the therapist tried psycho education. The therap ist was attempting to illicit a shift in Jane’s belief about what, how and why these symptoms were happening. The therapist discussed with Jane what she knew about anxiety and from this the therapist discovered that Jane was unsure of what anxiety was and the effects on the body.For the first few appointments the therapist knew it could be beneficial to concentrate on relaying information about anxiety, (Clark et al, 1989) focusing on Jane’s specific beliefs anxiety, the therapist wanted to try to reduce the problem by helping Jane recognise the connection between her symptoms. As Jane believed, â€Å"she was going mad†, the therapist was trying to help Jane understand the CBT model of anxiety and to alter Jane’s misunderstanding of the symptoms. The therapist and Jane discussed Jane’s belief that she would faint if she panicked, Jane had fixed beliefs about why she fainted.The therapist attempted to enable Jane to describe how her anxiety affected her during a ‘usual panic’. Instead Jane began to describe symptoms of social anxiety, this suggested to the therapist that the main problems could be a combination of /social phobia and obsessive behaviours; the following dialogue may help to illustrate this. T. When you begin to become anxious, what goes through your head? J. I need a backup plan; I need to know how to get out of there. Especially if it’s in an office, or a small room. T. What would happen if you did not get out? J. I would panic, and then pass outT. What would the reasons be for you to pass out? J. Because I was panicking. T. Have you passed out before when you have panicked? J. I have felt like it. T. So what sensations do you have when you’re panicking? J. The feeling rises up, I feel hot and I can’t see straight. I get red flashes in front of my eyes, like a warning. My vision goes hazy. I think everyone is looking at me. T. Do you think other people can see this? J. Yes. T. What do you think they see? J. That I’m struggling and I cannot cope or, I try to get out of the situation by pretending I feel ill before they notice. T.What would they notice, what would be different about you? J. I stick out like a beacon, I’m sweating, loads of sweat and my face is bright red. T. How red would your face be, as red as that â€Å"No Smoking† sign on the wall? J. Yes! I’m dripping with sweat and my eyes are really staring, feels like they stick out like in a cartoon, it’s ridiculous. T. How long before you would leave the situation? J. Sometimes the feeling goes, like I can control it. But I could not leave. There would be a stigma and then I could not go back, the anxiety would increase in that environment or somewhere similar.The therapist persisted with this example and tried to use guided discovery to help Jane get a more balanced view of the situation. (Padesky and Greenberger, 1995) T. So you would not go back? J. I would if I felt safe, like with my boyfriend or I could leave whenever I wanted to. It’s the last straw if I have to go. It makes it even harder. T. You say that sometimes it goes away. What’s different about then and times when you have to leave? J. It’s like I just know I have to leave. T. What do you think may happen if you stay with the feelings? J. That I will pass out. T. hat would that mean if you passed out? J. It would be the ultimate. It would mean that I could not cope with the situation. T. If you could not cope what would that mean? J. I can’t function, I can’t do anything. I‘m just no use. T. How much do you believe that? Can you rate it out of 100%? J. Now. About 60% if I did faint it would be about 100% T. Have you ever fainted due to the sensations you have described to me? J. No. I have fainted because I’m squeamish. I don’t like blood. Or having any kind of tests at the GP. T. So do I understand you? You have never fa inted due to the panic sensations?J. No. I’ve felt like it. T. So you’ve never passed out due to the symptoms? What do you make that? J. I don’t know, that would mean that what I believe is stupid. It’s hard to get my head around it. Session 2-3 The therapist used a social phobia/panic rating scale measures to ascertain the main problem; this was increasingly difficult as throughout each session the patient expanded on her symptoms. The therapist managed to understand that the patient avoided most social situations due to her beliefs about certain substances; this caused the obsessive hand-washing.This then had an impact on Jane’s ability to go anywhere in case she could not wash herself or objects around her. Jane also believed fainting from blood phobia had the same physical effects as panic, and she would faint if she panicked. It was complicated and the therapist attempted to draw out a formulation. I SEE A PERSON DRINKING ALCOHOL IT’S G OING TO GET ON MY HANDS AND INTO MY MOUTH I FEEL SICK, I’M GOING TO FAINT I FEEL DREAD, I FEEL ANXIOUS, SWEATING I MUST WASH MY HANDS TO STOP THE PANIC GETTING WORSE.Session 4 The formulation shows the extent of Jane’s panic and how her safety behaviours were impacting on all aspects of her life. The therapist attempted again to use information about the causes of anxiety and its effects on the body. The therapist explained what happens when you faint due to blood phobia, this was an attempt to supply Jane with counter evidence for her catastrophic interpretations of her panic. The therapist also used evidence to contrast the effects on the body when fainting and when panicking.After two sessions, the therapist continued to provide and attempted to relay the facts about the nature of anxiety/panic/fainting with the inclusion of behavioural experiments. Educational procedures are a valid part of overall cognitive restructuring strategies, incorporated with questioning e vidence for misinterpretations and behavioural experiments (Wells, 1997) The therapist asked Jane to explain to the therapist the function/effects of adrenalin, to see if Jane was beginning to understand and if there had been any shift in her beliefs about panic.The following dialogue may help to illustrate the difficulties the therapist encountered; T. Over the last few sessions, we have been discussing anxiety and the function of adrenalin. Do you understand the physical changes we have looked at? Does it make sense to you? J. Yes. Something has clicked inside my head. I feel less insane now, I understand more about what’s going on. It makes things a little bit easier, but it takes time for it to sink in. T. Do you think you could explain to me what you understand about anxiety/adrenalin? J.As I interpret it is, I like to think of it as, â€Å"I’m not anxious it’s just my adrenalin, It’s just the effects of adrenalin effecting my body† but itâ₠¬â„¢s hard to get from there, to accepting the adrenalin is not going to harm me. I know logically it’s not. But it’s still hard. T. That’s great you’re beginning to question what you have believed and are thinking there may be other explanations for your symptoms. J. Yes. But I still think it’s to do with luck. I have good or bad luck each day and that predicts whether I have a panic or not. I think I’ll be unlucky soon.Session 5-6 The therapist continued to try use behavioural experiments during the sessions to provide further evidence to try to alter Jane’s beliefs about anxiety. The therapist agreed with Jane that they would imitate all the symptoms of panic. Making the room hot, exercising to increase heart rate and body temperature, hyperventilation (ten minutes) Focusing on breathing/swallowing. This continued for most of session 5. As neither the therapist nor Jane fainted, they discussed this and Jane stated it was different in the session than when she with other people.Jane also stated she felt safe and trusted the therapist, she did not believe she could be strong enough to try the experiments alone, as it was â€Å"too scary† The therapist asked Jane to draw a picture of how she felt and put them on the diagram of a person, this then was used to compare with anxiety symptoms, while talking through them with the therapist. The therapist and Jane created a survey about fainting and Jane took this away as homework to gain further evidence. The survey included 6 different questions about fainting e. g. – What people knew about fainting/how they would feel about seeing someone faint, etc. Treatment Outcome The treatment with Jane continues. The next session will be the 6th and there will be a review of progress and any improvements. There has been no improvement in measures as noted yet. The therapist intends to use a panic rating scale (PRS) Wells, (1997) during the next session. The thera pist will continue to see Jane for two more sessions, looking at what Jane has found helpful/unhelpful. Discussion Overall the therapist found the therapy unsuccessful.Although Jane stated she found it helpful, it was difficult for the therapist to see the progress due to the many layers of complexity of Jane’s diagnosis. The therapist has grown more confident in the CBT process and understands that as a trainee, the therapist tried to incorporate all the new skills within each session. The therapist was disappointed that they were unable to guide Jane through the therapy process with a better result. The therapist would have like to have been able to fully establish an understanding of Jane’s complex symptoms earlier on in the therapy.The therapist believes that Jane’s symptoms were very complex and the therapist may have been more successful with a client with a less complicated diagnosis. The therapist would then be able to gain more information via the appro priate measures to enable the formulations in a concise manner. This has been a huge learning curve for the therapist and has encouraged them to seek out continuing CBT supervision within the therapist’s workplace. This is essential to continue the development of the therapist’s skills.The therapist feels that although this has not had the outcome that the therapist would have wanted, it has been a positive experience for Jane. There appeared to be a successful therapeutic relationship, Jane appeared comfortable and able to communicate what her problems were to the therapist from the beginning of therapy. The therapist hopes this will encourage Jane to engage with further CBT therapy in the future and the therapist over the final session hopes to be able to support Jane in creating a therapy blueprint, reviewing what Jane has found helpful.Certificate in CBT September – December 2009 CBT Case Study Panic/Social Phobia/OCD WORD COUNT 3,400 References APA (1994). Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Revised, 4th edn. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association Padesky, C. A & Greenberger, D. (1995). Clinicians Guide to Mind Over Mood. New York: Guilford Padesky, C. A & Greenberger, D. (1995). Mind Over Mood. New York: Guilford Wells, A (1997). Cognitive Therapy of Anxiety Disorders. Chichester, UK: Wiley

Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Environment - Essay Example I don’t think there is any evidence to support this idea. There are certainly people in the world who lead decent, secure, happy lives. But there are also many who do not. In order to have a good life it is important to have your material considerations taken care of—shelter, food, clothing. It is also important to have a sense of dignity and purpose. A happy person is one who sets goals that can be achieved; not impossible pipe dreams that will always disappoint. Sadly, many people in the world do not have the opportunities we have in the West. One of the biggest factors in examining environmental impacts is heavy industry. I would look at how many factories a rich country has versus a poor country. Countries that do a lot of manufacturing, especially products like chemicals, often pollute more than countries that have an economy based on financial services, for example. Another important factor would be environmental legislation to prevent companies from easily polluting. Usually rich countries have better, stronger laws that have developed over time. Rich countries are usually democratic countries that listen to lobby groups like environmentalists. Many poor countries are dictatorships where the ideas and opinions of only one man rule. Ecosystem are often defined as a matter of convenience because we cant study everything at once. How would you describe the characteristics and boundaries of the ecosystem in which you live. In what respect is your ecosystem an open one? I would say the ecosystem I live in is an urban one made up mostly of people plus some rats and pigeons and bacteria. It is a distinct ecosystem with clear boundaries—aka the city limits—but it is not closed. Food and animals and people enter it everyday, some for their jobs, other because of trade. Birds fly in and worms cross through the earth to enter. Also waste products are constantly

Effective Leadership Style in Controlling the High Employee Turnover Thesis

Effective Leadership Style in Controlling the High Employee Turnover Rate within Nursing Faculties - Thesis Example The nursing facilities in UK are experiencing a 12.2% reduction as of 2010 (Buchan and Seccombe, 2012, p. 21). In Canada, â€Å"a shortage of 20,000 nurses† was reported in 2012 (Coutts, Nursing faculty leaders in US, UK, Canada, and Australia are experiencing problems related to recruitment and retention (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2013a; National Black Nurses Association, 2013; Laschinger et al., 2009; Longley, Shaw and Dolan, 2007). To solve problems related to recruitment, nursing faculties in US, UK, Canada, and Australia are continuously hiring nurses from different counties around the world (Netzwerk Migration in Europa, 2013). In Canada, low salary is one reason why nursing educators in this area are looking for other more promising job opportunities (Cash, Doyle and Tettenborn, 2011). Nursing faculties in US, UK, Canada, and Australia are having problem retaining nurses in the field of education. Aside from unattractive payment scheme, other reasons that causes poor retention includes lack of trust and collaboration among the nursing staff, over-worked, absence of career opportunities, no proper recognition for good work performance, absence of control over job performance, and poor communication among the faculty members (Hunt, 2009, p. 2). To solve retention, problem, nursing faculties in US, UK, Canada, and Australia will have to use transformational leadership not only to help them create a healthy and attractive work environment which is necessary in increasing the work satisfaction of registered nurses who wish to pursue a career in teaching (Cummings et al., 2009; Nielsen et al., 2009; Raup, 2008). Furthermore, Nielsen et al. (2009) mentioned that there is a strong relationship between the use of transformational leadership style and the decrease in work-related stress and burnout. By solving problems related to stress, burnout and poor working environment, the nursing faculties in US, UK,

How does the Bible describe sin ( Hamartiology) Essay

How does the Bible describe sin ( Hamartiology) - Essay Example In this paper the author analyses a part of systematic theology, Hamartiology, as the official ‘Doctrine of Sin’ and tends to explicate the meaning, denotation and consequences of sin. Hamartiology has been a controversial subject amongst experts, some believe in the original sin point of view which was given to us by Apostle Paul, whereas some such argue that humans were either not at all affected by the fall of man, another segment of Hamartiology also discusses that whether humans were or were not affected by the fall of man is irrelevant, but the human race is sinful by nature because of the devil. Except for the concept of original sin, the Hamartiology section in theology also deals with other types of sin, and exactly describes what God actually means when he mentions sin in the great book. Numerous excerpts from the testaments have been taken to express the Bible’s outlook towards sin, which in abstract point towards two meanings; the first being transgres sion and the second to miss or overlook the mark. Within this essay sin, its origination, and its nature have also been discussed thoroughly. A major section of Hamartiology deals with the comprehension of ‘original sin’, which states that, us humans being descendants of Adam and Eve are not what God actually crafted as most Christians believe. Within the bible, numerous words are used which are synonymic to sin, some of the terms are unrighteousness, transgression, against the will of god, defiling god, non-belief in god, and of course trespassing.

Managing Human Resources-Phase 2 DB Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Managing Human Resources-Phase 2 DB - Essay Example For the individual, we should not make the assumption that everyone’s motivation is the same. While someone just starting out in his/her career may have long-term goals, a professional with 20 years under his/her belt will bring a different set of needs and desires to the position. It is helpful to understand each team member’s background when determining what motivates them. For the team, we should consider what kind of a sales and support structure we would like to create. At NL&S, we already have an exciting message of growth. We can supplement that message with customer service and follow-through. We have had some issues at NL&S related to customer service. It may make sense to tie the customer service people to our sales team—there will be more on this in the recommendations (Levine, 2004). Finally, we need to motivate not just the top performers, but the mid-level performers as well. It’s easy to give the top sellers great bonuses, but they were motivated to sell (or talented enough) anyway. By reaching to the middle level of our organization, we can pull them up with the proper motivation to exceed our expectations (Clive, 2007). The first thing we should do is interview the salespeople one-on-one. I would suggest that I sit in on each interview, in order to provide additional input and to listen from a different perspective. The primary reasons for this interview will be To determine what motivates the individual sales reps: talk about their top three items. I would expect, from a survey of literature, that they want to belong to a winning team, look good to their friends, family and fellow workers, and be well-compensated for good performance. To determine if there are any barriers to their better performance. We will concentrate on product and sales knowledge, problems that they may be encountering with our organization, our products, or our customer service. Since sales reps are

Define the role of government in public policy Research Paper

Define the role of government in public policy - Research Paper Example ich it can never be for the interest of any individual, or small number of individuals, to erect and maintain; because profit could never repay the expense to any individual or small number of individuals, though it may frequently do much more than repay it to a great society.† Adam Smith’s statement can be interpreted to mean that the role of government is in the area of defense, administration of justice, public works, and in building and maintaining institutions in the public interest. It is easy to interpret the first three: government’s role is in defense, justice, and in public works. However, the fourth can have several interpretations. In any case, much of economics has maintained that market is far more efficient than government in allocating private goods and services---provided that the goods or services have no externalities or additional benefits or harm (Rosen, 1995, pp. 61-89). Supposedly, there are also public goods which can be in the best interest of the public that government provides. However, much of economics has said that although government has a responsibility in making public goods or services available, the government can mobilize the private sector to produce the goods or services. Thus, this is the rationale for p rivatization and public-private partnerships: to make available certain goods and services that would be in the interest of the public to make available. On the other hand, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Bentham Mill, and Jean Jacques Rosseau emphasized a social contract between rulers and the ruled (Gaus & Kukathas, 2004, p. 23-24). However, given the possible variations of feasible interpretations that can be made on the statement of Adam Smith and given the range of needs that the ruled can demand on rulers on what constitute their obligations as rulers, the role of government in public policy can be anything that the public has successfully asserted politically. Of course, economists can talk of efficiency but as was

E-Commerce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

E-Commerce - Essay Example es between traditional markets and the international electronic marketplace-such as business capital size, among others-are slowly being narrowed down. The name of the game is strategic arrangement, the capability of an organization to establish emerging opportunities and make use of the required human capital skills (such as intellectual resources) to make the most of these opportunities through an e-business strategy that is straightforward, practical and realistic within the context of an international information environment and new economic situation. With its consequence of leveling the playing field, e-commerce joined with the suitable strategy and policy approach allows small and medium scale organizations to compete with large and capital-rich businesses (Turban, 1994). Business to Consumer commerce applies to any business or organization that sells its products or services to consumers over the Internet for their use. In other words, it presents a direct sale between the supplier and in the individual consumer. B2C commerce produced much publicity when it first took off. The first conspicuous achievement arrived around 1995, where organizations like â€Å"e-Bay.com† and â€Å"amazon.com† were launched. When the victory of these companies took off, many other replications were born. On the other hand, the market turned sour and many of the B2C organizations crashed, including Australian company â€Å"destore.com.au†. Business-to-Business engages online transactions between businesses. Examples of B2B comprise online organizations that concentrate in marketing strategies, advertising, email companies, internet consultants, website development etc. Also, as a subsidiary of these organizations, there are a variety of internet resources such as online magazines, as well as the â€Å"E-Commerce Times†and â€Å"BtoBOnline.com†. Consumer-to-Consumer or Peer-to-Peer is exchanges between/among consumers. These exchanges can engage a third-party participation, which

Counselor Essay Essay Example for Free

Counselor Essay Essay Michael is a Case Manager within Spectrum Health hospitals and has been for four years. Michael is twenty-eight years old and enjoys doing his job although he has stated that it can be difficult at times. Michael stated that sometimes there is over time when other employees call in and case load can be heavy at times. Michael stated that every so often he has to wear a pager so employees within the hospital can get ahold of them when emergent issues arise. On call is every third weekend and four days out of each month where Michael is on call 24/7. As Michael punches in for the day, he meets with patients that are either just admitted or ready for discharge. Michael will help patients gain what they expect within the hospital so they will be pleased with the kind of care they received while in the hospital. Michael will also help patients that are ready to be discharged gain everything needed for their home after they are discharged. Things such as canes, walkers, commodes, home care, Dr. Visit’s, etc. As I asked if Michael has every experience burnout he stated that he has felt burned out before and even a little overwhelmed when he is placed on call for a few days. Michael has never thought about quitting his job but he has felt the need to take a few days off before just to gain a clear mind and get back to work. One stage of burn out Michael has experienced would be stage three in which that is frustration. Frustration comes within Michael when he is unable to complete every task that is expected of him. Michael has felt frustrated before when he is given too much and not enough time to complete every task. Michael strives to do his best within his position and sometimes that is not enough because as he gains too much work, he cannot spend the time needed with the patients to ensure proper  care is being achieved while the patient is in the hospital. Michael often sets up agendas for his work and how to get the work done in a timely manner so he does not get frustrated when things don’t get done or issues arise. Michael relieves frustration this way because he is able to visualize what he needs to do and what things to do first. Michael often takes times off from work in order to not get frustrated within his position. Michael will spend time with his family and while at home he will not speak of work so that he can enjoy family time and not think of work while relaxing. Burnout is defined as an internal psychological experience that involves feelings, attitudes, motives and expectations. Burnout means the energy of an individual has been consumed by helping others. Energy crisis occurs when the psychic demand exceeds the supply. Burnout is often experienced with a state of physical, mental and emotional exhaustion caused by a long-term involvement within an emotionally demanding situation. Burnout is often accompanied by physical depletion, feelings of helplessness, disillusionment, negative self-concept and negative attitudes toward employment, people and life in itself. Burnout represents a breaking point where it’s hard for an individual to cope with the environment surrounding them. Compassion fatigue is often caused by a work related stress and it is also an increase of loss in compassion over a period of time. Compassion fatigue can share similar symptoms of burnout but just not in an as severe way. There are many ways burnout can occur; Burnout often comes in blocks that include Role ambiguity or the lack of clarity concerning rights, responsibilities, methods, goals, status and accountability toward themselves. Role conflict is the significance of a  demand placed on the individual that are incompatible, inappropriate and inconsistent within the values or ethics. Role overload is the quantity and quality of demands placed on the individual that are too great. Inconsequentiality is the feeling of helplessness, the individual may feel that no matter what they do they are not good enough they gain little  recognition, accomplishment, appreciation or success. Isolation means that individual may lacking in support or has minimal support and the last one is Autonomy, where the ability to make decision on what they will do and how they will deal with their patients may be affected by their place of employment. Signs of burnout may include tardiness, dreading work, turning to drug s or alcohol, withdrawing from friends or family, clockwatching, depression, sudden change in weight, suicide or homicide thoughts or attempts just to name a few. Burnout also comes in stages, there are four main stages of burnout that can occur as an employee tries there absolute best within the position they have accepted within any organization. Stage one is enthusiasm, where the employee enters the job with high hopes and unrealistic expectations. If the employee is not tempered by orientations, training and realistic expectations the Human Service work may lead to the second stage which is stagnation. Stage two is stagnation, where the employee starts to feel that personal, financial, and career needs are not met. This may happen as the employee visualizes other employees moving on faster than themselves, an increase in pressure at home, financial obligations increasing and lack of employee reinforcement from doing the job well. As these are not met or taken care of, burnout can lead to the next stage of frustration. Stage three is frustration, where the employee may doubt their Caretaker Interview 5 effectiveness, values or impact of their efforts within the organization. One employee’s frustration may hold a domino effect toward others because the effect of burnout are contagious within an environment. Frustration can be dealt with by arranging workshops and support groups to increase awareness and generate problem solving as a group effort. If frustration is not taken care of within a positive manner, frustration can turn into Apathy. Stage four is Apathy, where the employee meets the feeling of actually being burned out. The employee may become immobile, in denial and may be in stage of crisis. As an employee meets this stage of burnout, psychotherapy may be needed to reverse the actions of burnout and to get the employee at a positive state of mind.

Geography Essays Housing and Health

Geography Essays Housing and Health Explore the relationships between housingand health Introduction Historically, there has been recognised a directrelationship between substandard accommodation and poor health. The IndustrialRevolution in Britain resulted in low standard working-class housing beingbuilt quickly to meet this increase in demand for workers. Over-crowdeddwellings, inadequate sanitation and a proclivity to dispose of all forms ofwaste in cesspools, rivers and the street resulted in severe epidemics of manyillnesses, predominantly those which are waterborne. In the preface of OliverTwist (Dickens, 1839 [1994]), the author summarises the problem effectivelyby stating: I am convinced that nothing effectualcan be done for the elevation of the poor in England until their dwellingplaces are made decent and wholesome. This reform must proceed all other socialreforms, without it those classes of the people which increase the fastest,must become so desperate and be made so miserable, as to bear within themselvesthe certain seeds of ruin to the whole community (Dickens, 1839). Many of the most significant improvements in health haveresulted from progression in public health reform, most notably clean water,sanitation, and reduced exposure to extreme cold associated with improvedaccommodation. However, the second half of the twentieth century has seen adecline in political interest in the issue of poor housing, despite overwhelmingevidence of the health consequences of poor housing and increasing economicdisparity among different social groups (Potvin, et. al., 2002). Whilethere has been a dramatic improvement in general health in industrial countriesover the last century, some sections of society still live in poverty-strickenconditions, with indications that the divergence between rich and poor is increasing(Stanwell-Smith, 2003). Economically deprived communities frequently reside ininferior housing and unsanitary environments, and these conditions are directlyassociated with the common health problems reported in such populations.There currently exists a substantial body ofresearch into the many relationships between housing and health status (Dunn,2000). The majority of this research has focused on the connections betweensubstandard and crowded housing conditions and incidence of injury, disease,and myriad physical ailments. Health and Housing Epidemiological studies have determined that certaincontaminants in the residential environment, such as mould, dampness, and pestantigens, can cause or exacerbate a range of respiratory problems (Bornehag, et.al., 2005), particularly among children and the elderly. Structuraldeficiencies, overcrowding, poor ventilation, inappropriate ambienttemperatures and low-quality construction and maintenance have been directlylinked to excessive incidences of infectious diseases, asthma, respiratoryinfections, injuries and an overall shortening of lifespan. Exposure toenvironmental hazards, such as carbon monoxide, pesticides, inadequatelymaintained utilities, and tobacco smoke, tends to be greater within sociallyand economically deprived areas, and accounts for a number of serious healthissues (Klitzman, et. al., 2005). The UK and Ireland have both a high rate of povertyand the worst birth weight in deprived areas compared to any other WesternEuropean country (Sandwell-Smith, 2003). The English House Condition Survey showedthat 1,522,000 UK dwellings did not meet the required suitability standards(EHCS, 1996). For many already deprived communities, the only housing availableis substandard. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that, duringcold weather, ambient room temperature should remain constant at 18-20C (WHO,2005), however, it is estimated that 40% of the UK population resides intemperatures below these guidelines. Similarly, the UK has 19% of cold, damphousing compared to the 9% recorded in Germany (EHCS, 1996). Despite somemeasure adopted by local governments, housing policy remains insufficient inmany areas. For example, insulation of properties is recognised as a costeffective intervention that could increase ambient room temperatures while decreasingfuel costs for poverty-stricke n communities, however, the Warm Front scheme,which provides funding for insulation, is not available to pregnant women andyoung children. Despite repeated evidence of the effects of poor housing, and associatedlack of heating, on public health interventions remain insufficient. The population of Europe had expanded byapproximately 2.5% between 1990 and 1998 (WHO), with growth more prevalentwithin the south. Eastern Europe is considered poorer, with increasing rates ofunemployment (WHO, 2002). Comparatively, eastern Europe had proportionatelyhigher incidences of injuriea, nutritional deficiencies, and cardiovascular andinfectious diseases. Similarly, the EU nations have a lower proportion of largehouseholds and a high proportion of single person households; the resultinghousing densities within the eastern countries can account for the higher rateof substandard health levels (WHO, 2002). Affordable accommodation for poverty-strickenfamilies is generally restricted to housing with inferior physical properties(Dunn, 2000), often in surroundings with socio-environmental problemsdetrimental to physical and psychological well-being. This housing tends to beconcentrated in specific and discrete locations, resulting in a form ofsegregation for low-income communities, often with poor access to employment,leading to socially deprived neighbourhoods (Potvin, et. al., 2002). Neighbourhoodsthat are unsafe, with limited access to essential goods and services and fewopportunities for social integration, also pose health risks (Klitzman, et.al, 2005), particularly for the poor, the elderly, and other vulnerablegroups. Although technically affordable, accommodation for poorer families canbe disproportionately expensive, and the payment of large rental or mortgagecosts from already meagre finances can result in less disposable income forfuel, food and other basic necessities (EHCS, 1 996). Obesity is a familiarhealth issue associated with poverty; a consequence of low incomes andinexpensive inferior, high fat, high salt diets. Consequentially, it has beendetermined that people with serious health issues are far more likely to occupythe least health-promoting segments of the housing market, which may, in turn,exacerbate their health problems. A broad cross-section of the community is nolonger provided for with regards to the social housing sector, and has becomecharacterised by deprivation and social exclusion (Curtis, 2004). Theowner-occupier sector has expanded, and now includes more people on low incomesthan ever before (EHCS, 1996). The resulting increase in stress as a result ofmortgage debt, arrears and repossession is a major public health issue, and onewhich is rarely addressed. Low-income and poverty-stricken householdstend to move residences more frequently than middle and upper income families.Numerous studies show negative associations between residential mobility and behaviouraland cognitive problems, particularly in developing children (Dunn, 2000). Inturn, inadequate housing may influence individuals health and mentalwell-being by increasing their level of stress as they are affected by securityand long-term stability (Curtis, 2004). Children Low quality housing distinctly affectsthe most vulnerable sections of society: children, the elderly, and thementally and physically impaired. During physical and psychologicaldevelopment, children are more at risk; poor housing and living environmentscan lead to permanent health issues for the child. Crowded living conditions canresult in easier transmission of infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis(Curtis, 2004), and higher incidences of respiratory illness, such asbronchitis and asthma, particularly when residence is shared with smokers. Excessivenoise can result in sleep deprivation, which in turn can affect growth andpsychological well-being of children, and similarly, can have various negativepsychological effects on adults and children alike, including irritability,aggression, depression and inability to concentrate, which is reported tocontribute to family tensions and potentially violence. The health and well-being of children areclosely related to housing quality, suitability and affordability. Housing is akey component of both the physical and social environments in which childrenlive, and it plays both a direct and indirect role in the achievement ofpositive development. Studies indicate that stable, safe and secure housing isvital to childrens healthy development (Board of Science and Education, 2003).Faulty structure and inadequate heating, for example, can cause accidentalinjuries (English House Condition Survey (EHCS), 1996); fire is one of theleading causes of accidental death among children in developed countries. Factorsaffecting the health of children include the cost, quality, tenure andstability of the housing, along with the neighbourhood environment in which thechild resides. The elderly Longevity of society in the developedworld has increased over the past century. However, studies have establishedthat lifespan is positively influenced by living in appropriate, affordable andsafe housing of good quality. Housing is linked to many of the twelvedeterminants of an elderly persons health as identified by internationalhealth committees, including physical environment, social environment, lifestyleand health care, income and social status. Poor housing contributes towards greater mortalityrates among the elderly  in winter, and greater incidences of avoidableaccidents within the home and the local neighbourhood. High susceptibility toillnesses, particularly respiratory problems, associated with old age may begreatly exacerbated by inferior housing, and can result in a much higherhospital admission rate and mortality rate than seen in the same age groupliving in better quality accommodation. Disabilities Difficulties in accessing and maintaininghousing can be acute for people with physical disabilities. Internationally,there are definite obstacles with regards to affordable housing deficiencies,and physically disabled individuals confront specific barriers in securing andretaining safe and suitable accommodation. By the 1970s, advances in medicineand technology began to prolong the lives of physically disabled adults, however,housing for these individuals was primarily limited to nursing homes; a problemwhich still exists. As a result of this shortage of appropriate housing, manyof these people remain in long-term care facilities rather than living independently,regardless of their specific disability. Homelessness The relationship between homelessness andmental and physical health are irrefutable. Regardless of geography, homelessnessis associated with higher incidences of accidental and non-accidental trauma,addictions, sexual assault, and a plethora of physical health conditions,including tuberculosis, skin infections and conditions, and poor bloodcirculation (Curtis, 2004). Rates of mental illness among the adult homelesspopulation within the developed world are estimated at between 10 and 50 percent. In a relatively recent study conducted among the homeless male populationof Toronto, Canada, mortality rates were significantly higher compared to otherToronto social groups. Mortality rates were established at eight times higheramong men aged 18 to 24 years, four times higher among men aged 25 to 44 years,and twice as high among men aged 45 to 64 years (Hwang, 1999). Countless studies have previously determined aspecific connection between homelessness and severely diminished health levelsamong any given population (Hwang, 1999). Access to appropriate, affordablehousing offers benefits beyond the basic necessity of shelter, includingimproved health and well-being, and reduced levels of mental health disorders. Conclusion Everyone has the right to a standard of livingadequate for the health and well being of himself and of his family, includingfood, clothing, housing and medical care. (General Assembly of the United Nations, 1948) In the European Region, addressing inequities inhealth has been fundamental to the work of WHO and features prominently in thetargets for health for all (WHO, 2002). Despite these efforts, however, thereis critical recognition that poverty itself is a distinct and serious problem.Poverty-stricken communities, regardless of geographic location, suffer frominadequate housing, a deficiency in remunerative employment and theinsufficient means to guarantee a nutritious diet. Consequentially, poor healthis predominant within low-income sections of society, and the location ofaffordable housing frequently results in marginalisation, social exclusion(Curtis, 2004) and the associative mental health issues. Central and eastern European populations with transitionaland often instable economies are particularly at risk as a result of socialpoverty and inferior public health, predominantly as a result of the inabilityto provide payment to new health care systems. Many subsections of society arehigh-risk with regards to poor housing and health, and numerous groups,including children, the elderly, people with mental illness, and displacedindigenous communities, such as Aboriginal peoples, rely on suitable housing toprovide access to other forms of support and interventions with broader,positive individual and social effects (Curtis, 2004). There is conclusive evidence that habitation in substandardhousing environments and experience of poor socio-economic circumstances duringchildhood negatively influences health status in adulthood. Vulnerable groups,including the elderly, the very young and those suffering from long-term illhealth, are at specific risk, particularly as they often have diminished immunesystems and the greatest exposure to many specific hazards due to the lengthyperiods that they spend indoors (Klitzman, et. al., 2005). Insufficientamenities, shared facilities and overcrowding are very much a concern withinfectious disease, while damp and mould can cause various debilitatingrespiratory problems (Bornehag, et. al., 2005). However, the debatearound housing and health tends to be concerned with discussion of the direct coursefrom poor housing to health (Dunn, 2000). There is much less consideration ofthe indirect effects of poor housing upon health, such as social exclusion(Curtis, 2004) and depression, a nd psycho-social aetiologies of disease arefrequently overlooked. However, in recent years socio-economic determinants ofhealth have returned to policy debates and housing circumstances are, onceagain, identified as a critical influence upon public health (Board of Scienceand Education, 2003). Epidemiological studies have recently shifted focusedtowards a broader-ranging perspective with regard to poverty, health andquality of life, which presents the potential of enhanced understanding of thedeterminants of health status. As with many health determinants, the quality ofaccommodation is directly related to income. Minimising the adverse effects ofpoor housing remains a major challenge. Health disparities are not reducing inthe UK, and the worst health is experienced by the most socially andeconomically deprived (Stanwell-Smith, 2003). As in the nineteenth century,there is a profound need for concerted public health reform. Central to thismust be improved living standards and prevention of ill health. Bibliography Board of Science and Education (2003) Housing health: building for the future.British Medical Association. Bornehag, C. G., Sundell, J., Hagerhed-Engman, L.,Sigsggard, T., Janson, S., and Aberg, N. (2005) Dampness at home and itsassociation with airway, nose, and skin symptoms among 10,851 preschoolchildren in Sweden: a cross-sectional study. Indoor Air. 10: 48-55. Curtis, S. (2004) Health andInequality: London, Sage. Dickens,C. (1839) [1994] Oliver Twist. London, Penguin. Dunn,J. R. (2000) Housing and health inequalities: review and prospects forresearch. Housing Studies 15: 341-66 EnglishHouse Condition Survey (1996). Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. Availableathttp://www.odpm.gov.uk/stellent/groups/odpm_housing/documents/page/odpm_house_603825.hcsp GeneralAssembly of the United Nations (1948) Universal Declaration of Human Rights.United Nations. Hwang, S. W. (1999) Mortality among homeless men inToronto. Journal of General Internal Medicine. 14(S2): 42. Klitzman, S., Caravanos, J., Deitcher, D., Rothenberg,L., Belanoff, C., Kramer, R., and Cohen, L. (2005) Prevalence and predictors ofresidential health hazards: a pilot study. Journal of Occupational andEnviron Hygiene. 2(6): 293-301 Potvin L, Lessard R, and Fournier P. (2002) Socialinequalities in health. A partnership of research and education. CanadianJournal of Public Health. 93(2): 134-7 Stanwell-Smith, R. (2003) Poverty and Health.   Healthand Hygiene. WorldHealth Organisation (2002) The European Health Report 2002. WHO. Available at: http://www.who.dk/eprise/main/who/progs/ehr/home/ WorldHealth Organisation (2005) Socioeconomic determinants of health. WHOEuropean Office for Investment for Health and Development.

The Portrayal of Women in James Joyces Dubliners Essays -- Dubliners

In Dubliners, women are victims indeed. They are victims of home, of the recognized virtues by society, of classes of life, of religious doctrines, and of women themselves. In this essay, we are going to analyze the portrayal of women in Dubliners in terms of the aforementioned aspects, namely home, the recognized virtues by society, classes of life, religious doctrines and women themselves. The selection above is provided to make student aware of focus of the essay.   The complete essay begins below. "My mind rejects the whole present social order and Christianity – home, the recognized virtues, classes of life, and religious doctrines†¦. My mother was slowly killed, I think, by my father’s ill-treatment, by years of trouble, and by my cynical frankness of conduct. When I looked on her face as she lay in her coffin – a face gray and wasted with cancer – I understood that I was looking on the face of a victim and I cursed the system which had made her a victim." (Letters, II, 48) In Dubliners, women are victims indeed. They are victims of home, of the recognized virtues by society, of classes of life, of religious doctrines, and of women themselves. In this essay, we are going to analyze the portrayal of women in Dubliners in terms of the aforementioned aspects, namely home, the recognized virtues by society, classes of life, religious doctrines and women themselves. Women are victims of home. They suffer being confined to their homes. They are somehow isolated from the external world. They have little, if not no at all, freedom. Their chief roles are to be good wives to the menfolk, to be good mothers to their children, and to look after their families well. They are not expected to take care of those affairs out... ... by masculine authority by virtue of the fact that they are inferior to and should be subservient to men. Worse still, women are often discriminated by society, which is largely monopolized by men. Sex discriminations find their way to home, the workplace and even the public life by and large. Furthermore, they are victimized by religious orthodoxy as well as their own acts and psychology. But anyway, who is to blame for the sufferings of women – the circumstance or women themselves? Works Cited: Benstock, Bernard. Critical Essays on James Joyce. G.K. Hall & Co. Boston, Massachusetts: 1985. Joyce, James. Dubliners. Washington Square Press. New York, New York: 1998. Selected Joyce Letters. Ed. Richard Ellmann. New York: Viking Compass, 1975. Seidel, Michael. James Joyce: A Short Introduction. Blackwell Publishers, Inc. Oxford, UK: 2002.

The Fight between Christianity and Satanism :: essays research papers

The Fight between Christianity and Satanism This is a fight between a slave world and a free world. Just as the United States in 1862 could not remain half slave and half free, so in 1942 the world must make its decision for a complete victory one way or the other. As we begin the final stages of this fight to the death between the free world and the slave world, it is worth while to refresh our minds about the march of freedom for the common man. The idea of freedom — the freedom that we in the United States know and love so well — is derived from the Bible with its extraordinary emphasis on the dignity of the individual. Democracy is the only true political expression of Christianity. The prophets of the Old Testament were the first to preach social justice. But that which was sensed by the prophets many centuries before Christ was not given complete and powerful political expression until our nation was formed as a Federal Union a century and a half ago. Even then, the march of the common people had just begun. Most of them did not yet know how to read and write. There were no public schools to which all children could go. Men and women can not be really free until they have plenty to eat, and time and ability to read and think and talk things over. Down the years, the people of the United States have moved steadily forward in the practice of democracy. Through universal education, they now can read and write and form opinions of their own. They have learned, and are still learning, the art of production — that is, how to make a living. They have learned, and are still learning, the art of self-government. If we were to measure freedom by standards of nutrition, education and self-government, we might rank the United States and certain nations of Western Europe very high. But this would not be fair to other nations where education had become widespread only in the last twenty years. In many nations, a generation ago, nine out of ten of the people could not read or write. Russia, for example, was changed from an illiterate to a literate nation within one generation and, in the process, Russia's appreciation of freedom was enormously enhanced. In China, the increase during the past thirty years in the ability of the people to read and write has been matched by their increased interest in real liberty.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge Essay -- Samuel Taylor Coleridge Papers

Samuel Taylor Coleridge The French and American Revolutions had an enormous impact on the early Romantic thinkers like Samuel Taylor Coleridge and William Wordsworth. The aristocracies that had been controlling Europe were beginning to fall, the middle class began to grow and power was increasingly falling into the hands of the common people. This may explain why the poetry that Coleridge and Wordsworth produced was aimed at the common man, rather than the educated aristocrats. This meant a shift from elevated language and subject matter, a common trait throughout the "age of reason", and a turn toward spontaneity and emotion, otherwise known as the Romantic period (Spartacus. school net). The Romantic period, which consisted of the time between 1785 - 1830, can in a sense be synonymous with "nature poetry." Romantic poets often wrote about the beauty of nature, both physically and spiritually. A common theme throughout the Romantic period expressed how an individual must become one with nature. The Romantics believed that: "ordinary language was the proper vehicle for communication of the soul, for a poet was ‘a man speaking to men.’ For Wordsworth, this meant rural and pastoral language, for he believed that the most important knowledge came from communing with nature. For Coleridge, it simply meant the language spoken by most people at ordinary times" (Abrams 8). During this time, people began to question what the aim of poetry was. Previous generations had believed that poetry existed solely to change people’s behavior. The Romantics, however, felt poetry should exist as a pure form of expression, especially the expression of intense emotion. According to Wordsworth, in his preface to Lyrical Ballads, the defini... ... in promise but not in performance" (Abrams 325). Works cited Abrams, M.H., et al. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. 6th ed. 2 vol. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1993. Hill, John Spencer. "Critical Approaches to: The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Kubla Khan and Frost at Midnight." A Coleridge Companion. 1983: http:// www.uottawa.ca/~phoenix/comp4e.htm (9 Dec 1999). Literature Resource Center: "Overview of: The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Kubla Khan." Gale Research. 1999: http://www.pace.edu (17 Dec 1999). Lycos.com: "Coleridge, Samuel Taylor." 1999: http://infoplease.lycos.com/ce 5/ce011814.html (28 Nov 1999). The Spartacus Encyclopedia. "Samuel Taylor." 1999: http://www.spartacus Schoolnet.co.uk/Jcoleridge.htm (28 Nov 1999). Wordsworth, William. "Preface to Lyrical Ballads." 1802. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1993.

Employee right case study bea Essay

The Pledge of Loyalty is part of the baptismal of fire when you enter an organization. When you become part of a group, you are obliged to follow the pledge or if you cannot, just leave. And this will play a crucial role in the discussion of this case study. On the first question of Allen Lopez retaining his job, while the First Amendment states that Lopez’ airing of grievance is protected under the Freedom of Expression, he is, however, in conflict with the crime of defamation and for not observing employment restrictions and loyalty oaths. So while he is allowed to use whatever medium to state his feelings and ideas, the law allows his company to fire him for he endangers the security of his company’s workforce. On the second question on whether Lopez be forced to remove his website, the company may do one of two things. First, the company may petition for Temporary Restraining Order that will be issued by the court which will then order Lopez to freeze the website or to bring it down temporarily before the court decides on whether putting up the website did violate company laws as stated in the loyalty pledge. Second is to sue Lopez for damages and include in their motion that he bring down the website to curb further attacks on the company’s image. Lastly, on how ExtremeNet’s executives will respect Lopez’s rights and dignity, it is best for ExtremeNet to simply ask the court to bring the website down especially if it did not pose any significant negative effects in the dealings of the company. Allen Lopez has been a good employee and was only fighting for the welfare of the lower ranking employees. But still, it is in the discretion of ExtremeNet to either fire or retain Allen Lopez in the company. FindLaw. First Amendment – Freedom of Expression. eLaws. Employment Law Guide.

Management Challenges in Criminal Justice Essay

Abstract The criminal justice arena is made up of law enforcement, courts, and corrections and is vast as well as it is its own environment when referencing the leading or management of special groups. Numerous components within the criminal justice realm require team cooperation to be successful. In the law enforcement branch organized special groups such as Multi-agency gang and drug tasks forces, SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics), CSI Crime Scene Investigation), and fugitive recovery units made up of cooperative entities of different agencies make up some of the organized teams of the law enforcement side of the criminal justice system. Courts are composed of prosecution teams, some of which specialize in specified criminal cases. Corrections are comprised of management that stresses both rehabilitation and incarceration as ordered by the courts. All of these organizations are composed of personnel trained as basic officers, then were chosen to be a part of a smaller, elite, and pinpointe d organized group. Management in a criminal justice agencies is a challenge all its own, managing smaller groups that carry specified responsibility within an organization carry different set of challenges. The criminal justice system is an environment that consists of law enforcement, courts, and corrections, though all are different entities, they strive to meet the same goal. The leadership within each of these entities has many challenges to face and conquer, one of which is that each has a different protocol when meeting the same goal of serving justice, yet each must accomplish this mission by different means. The challenge is the means by which each of the different branches is tasked to prove and execute their judiciary authority while maintaining a freedom of society. Legislation and courts place law enforcement at the forefront of detainment for a crime, which then puts the courts in motion. One challenge that is faced by management within the criminal justice system lies between the courts and the correctional branches. The challenge between the courts and correctional branches is the court system favors incarceration and the  correctional system emphasizes rehabilitation b ack to society. The common ground between these two branches is the teamwork between leadership that ensures the mission of each is completed and without out compromise of societies trust in the criminal justice system. Another challenge that management within such a vast system faces is budget shortages. These shortages affect all branches of the criminal justice system as well all levels including local, state, and federal authorities. Over the past several years most states have decreased funding as much as 15% as well half the states in the union have either delayed in filling judgeships or not filled them at all, thus forcing judges to sit on multiple bench roles, while other states were forced to lay off staff or take furlough (Associated Press, 2010). Management within these organizations is expected by society to provide adequate protection though their operating budgets are being decreased. Managers must find a motivation for their employees to complete tasks without incentive or praise whi le increasing responsibilities due to lack of potential man-power. Challenges such as ethnic environmental changes around the globe also have an effect on the criminal justice system both in this country and abroad. These changes brought about situations that the criminal justice system was not prepared for; at the top of this concern is terrorism. The first World Trade Center raised concerns about foreign terrorism in the United States, then domestic terrorism became an issue in 1995 with Timothy McVeigh’s attack on the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. Larger concerns were raised and changes demanded after September 11, 2001, when the most deadly terror attack in this country was spawned. The question was raised concerning the country being adequately protected against terror attacks of that magnitude. Confusion within the laws that were created from past terror attacks have led to accusations of innocent persons being part of terror organizations. Confusion arises because of a structure that allows for terrorists to slip through cracks and loopholes within the system (Wilson, 1985). This confusion causes leaders within the law enforcement community to balance the sides of the system that society has lost faith in. These managers would need to address issues, such as stereotyping of Middle Eastern persons and persons of questionable  faiths that society may associate with terror organizations. These leaders would need to encourage fair and unbiased treatment regardless of ethnical differences. A challenge that affects the criminal justice system, preferably the correctional branch, is facility overcrowding. Prison overcrowding is a major problem in this country as the massive bed shortage continues to grow at a rate of seven percent a year (Daniel Dunne, 2010). Overcrowding in prisons and jails area a constant issue due to the work of the law enforcement and court branches, in short, doing their jobs of incarceration and sentencing. Since this issue is caused by the other two branches fulfilling their sworn duties, there is no certain method currently available to solve this issue, thus it is for this reason that leaders within the two active branches must take into consideration charges and sentencing of an offender. Leaders within the correctional branch find overcrowding more difficult during budget crises where programs are cut or dismantled in efforts to save money. Some wardens and other correctional managers have resorted to double or triple bunking of prison cells, some managers find this a violation of the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution as it does reflect cruel and unusual punishment. As this crisis continues, managers continue to show frustration as courts continue to sentence offenders to institutions with reduced room to house them properly. The challenge mostly less obvious to the public is the political arena that criminal justice management faces. All three branches of the criminal justice system are affected by politics, from the legislation of laws to the employment of leaders within the system. Leaders must have the ability to adapt to both legal and political challenges (Allen & Sawhney, 2010). Most leaders and management of the criminal justices system are stuck in the middle between lobbyists for laws and annexations as well as other issues that benefit small entities of societies or communities but may not favor either as a whole. This political unrest faced by these leaders causes frustration, which leads to another challenge-communication to those employed in the system but not in management positions. Communication barriers between management leaders and the subordinate group are commonplace. In any occupation there are two types of communication; one from the individuals within the occupation the other is from the organizations within the occupation. Management must overcome the challenge of communication from individuals’ interpretation of messages through clarity and explanation and the manner for which it was delivered. All three branches of the criminal justice system have their own terminology, language, and interpretation of messages. The main challenge for leadership is interpretation and standardizing of specified language to keep these messages on an even keel. Communication is among the most important tool in the criminal justice system and each individual organization; any failure can have a devastating effect on multiple individuals from the organization to the victim(s). Therefore, communication must be clear and concise with everyone in the criminal justice s ystem with a strategy to overcome lapses. Aside from the language barriers within the criminal justice system come two of the greatest challenges faced by the criminal justice system go together, as one usually does not occur without the other. Ethnical and cultural diversity issues can have an effect on society but even more so with a system of authority that operates off of communication and laws that may not be adhered to by people from outside of the observing community or country. Since this country is majority multicultural, it is important for the criminal justice system to recognize and respect these cultures as they have contact with them. Because of this demand of recognition and respect, leaders within the criminal justice system must be open minded and go farther than the basic manager, they must become experts of these different ethnicities and teachers of their organized groups, thus educating them to better serving them as they have contact with them. Cultural diversity issues are the main argument in many criminal justice organizations. The lack of knowledge of groups lead to offense and distrust from groups towards authority, this then leads to hostility, non-compliance, and lack of involvement from communities of different ethnicities. For criminal justice agencies to be successful in a diverse environment, leaders must address religious differences, language differences, and cultural  traditions that may need to be taken into consideration. Lastly, the challenge of morality and ethics is always a concern for managing leadership in any organization. Management within the criminal justice system is always under scrutiny in reference to ethics and moral standards. Morals are instilled in individuals throughout life, ethics is taught through an organization’s environment. Leaders must find a happy medium when these two concerns clash and may cause a compromising situation. This common ground may need to appease both the moral of the organization’s personnel as well as the ethical conduct of the organization. Because the criminal justice field is held to standards higher than most of society, ethical conduct must be strict and understood when comparing to morals. Ethics will always be a concern, but superb leadership can stress adherence without improvising the system. In conclusion, challenges within the criminal justice system’s management and leadership are never ending. Leaders and managers are vicariously held accountable for subordinate’s actions and must remain diligent with solutions to problems. To maintain proper adherence to policy and procedures, leadership must be diligent in their efforts of education and communication of their subordinate employees as well as receptive to their ideas and solutions to issues that may be a challenge to the system as well. These solutions can be instilled through training and promotion of ideas via strong structured leadership and motivation from within individual organizations in their entirety. References Allen, Jennifer & Sawhney, Rajeev, (2010) Administration and Management in Criminal justice. Retrieved from http://www.sagepub.com/allen/main.htm Duelin, D. (2010) What are the Challenges Facing Leaders in the Criminal Justice Organizations. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/list_6883806_challenges-groups-criminal-justice-organizations.html Elias, P. (2011) State Budgets Clog Criminal Justice System. Retrieved from http://online.wsj.com/article/AP2911fb9c56e845e98145441192b3a5aa.html Marwah, Sharpan. (2002) Report Shows U.S. Prisons Overcrowded. Retrieved from http://www.prisonpolicy.org/news/uwire041502.html

“GOD” and “DOG” Essay

Growing up, my summers were often spent at my uncle’s ranch. My mom would drive me up and leave me for about 2 to 3 weeks. Those were the most fruitful and fun-filled summers of my life. At the ranch, I would be far removed from city life and its hectic schedule. Instead, I would spend my mornings in bed, often waking up late to have a very fine breakfast prepared by my aunt. My cousins were very accommodating and my friendship with them remains to be part of my most-treasured memories. We still keep in touch by E-mail, and sometimes see each other when our schedules allow. Idyllic and fun as it was, the most â€Å"haunting† and persistent memory I have of those summers at the ranch is that of Evan. Evan is one of my uncle’s farm hands’ son, and although he was only slightly older than we were, he had already started working at the farm since he was eight or nine. His friendship helped shape the way I am now, and made a positive impact in my life. His story and friendship became a personal cause for me, and I am hoping I could lay it down to make it into a more public advocacy. * * * At first I thought his name was Moe, because my cousins called him â€Å"Slow Moe. † He was shy and kept to himself, and never went out of his way to talk to us. Mon, my eldest cousin, had another, and simpler, nickname for him: â€Å"Stupid. † I felt sorry for him. And maybe that was why I tried my best to befriend him. It was not easy at first, but then he cracked a smile and the conversation went smoothly after that. One thing that struck me about â€Å"Moe† was that he was actually intelligent. He knew his work, and was really passionate about the horses he tended to. He knew a lot of things about their nature, how to keep them, and how to pacify them if they were agitated. His knowledge also applied to other animals. We had a great time talking about a lot of other things: about his life, my life, current events, the news, and even the gossip around town. Just about anything and everything was up for discussion. Moreover, he had his own opinions about a lot of issues and I found that really admirable. Sometimes he taught me things like how to ride a horse, or how to jump into the lake without landing so painfully on my stomach. He also taught me about constellations, their names and how to identify them. I also found out his real name was Evan, but he had learned to live with â€Å"Moe†. One night, I ventured asking why he was not in school. Evan just chuckled and said that those kids were â€Å"evil. † I later found out that Evan attended up to the first grade and then refused to go back. His last day at school was an ugly episode wherein some kids in his class called him all kinds of names and beat him almost to death. My cousins initially resented the time I spent with Evan, and even the few times I brought him along with us. He was an outsider, they protested. And they were ashamed to be seen in town with the â€Å"farm hand† with â€Å"no lights on up there. † But Evan eventually won them over, and with my cousins realizing that they have been wrong with the guy, they developed a better relationship with him. Soon, his nickname was rarely mentioned among us, and we started using his real name. Evan is a dyslexic. During that time, however, he was just plain â€Å"stupid. † I doubt if his parents ever knew his condition or cared about it. Evan was taught at home by his mom, who used pictures and drawings to get herself understood. Evan was alright with verbal explanation, but not written ones. I learned about his condition when we ventured into town with my cousins and stopped by a bookstore. He was looking at the sign outside the store and read the sign as â€Å"bokos†. I laughed and he immediately fell silent. I sensed something was wrong, but I kept quiet about it until we reached home. Because we were already close friends by that time, I asked him about it.. He admitted that he â€Å"couldn’t read,† and I told him I could not believe that. He seemed to be a smart and intelligent person, there is no way he was illiterate. He shook his head and insisted that he could not read. He explained that when he read, he always read it wrong. Evan explained that to him, E, M, and W all looked alike, as well as G, O and D. So he reads â€Å"GOD† and â€Å"DOG† as â€Å"OOO†. He further said that there are times that he could see the letters, and know what they are, but that they â€Å"danced around†. Like if he sees the word CAT, he can identify the letters C, A and T, but he could not string it together. Sometimes he’d see it as C, A and T, sometimes it’s A, C, and T. * * * Dyslexia is a disability that affects an individual’s reading and writing skills, a condition that is present in 10% of the general population in various forms and degrees (Dyslexia Action, undated, online). Today, an estimated 15% of American students suffer from dyslexia, and up to half of all Americans have some form of undetected learning disabilities. Other studies also report that as many as 2. 9 million school-aged American children have learning disabilities (Edwards, 2006, online. ) Heather Hardie, citing dyslexia expert Sylvia Moody, writes that dyslexia is simply difficulty with writing and reading, which may stem from short-term memory weakness, faulty information processing, and weak perceptual, spatial and motor skills. A dyslexic, therefore, can have problems with poor concentration and poor memory. It may manifest subtly, like when a child is slow in reading certain words, but reads them correctly; or it may be severe and obvious like in Evan’s case. Dr. Moody adds that a dyslexic may exhibit other symptoms and problems like bouts of forgetfulness, difficulties in organization and in keeping time. (Hardie, 2006, p. 26). The overall effects are dramatic. To a child suffering from dyslexia, school work may suffer. Reading is such a basic skill that’s required in nearly all school subjects that a dyslexic child is put at a great disadvantage, and often leading to problems with learning. The child usually fails in school. It can also lead to low self-esteem, delinquency, aggression, behavioral problems, and social withdrawal (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2007, online). This was clearly seen in Evan’s case. He was extremely shy and preferred to work away from us and mostly kept to himself. This was unfortunate, because his friendship made my summers at my uncle’s farm more memorable. I hate to think how many friendships were not developed because of dyslexia. How many children had wanted to reach out and say hi, but was stumped by the fear of being laughed at. The moniker and label â€Å"dyslexic† is bad enough, but being thought of as â€Å"stupid† is a million times worse. A child with dyslexia needs a supportive environment both at home and at school. A parent should explain to the child that it is not his or her fault, and patiently explain the condition to him or her, this will enable the child to cope and compensate for his or her disability. Parents of dyslexic children should also get in touch with teachers, and it might help if they find support groups that can provide both emotional support and good information (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2007, online). Dyslexic students grow up to be dyslexic adults, and in the workplace, dyslexia is not much kinder to those who suffer from it. In fact, Linda Goldman and Joan Lewis (2007) writes that information processing disorders, like dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, are considered legal disabilities, giving the suffered adequate legal protection against discrimination and requires employers to ensure fairness by making â€Å"reasonable adjustments† in terms of recruiting, training, employing and promoting employees with dyslexia (p. 16). Often a dyslexic worker produces below par work output, manifests poor timekeeping, and often fails to remember instructions. This puts him or her at greater risk to be terminated from work, especially if his or her condition goes undiagnosed and unrecognized (Goldman and Lewis, 2007, p. 16). Even so, most employees with dyslexia need only more time to do their work and to correct problems related to concentration and coordination. This is what â€Å"reasonable adjustments† are all about (Goldman and Lewis, 2007, p. 16). However, I take heart in the stories of a lot of people who have succeeded in spite of having dyslexia. Pamela Coyle (1996) chronicles the travails and successes of three of them: Sylvia Ann Law, David Glass and Jonathan Pazer. All of them are noted dyslexics, yet each one succeeded in their fields. Sylvia Law became a professor of, appropriately, law. She also teaches medicine and psychiatry. She is the author of several books and has served as lecturer, as well as strong influence in the fields of civil rights and poverty law. David Glass and Jonathan Pazer are both practicing lawyers. (pp. 64-67). Heather Hardie (2006, p. 24) adds businessman Richard Branson, comedian Eddie Izzard and architect Richard Rogers to the list. Their lives are shining examples of how dyslexia could be overcome, if only one does not give in to low self-esteem and engage in self-pity. More than that, a child with dyslexia should grow up in a supportive environment that would not only foster his development, but also instill in him or her the confidence needed to grow and live life. * * * The last time I saw Evan was more than two years ago. He had become a handsome and confident young man, and has a steady girlfriend who, along with Evan’s mother, is helping him study for a high school equivalency test. At the time, he was also working at a local fast food chain as a janitor, and at the local school doing odd jobs. But Evan still shies away from contact and conversation with strangers. For my part, I am happy to have met him at a time when I was growing up. He made me think and realize that people have their own problems, and it is difficult to judge them by what we see. Moreover, he made me realize that what’s more important is what we do not see. If I had not scratched below the surface, I would still be one of those kids who continue to call him â€Å"Slow Moe,† and that would have deprived me of a friend who had made my summers at the farm richer and more fulfilling with his stories, tips, and jokes. In a sense, I know I could never thank Evan enough for the impact he had in my life. But I know that I am thanking him with every child, dyslexic or not, that I tutor on reading and writing as a volunteer for our neighborhood pre-school. I am thanking him by not being mean to other people when they show a kind of â€Å"weirdness† or â€Å"stupidity. † I am thanking him by not judging people I meet right away. I wish I could do more. I want to tell Evan the next time I see him all about Sylvia Law and other people whom I think would influence him to do better with his life despite his disability. In fact, I hope to be able to tell people just how wrong they are at labeling dyslexic people â€Å"stupid. † What they need is love and support. They need all the leeway they can get to help them overcome their disability. They have all the potential to succeed in life, if we—friends, teachers, fellow students, employers, colleagues, and parents—only give them the chance. Acknowledgments: First of all, I want to thank (name of teacher) for giving us this assignment. This exercise has given me the opportunity to think about my life and appreciate a person who I never really thought much about before. Alvin John for proofreading all those drafts and giving suggestions that helped shape this paper. And of course, Evan for the friendship and the insights. References 2007. Dyslexia: Complications. Retrieved July 11, 2008, from Mayo Clinic, Web site: http://www. mayoclinic. com/health/dyslexia/DS00224/DSECTION=complications 2007. Dyslexia: Coping and Support. Retrieved July 11, 2008, from Mayo Clinic, Web site: http://www. mayoclinic. com/health/dyslexia/DS00224/DSECTION=coping Coyle, Pamela (1996). What Sylvia Law, Jonathan Pazer and David Glass confront when they read or write. ABA Journal, 82, 64. Retrieved July 10, 2008, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 10121349).