Cognitive behavioral therapy Free Essays

string(191) " striking similarity to note IS the resonance between the mindfulness-related expression ‘psychological quicksand’ and the person- centered concept of ‘incongruence’\." I will present a summary of both approaches followed by critical reflection upon their exceptive origins, similarities, differences and usage in practice. Carl Rogers, originator of the person-centered approach, conceived it in the late 1 sass at a time when the therapeutic establishment was dominated by psychoanalysis, which holds that psychological problems result from childhood fixations and biological drives buried in the unconscious mind, and behaviorism, which focuses on the annalistic mechanism of habits developing as a reaction to stimuli. Rogers disagreed with these approaches’ conception of the client as ‘weak’ or ‘broken’ and the therapist as the expert with the tools to ‘fix’ him Cashmere, 201 1). We will write a custom essay sample on Cognitive behavioral therapy or any similar topic only for you Order Now Conversely, the person-centered approach is thought to be rooted in three interrelated philosophies (Cashmere, 2011 humanism, existentialism and phenomenology. Humanism is fundamentally a belief in the dignity and worth of each individual, and that each person is engaged in a struggle towards ‘self-actualization’, I. E. Fulfillment of potential in some way, which should be acknowledged and respected. Existentialism holds that there is no objective truth or meaning and that humans are therefore ‘condemned to be free’, with total responsibility for creating meaning in our individual lives, and homogeneity is a related method of social/philosophical enquiry concerned with understanding the subjective reality experienced by each individual. Drawing on these influences, Rogers developed a number of key tenets of person-centered counseling, three of which he dubbed the ‘core conditions of therapeutic change’. These are that, firstly, the therapist experiences ‘unconditional positive regard’ for the client; the client is made to feel that everything he feels and expresses is equally acceptable, important and valued. Secondly, the therapist experiences an ’empathic understanding’ of he client, which means that as the client is talking, the therapist accurately senses his feelings and personal values – including those he may not be directly aware of. Thirdly, the therapists unconditional positive regard and empathic understanding must be effectively conveyed to the client (Rogers, 1957, cited in Ballasting Dyke’s, 2010). Page 1 of 6 These tenets serve to emphasis the role of the therapist in facilitating the client’s achievement of ‘self-actualization’ -becoming a psychologically mature adult who is at ease with their experiences and trusts their own inner sources to help them cope with difficulties. As in phenomenology, the therapist is concerned with understanding the world as perceived by the client. To work within the ‘core conditions’, a therapist must act as another human being rather than an ‘expert’ and must avoid projecting his own personal meanings onto the client’s situation at all costs, although he should remain aware of them as part of his own humanity. Rogers’ theory is that the therapeutic relationship, rather than any specific technique or treatment, will itself facilitate change. He believed that any diagnosis or goal-setting only objectifies clients, and that individual meanings should be treated as the â€Å"highest authority† (Ballasting Dyke’s, 2010). The person-centered approach also offers a theory explaining the origins of unbearable emotional distress. Where there is a conflict between how a person feels, or is (the ‘organism self’) and how he thinks he should feel, or be (the ‘self-concept’), the result is ‘incongruence’. When a person is incongruent, he is experiencing thoughts and feelings that are unacceptable according to his self-concept. This results in the employment of deference mechanisms such as repression, distortion or menial of feelings, alongside escalating confusion and unhappiness. In person- centered counseling, the therapist models congruence – he is being himself and his experiences match what he communicates to the client – and his ‘unconditional positive regard’ is intended to help the client begin to accept all aspects of himself and thus move towards congruence (Ballasting Dyke’s, 2010). Mindfulness, contrastingly, is not primarily a therapy in itself (although there are types of therapy based solely upon Buddhist teachings) but rather a method of dealing with suffering which has been integrated into several types f therapy, notably cognitive-behavioral therapy (CB). An integral part of Buddhist philosophy, mindfulness is a translation of a Pail word meaning ‘recollection’. To ‘recollect’ an awareness of the present moment means observing, without judgment, present thoughts, feelings, sensations and wider context. Crucially, this includes any kind of emotional discomfort or suffering. It is posited that many people strive to keep themselves feeling safe, protecting themselves from the things they fear and trying to attain the things they value and desire. People crave what they don’t have and grasp onto what they do -? forming emotional attachments to ideas, possessions or people in order to distract themselves from the reality of life, which is that it involves suffering and will end in death (Barker, 2010). Hayes (2005, cited in Barker, 2010) uses the phrase ‘psychological quicksand’ to describe the way we can â€Å"sink deeper into our feelings† when we try to struggle against them. To struggle Page 2 of 6 against uncomfortable feelings, whether by distracting ourselves or by trying to force them to change, only deepens and exacerbates conflict and anguish. Furthermore, when controlling or avoiding feelings does not work and we are arced to acknowledge them, we may over-identify with them, view them as permanent and feel trapped within them. Acceptance is the first essential element of mindfulness; instead of â€Å"feeling sad about feeling sad†, the alternative is to accept difficult feelings, gently and curiously, as only part of the whole moment. ‘Being present’ is the second element; this involves striving, through practice, to focus our attention upon the present moment. Ruminating over the past may result in our processing current thoughts and feelings as part Of an overall narrative, which impedes our understanding hem purely for what they are, and focusing on future goals prevents us from seeing that we will never be fully satisfied; happiness can only be in the endeavourer, in the present moment. The third element is awareness. Becoming deeply aware of thoughts and thought processes means that we avoid becoming ‘carried away’ by automatic processes at the expense of reason and control. Mindfulness is often practiced using meditation but can be employed as part of therapy or in the context of day-to-day activities (Barker, 2010). The most striking similarity to note IS the resonance between the mindfulness-related expression ‘psychological quicksand’ and the person- centered concept of ‘incongruence’. You read "Cognitive behavioral therapy" in category "Papers" Essentially, both approaches locate the cause of suffering in the discrepancy between how people truly feel, or truly are, and how they believe they should feel or should be. Accordingly, both approaches advocate acceptance and legitimating of all parts of the self, although the person-centered approach perceives this as being facilitated by the therapeutic relationship, whereas in mindfulness it occurs as a result of practicing ‘acceptance’, ‘being present’ and ‘awareness’ via techniques such as dedication. Shown (1996, cited in Barker, 2010) argues that it was the resonance between some humanistic and Buddhist ideas that led to Buddhism rising popularity in Western culture since the 1 sass; mindfulness theories applied in the West are thus at least somewhat related to the humanist approach. Certainly the two approaches share a belief in phenomenological subjectivity and the harmfulness Of hierarchical, inflexible doctrines. However, at first glance, mindfulness may appear more ideologically-based. Where the person-centered approach focuses on the individualized ‘organism self’ failing to reach the self concept’, mindfulness takes a firmer stance in that it emphasizes the harmfulness of all ‘craving or ‘grasping, in all human beings, as a denial of the realities of suffering and death. Page 3 of 6 These aspects of the two approaches appear diametrically opposed. Should suffering people focus on themselves, or should they move towards focusing on the whole context surrounding them in order to gain perspective? Mann Bazaar is a person-centered therapist who, more recently, has incorporated mindfulness techniques as part of his practice (Bazaar, 2009). He emphasizes the â€Å"erosion† of self that a mindful examination of the self can ring about: ‘What meditation eventually does to one person is to leave one’s identity†¦ That destroys the very foundation of our western society which is founded on ego, on self, on acquiring†¦ The more I’m aware, the more I look around, the more I see the full implication of suffering’ (Open University, 201 AAA). Barker (2010) similarly argues that being in a state of mindful awareness is an appropriate foundation for action, and that letting go of ‘craving’ and ‘grasping’ lessens selfish behavior in relationships. The person-centered approach has attracted criticism for supposedly being â€Å"theory-thin† (Cashmere, 201 1). However, as has been shown, it is rooted in humanism, existentialism and phenomenology’, and was developed as a challenge to the authoritarian, dogmatic approaches that were prominent at the time. Carl Rogers is overwhelmingly regarded as the most influential figure in the therapy field, even among practitioners of cognitive-behavioral therapy (Barber, 2007, cited in Ballasting Dyke’s, 201 0); regardless Of approach, most practitioners today recognize the importance of the relationship between therapist and client, as well as the need to create equilibrium within this relationship rather than allowing the therapist to Edgar him or herself as the ‘expert’ (Kowtow and Saffron, 2007). Pinker (2011) argues that the evolution of value systems in the direction of humanism has been a momentous general historical trend. Person-centered counseling, which reveres the inherent worth and inalienable rights of the individual and disdains arbitrary authority in favor of a more egalitarian outlook, rose to prominence as part of this trend. Pinker contends that, since the end of the Second World War, humanism has been the unquestioned foundation of most Western people’s values; so much so that it is easy to forget it is a theory. The historical significance of humanism in general, and Carl Rogers in particular, should not be discounted. However, since Rogers’ theories were developed in the sass, it seems timely to examine them and question whether they might be refined. Wood (2008) highlights some criticisms that have been made in recent years: May (1982, cited in Wood, 2008) ‘took Rogers to task for asserting the sovereign freedom of the individual and then blaming society for the individual’s woes†. The person- centered approach, which takes an extremely positive view of human nature (all humans are engaged in a struggle towards self-actualization, and only deed Page 4 of 6 to be facilitated to achieve their potential), does not adequately address personal responsibility or the collective good. To value and revere an individual’s needs above all else is to ignore, for example, ecological problems that result from people proportioning their own wants and needs. In my view, Rogers’ reverence of the therapeutic relationship is also problematic. To feel and communicate positive regard and empathic understanding to such an extent that the client feels transformed by it, may only be achieved in certain circumstances. Maureen Moore, a preconceived counselor, describes her allegations with a client who was feeling alienated from others as a result of being mixed-race: â€Å"I’ve experienced some of this myself, so in a sense I was able to be more empathic† (Open University, Bibb). The success of the therapeutic relationship may at least partly depend on the therapists experiences and personality compared to the client’s, and while this criticism applies to all types of therapy, it is particularly pertinent in the case of an approach which venerates the relationship as the therapy, rather than any technique or process. It may be that the person-centered approach works best n cases where a profound understanding does develop (perhaps as a result of shared experience between the therapist and the client) and/or where the client is new to the experience of being fully listened to and accepted. Overall, I feel more drawn to the mindfulness approach: the person-centered idea of accepting the whole self has been refined and conveyed more clearly, without the need for jargon such as ‘incongruence’, there is less weight placed upon the therapeutic relationship and it addresses the wider context rather than focusing on the self. Additionally, mindfulness techniques have been hon. to have wide-ranging applications; dialectical behavior therapy, for example, is a variant of CB which focuses on patients’ cognitive styles while simultaneously teaching mindfulness strategies for management of their mental states, and which evidence suggests is effective for patients with borderline personality disorder. Mindfulness as part of a structured approach may be Of particular benefit to people with chaotic inner lives (Roth and F-Nagy, 2005). How to cite Cognitive behavioral therapy, Papers

Childlike Clarity free essay sample

As the sun beats down upon my neck and shoulders it hits me that I forgot to put on sunscreen. The straps of my swimsuit are hurting my shoulders, and the bottoms of my feet are blistering on the hot pool deck. My sunglasses are marred with chlorine spots. My hair is drying crispy from the chemicals in the baking sun. The sound of splashing water echoes around me and the children’s shouts permeate the air, the water, my ears, and the ears of everyone in the vicinity. It is the first day that I am out of the water, and many of my swimmers are panicking. Most of the children are swimming as instructed, exhilarated by the lack of physical adult presence in the water with them. There is nothing between them and the water, and the task of swimming to the other side has become even more exciting than before. We will write a custom essay sample on Childlike Clarity or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The sight of twenty children – most of them between the ages of four and six – attempting to freestyle their way across the twenty-five meters of poorly chlorinated water is something to put anyone on edge. Today, my eyes are keenly darting across the pool continually counting from one to twenty making sure I have all heads accounted for. I am acting out of habit, cyclically counting, calling out encouragement, and pacing the expanse of the deck. I notice one of the boys, Brian, stop just past the wall. He is one of my older swimmers in this age group– he is six years old – and he has been taking private lessons with me for several weeks. Sweet, but reserved, he doesn’t speak much. He has swum maybe three strokes and has paused to pretend to cough, to hang onto the wall, and to rub the fog out of his green-turtle goggles. Exasperated, I turn my focus from the end of the pool where the fastest swimmers are just beginning to arrive and call out to Brian: â€Å"Keep going Brian, no stopping Buddy!† He doesn’t move. I shouldn’t be surprised, but as I was the one to teach him to swim and had spent countless weeks in the water helping him develop confidence and competence, his giving-up is grating on my nerves. Making sure all of my other â€Å"at risk† swimmers have reached the wall safely, I turn and kneel down beside him. â€Å"Brian, you have to keep swimming buddy, why did you stop?† â€Å"I cant.† â€Å"Yes, you can, you do it every day! Okay, time to keep swimming, let’s go!† â€Å"But I can’t Miss Olivia.† â€Å"Brian, I don’t want you to say you cant. You know that you can. It’s time to go.† â€Å"But I don’t want to put my face in the water.† I stop: I unintentionally allow anger to start creeping into my tone, coloring my words a deepening shade of red. I don’t have time for this. His sincerity permeates the air but my vision is blurred by heat and stress. He is not lying; he honestly fears the thought of putting his face under the surface of the water, of looking through his goggles to the dirty bottom of the pool. Fear has gotten the better of him, and I very well know that when one of the kids becomes overcome with fear, there is often very little that can be done with them that day. â€Å"Brian, you cannot swim without putting your face in the water. All of the other kids are waiting for us. Are you going to swim or are you going to get out?† â€Å"But I can’t see! What if I drown?! What if I die?!† â€Å"You wont drown Brian, nobody is going to die.† â€Å"Then why are there lifeguards here?† At that moment, sincerity looked up at me from the reflective waters and peered up at me through the rubbed clean green-turtle goggles. It clearly saw through me. The question was honest, and I was baffled. My response to the question was not sincere: it had something to do with that lifeguards are only there to watch the kids who didn’t know how to swim. I told Brian that because he could swim, he clearly had no reason to be afraid. While I believe this to be true, it was not honest. It was not sincere. Brian, the five year old, had bested me. His sincerity had illuminated a flaw in my reasoning, one that only a child would think of. Obviously he was right: the purpose of a lifeguard is to protect and save lives. Neither of these things would be necessary if no lives were at risk. I looked across the deck to my friend sitting on the lifeguard stand. He looked back at me and waved. Brian continued to look up at me. He was not fooled. His goggles were foggy from the pool but he could see more through them than I could through my spotted lenses. He rubbed out the fog, but I hadn’t even realized that my vision was obstructed.

The Importance of Humanities free essay sample

The Importance of Humanities The study of humanities can best be described as the manner in which people from different parts of the world as well as different segments in time, interpret and document the human experience. Humanity courses can cover anything from philosophy and literature to art and music, basically any aspect that helps paint a vivid picture of a culture. These courses are definitely needed in education to help students understand the world better, give insight on where their ancestors came from and also to assist them in developing their own beliefs as human beings. Knowledge of these documents as a whole grants us a moment to feel a connection between our past, ourselves and our generation. Through humanity courses we learn about the different attitudes of other cultures which can be seen as extremely beneficial in today’s constantly changing society. America has been referred to as a â€Å"giant melting pot,† where cultures all over have been blended and placed all in the same place. We will write a custom essay sample on The Importance of Humanities or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page So it is very rare that you will go days without hearing another individual speak a different language from your own or see religious practices that seem weird to us. In fact, because our country is so diverse, most jobs will hire you if you can speak another language as opposed to just being able to speak English. The study of humanities allows us to become more knowledgeable about cultures all over the world. There will come a point in our lives’ (if we haven’t experienced it already) that we will have to work with different cultures, whether it’s a co-worker, a client or just one of our peers in school and understanding a culture will definitely make that process much easier to deal with. It is easy for us to find new people and cultures weird if we aren’t aware of the world around us. People, who are more acquainted with other cultures and customs, usually are more well-rounded and fearless in traveling to various places beyond the United States borders, which is important in today’s global economy. Not only does Humanities give us a better understanding of the world around us, but it also provides us information on whom we are as people. It’s kind of like a history course, excluding all the dates and battles, but rather focusing more so on how things come together, sort of like a puzzle. Humanities trace the development of architecture from as early as the middle ages to modern age with skyscrapers made out of steel. This course also provides us with familiarity of different religions, how they started, and where their future might be. It even examines the history of education and how the schools and first universities came to be. Knowing aspects like the ones I stated above can only benefit us by giving us a taste of our past and helping to predict what our future might hold. Lastly, the study of humanities guides us in establishing our own beliefs as people. Like me, most people come to college with pre-existing beliefs, not because they actually believe them, but because they have adopted those beliefs from their family members and peers. Most students practice the same religion and hold the same political views as their care-takers upon arriving to college. Once in college and attending courses such as Humanities, many of those same beliefs you once believed in are now put into question and you’ll begin to wonder if you really even believe those beliefs or if it was just inherited. After taking a Humanities course you will most likely develop your own beliefs and have an understanding as to why you believe what you believe. As a result, it is obvious that it is important to study Humanities. Humanities gives people a sense of where they derived from and a feeling of belonging, no matter what their background may have been. It blends us all together like a bunch of different fruits made into a smoothie and allows us to grow as individuals and improve our society. If humanities were not put into effect, our civilization would be at a standstill. The Importance of Humanities free essay sample The study of humanities can best be described as the manner in which people from different parts of the world as well as different segments in time, interpret and document the human experience. Humanity courses can cover anything from philosophy and literature to art and music, basically any aspect that helps paint a vivid picture of a culture. These courses are definitely needed in education to help students understand the world better, give insight on where their ancestors came from and also to assist them in developing their own beliefs as human beings. Knowledge of these documents as a whole grants us a moment to feel a connection between our past, ourselves and our generation. Through humanity courses we learn about the different attitudes of other cultures which can be seen as extremely beneficial in today’s constantly changing society. America has been referred to as a â€Å"giant melting pot,† where cultures all over have been blended and placed all in the same place. We will write a custom essay sample on The Importance of Humanities or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page So it is very rare that you will go days without hearing another individual speak a different language from your own or see religious practices that seem weird to us. In fact, because our country is so diverse, most jobs will hire you if you can speak another language as opposed to just being able to speak English. The study of humanities allows us to become more knowledgeable about cultures all over the world. There will come a point in our lives’ (if we haven’t experienced it already) that we will have to work with different cultures, whether it’s a co-worker, a client or just one of our peers in school and understanding a culture will definitely make that process much easier to deal with. It is easy for us to find new people and cultures weird if we aren’t aware of the world around us. People, who are more acquainted with other cultures and customs, usually are more well-rounded and fearless in traveling to various places beyond the United States borders, which is important in today’s global economy. Not only does Humanities give us a better understanding of the world around us, but it also provides us information on whom we are as people. It’s kind of like a history course, excluding all the dates and battles, but rather focusing more so on how things come together, sort of like a puzzle. Humanities trace the development of architecture from as early as the middle ages to modern age with skyscrapers made out of steel. This course also provides us with familiarity of different religions, how they started, and where their future might be. It even examines the history of education and how the schools and first universities came to be. Knowing aspects like the ones I stated above can only benefit us by giving us a taste of our past and helping to predict what our future might hold. Lastly, the study of humanities guides us in establishing our own beliefs as people. Like me, most people come to college with pre-existing beliefs, not because they actually believe them, but because they have adopted those beliefs from their family members and peers. Most students practice the same religion and hold the same political views as their care-takers upon arriving to college. Once in college and attending courses such as Humanities, many of those same beliefs you once believed in are now put into question and you’ll begin to wonder if you really even believe those beliefs or if it was just inherited. After taking a Humanities course you will most likely develop your own beliefs and have an understanding as to why you believe what you believe. As a result, it is obvious that it is important to study Humanities. Humanities gives people a sense of where they derived from and a feeling of belonging, no matter what their background may have been. It blends us all together like a bunch of different fruits made into a smoothie and allows us to grow as individuals and improve our society. If humanities were not put into effect, our civilization would be at a standstill.

Euthanasia Suicide and Patients Essay

Euthanasia Suicide and Patients Essay Euthanasia: Suicide and Patients Essay Human euthanasia, also known as assisted suicide is a controversial topic that has affected countries worldwide for an extended period of time. Assisted suicide is legal in four countries and the states of Washington and Oregon in the United States of America. Many people would argue that the decision to kill oneself is strictly a private choice that society should not have control over. That opinion assumes that suicide results when competent individuals make independent, reasonable decisions to die that society should not be interfering with. Experts whom have studied suicide found the basic assumption being made in regard to assisted suicide are incorrect. A British study involving the examination of medical records determined, â€Å"93% of the patients studied whom either committed suicide themselves or went through with a physician assisted suicide, were mentally ill at the time of their death.†1 This suggests that the majority of people who undergo this treatment are not in the proper state of mind to make a life altering decision. Assisted suicide goes against the beliefs held in several religions and those generally accepted in regard to human morality. Individuals that may be depressed or whom are suffering from mental disparity due to illness may wish to die at the moment, but may change their minds further down the road, an error the doctors cannot undo. With the advancements made in current medical technology and medicine, the road to recovery for a terminally ill patient is possible. By rendering assisted suicide illegal it may prevent many unnecessary or immoral deaths from taking place thereby opening the road to recovery for patients suffering with an issue that would lead them to seek death as the sole solution. Ending a person’s life by way of murder is a practice frowned upon across the world. Suspects who commit murder may face charges and possible jail sentences, thus why shouldn’t a physician who assisted in a suicide face the same potential punishment? People believe that it is morally wrong to commit suicide; therefore it is also morally wrong to aid someone in the act of taking their own life. The decision to take away someone’s life should be entered into with significant consideration and not completed utilizing a procedure in which the individual drinks pentobarbital, a drug, that when ingested or injected will end ones life. Assisted suicide goes against the beliefs held in many religions that suggest God created human life and therefore God is the only figure who should be permitted to end a human’s life. Most religions believe that those who become vulnerable through illness or disability, deserve special care and protection, and that the proper end of life should be in a comfortable, monitored environment rather than allowing the act of euthanasia to occur. Christianity beliefs are that, â€Å"Human life is a sacred thing, which should be protected and preserved no matte r what state of health that person is currently in since God has a plan for all living and interfering with the plan should not be tolerable†.2 Allowing physician assisted suicide to be legal goes against Christian beliefs and human morality and values as life is viewed as a privilege that should not be taken away so easily. Virtually all religions state that God forbids any form of death sentence or the assisted killing of an innocent person as that is unlawful. There is also the argument of an individual choosing death over life as not being in the proper state of mind. The majority of terminally ill patients whom have suffered for a long period of time may have an underlying mental illness. Some psychologists state, â€Å"An attempt at suicide is often a challenge to determine if anyone really cares for the involved person. Seeking physician assisted suicide, rather than just acting solely to kill oneself, may well be a subconscious manifestation of that precise issue.â € 3 By giving people the choice for a physician assisted suicide

Potential Hardship that young adult encounter after aging out of Dissertation

Potential Hardship that young adult encounter after aging out of foster care - Dissertation Example It is evident from the study that since the inception of foster care in the United States, over half a million children have been placed in these homes from the end of the year 2000. The authors continue to state that these numbers have been decreasing in the recent past with 423,773 children being in this care in the year 2009. This represents a 20% drop in their numbers during that decade, and the number of African American children in this care accounts for 40% of the children, whereas Whites account for 20% of children under foster care. The remaining percentage of children in foster care is composed of children from the Hispanic community. Other reports by Krebs and Pitcoff indicate that most of the children who enter this care do so involuntarily. This occurs when the children encounter neglect from their guardians, and are bound to encounter many physical or psychosomatic problems. However, the placement of children in foster care could also be voluntary, and could occur when their guardians are unable to cater for their needs. A survey carried out in the state of Missouri on 325 children to ascertain the differences that existed after foster care found out that their mental abilities decreased by about 60% after a month of leaving this care. Many of the persons leaving foster care withdraw from taking medication for their mental problems out of their own consent. The mental abilities of the young people leaving the care centers decrease because of various circumstances. These circumstances include the absence of managers for controlling them, the aging out from the pediatric systems and shifts in decision-making as the child matures. Shifts in the care for the young people from foster homes to insurance companies who are responsible for covering the expenses incurred on their care is another cause of reduced mental abilities, and this is because the children are no longer funded (Meltzer, 2003). The problem identified is that most states do not continue offering foster care services for children who have left the foster homes (Stott, 2007). For this reason, governments are urged to continue providing Medicare through the Medicaid scheme, which guarantees medical attention for the vulnerable youth leaving foster care (Ward, Henderson and Pearson, 2003). There are several states in America, which offer the Medicaid option including Missouri, Michigan, Massachusetts, West Virginia and Minnesota among others (Stott, 2007). The inability of various foster care homes to account for many of the children who leave their homes arises from the fact that most are incarcerated, die or join the military and dropout of these systems (Meltzer, 2003). Reports by Ward, Henderson and Pearson (2003) in their book â€Å"One Problem among Many: Drug Use among Care Leavers in Transition to Independent Living† indicate that many youths encounter problems in their access and use of medication. There is a decline in

Early Childhood Studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Early Childhood Studies - Essay Example However, research has shown that this does not have immediate effect on speech development in children hence they are not necessary though they are helpful. From the above argument, it has been suggested that language acquisition by children is promoted through speaking to children in special way. Mothers often speak in a slow way such that they carefully articulate basic vocabulary which is easier to understand by the children. Grady (2005) calls this motherese where the mother speaks in a slow way so the child can grasp the meaning of speech or the words uttered. To a greater extent, it can be noted that this aspect of speech development is very important given that it is commonly believed that the child adopts a language from the mother. This is the reason why the child’s first language is called the mother tongue in different social dispositions. Though this aspect of motherese is not necessary in speech development, it has been observed that it significantly contributes t o the development of speech in young children. In some cultures, adults do not simplify their language when they are talking to the children but these children still learn their language perfectly. There is a misconception among people that children require special instructions for them to learn a language. According to the author of the given article, children can still learn a language without special help from the parent but there is one external condition that has to exist in as far as language acquisition is concerned. The author argues that children need to hear sentences they can actually understand before they know a lot about the language they are... This paper approves that it can be argued that language is acquired given that in some instances, it may not be possible to create a formal learning environment for infants whose minds are still very young to be reasonable enough to learn a language at a faster rate. It is pretty difficult for a child to be taught to create a meaningful sentence at a tender age as this can be confusing. Children often construct meaningful sentences without using the same words from their parents which brings us to the conclusion that language acquisition is not an art of imitation. This report makes a conclusion that it can be observed that there are different misconceptions with regards to language acquisition and learning in children. Some scholars believe that language is acquired naturally while others believe that it is learnt from the people around. However, a closer analysis of different concepts proposed by different scholars show that there is no agreed way about how children learn a language. It can also be said that the external environment has a bearing on the way children learn or acquire their first language. The culture of a particular group has a strong influence on the way at which a child acquires a language. Normally, the behaviour of people is shaped by their cultural values as well as their language. It is also easier for the children to learn to construct meaningful sentences through the guidance of someone but this does not necessarily mean to say that they have to undergo a formal learning programme as this can be done subconsciously. Yo ung children are capable of learning from the social environment around them.

Examining The Computer History Of Microsoft Information Technology Essay

Examining The Computer History Of Microsoft Information Technology Essay Bill Gates is one of the richest people in the world. The way he made his money is by developing technology. He and Paul Allen were the two people who founded Microsoft. But before they founded Microsoft, they worked on the IBM-PC model 5150 and gave IBM a one the PC-DOS operating system for a onetime fee of 50,000 dollars. But they had to make a deal with Seattle Computer Products in order to get this operating system. Then in 1985, with the help of IBM, Gates produced the first retail version on Windows, which was called OS/2. After in 1991 Gates said that the OS/2 partnership was over and he would start working on Windows NT. Windows NT was released in 1993, this version was the first 32-bit version on Windows. From that point on, he helped create multiple other operating systems like windows 95 which introduced the first novel start menu and the included the Internet Explorer internet browser. Later in 2000 Gates stepped down as C.E.O of Microsoft and remained as chairman of the board and chief software architect. In 2006, Gates openly stated that he had many a decision to devote his time more towards his charitable foundation. Gates is still the companys chairman. That is how Bill Gates has made of a contribution to technology. Who is this man? This man was the co-founder and current CEO of Apple Inc. Apple is the innovator of iPods, iPads, iPhones and Mac computers. Apple had other projects like the Apple I and Apple Lisa but they werent as successful. The Macintosh was introduced in 1984. This model included a mouse and a graphical user interface rather than the command-line interface. Apple also created the iPod which allowed people to listen to all their favourite music, and view all their favourite movies and pictures. When the iPod-touch was released it allowed people to do all that and surf the internet with a Wi-Fi connection and download tonnes of apps from the app store on the iPod-touch. The iPhone is the same thing as an iPod-touch but you can text and call people. The iPad is like the iPod-touch but it is larger and you can get 3G service on it. Therefore, I think Steve Jobs has made a significant contribution towards technology. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Jobs http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPod http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphical_user_interface http://www.woopidoo.com/biography/steve-jobs/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Inc. Magnetic Tape Magnetic Tape is something people use to record music or videos on. This tape was developed in Germany. Separately bought devices can play their music or videos on the Magnetic Tape. Examples of these devices would be VCRs and audio cassette players. The Magnetic Tape was intended to record music at first. This tape was original made by Valdemar Poulsen in 1898. He used iron oxide powder, coating a long strip of paper. But was it was further devolved by a German electronic company called AGE (Allgemeine Elektricitata-Gesellschaft) in 1933. AEG also manufactured the recording machines as well. Later on, people wanted to record video on the magnetic tape, so Ampex made a breakthrough innovation. They used a spinning recording head and a normal tape speeds to achieve a very high head to tape speed that could record and reproduce the high bandwidth. Later on, Sony devolved a helical scan and put it in the tape reels. Finally, these tapes are used for data storage. Some good examples woul d be Computers in 1951. Therefore I think the invention of magnetic tape has contributed to the development of technology greatly. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_tape http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-magnetic-tape.htm http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Magnetic_tape Howard Aiken Howard Akien is the original conceptual designer of the Harvard Mark I computer made by IBM. This computer was built using 765,000 components and a lot of wiring. It was 16m in length and 2.4m in height. Also, it weighed over 4500 kg. This computer was made for calculations. It had 60 sets of 24 switches for entering numbers manually. Also, each number only could be 23 digits long. This machine could calculate 3 additions or subtractions in a second, while a multiplication took 6 seconds, a division taking 15.3. But trigonometric function took over a minute. The way that this computer got its information was from punched paper tape. Therefore, I believe that this computer made a great contribution to technology, as the base of our modern day calculator and computer languages were founded from this innovation. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_H._Aiken http://www.thocp.net/biographies/aiken_howard.html http://inventors.about.com/library/weekly/aa052198.htm Freddy Williams Freddy Williams is an English engineer. He and Tom Kilburn created the Williams or Williams-Kilburn tube, in 1947. This tube was made to store binary data. Each one of these tubes could hold around 512-1024 bits of data. The way this machine stored data was quite fascinating. There would be a cathode ray tube and dots would be drawn on it. The dot becomes positively charged and the area around became negatively charged for a brief moment. This energy could not be transferred and the energy would remain on the surface of the tube for a fraction of a second. This let the device act as the computer memory. The only way to erase a dot is by drawing another dot beside it. Once the memory is safe is when the computer reads the information. Therefore, I believe that this device made a significant contribution to technology because this device laid down the foundation of current day RAM to be developed. http://www.computer50.org/kgill/williams/williams.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederic_Calland_Williams http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Williams_tube EDSAC An EDSAC or an Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator was a British computer. The EDSAC was made by Maurice Wilkes and his team at the University of Cambridge Mathematical Laboratory. This was the first practical stored-program computer. This computer uses mercury delay lines for memory. The memory has 1024 locations, while each location has 18 bits. The CPU can hold 71 bits. The only commands that this computer had were: to add, subtract, multiply, collate, shit left, shift right, load multiplier register, store, accumulator, condition skip, read input tape, print character, round accumulator, no-op and stop. The initial orders were hand written on a set of uniselector switches and from there they were loaded into the low words memory at start up. This was the worlds assembler. People say at that moment the global software industry started, people would prepare their programs by punching them on a paper tape. Soon after, the program will be able to be used at this time the pa per was hung on length of line strung up near the paper tape reader. Therefore, I believe that the EDSAC made an important contribution to programming. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_Delay_Storage_Automatic_Calculator http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~mr10/Edsac/edsacposter.pdf http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_the_uses_of_edsac Jacquard loom The Jacquard loom was invented by Joseph Marie Jacquard in 1801. This loom is controlled by punched cards. There are multiple holes punched in each card that make a design of the textile. The way that a hole is punched into the card is by the Bolus hook. Each hook is connected by a harness. These days Jacquards looms are controlled by computers and these computers can have thousands of hooks. The Jacquard loom was the first machine that had the ability to punch cards to control a sequence of operations. This helped the development of computer programming because now programmers didnt have to make their own holes; they could make holes using this loom. Also they could make the holes faster. In conclusion, the Jacquards loom helped the development of programming. http://www.thetapestryhouse.com/aboutproducts/jacquard-loom.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacquard_loom http://www.ideafinder.com/history/inventions/jacquard.htm The Machine That Changed the World Scavenger Hunt Using an internet search engine, find a WWW sites that contains the following statements: 1. Daughter of Lord Byron, mentored by Babbage, called by some the first programmer. Answer: Augusta Ada Lovelace URL: http://wiki.answers.com/ 2. Had a job to speed up the 1890 census and devised a punched-card machine. Answer: Herman Hollerith URL: http://wiki.answers.com/ 3. In 1924 Thomas J. Watson changed the companys name to this name. Answer: International Business Machines. URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_J._Watson 4. A 1973 Federal Court ruling officially credited Dr. John V. Atanasoff with this invention. Answer: first automatic electronic digital computer URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Vincent_Atanasoff 5. Probably the original mechanical counting device traced back 5,000 years. Answer: The abacus URL: http://www.kraza.itgo.com/html/computer_history.htm 6. This inventor, painter, and sculptor sketched ideas for a mechanical adding machine. Answer: Leonardo da Vinci.   URL: http://wiki.answers.com 7. Created a punched-card system to direct movements of needles, thread, and fabric. Answer: Joseph Jacquard URL: http://wiki.answers.com 8. Howard Aiken completed this electromechanical computer. Answer: The Mark I later making the Mark II Mark III URL: http://wiki.answers.com 9. Dr. John W. ? and Presper ? created the first fully operational electronic computer called ? (3 answers!) Answers: Mauchly and J presper Eckert created the ENIAC (electrical numerical integrator and calculator) URLs: http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bleniac.htm 10. IBM introduced the IBM Personal computer or PC in what year. Answer: August 1981 URL: http://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/pc25/pc25_intro.html 11. Graphic images where each pixel is bit-mapped and take up more memory. Answer: Bitmap Graphic URL: http://wiki.answers.com 12. Graphic images defined by geometric shapes each of which can define the attributes of many pixels. These use less memory. Answer: Vector Graphics URL: http://wiki.answers.com 13. This professor of mathematics joined the Navy in 1943. She led a distinguished career which included developing software for the UNIVAC1. She led the effort to develop the a business language that eventually became COBOL. Answer: Grace Hopper URL: http://www.thocp.net/biographies/hopper_grace.html 14. This object-oriented version of C programming language is used to develop software for PCs such as Fractal Design Painter, Lotus 123, and games. Answer: C++ URL: http://wiki.answers.com 15. The term for communications between remote devices. Answer: Networking URL: http://wiki.answers.com