Personal Narrative assignment

This assignment is specifically designed to get you to put yourself “in the shoes” of a person experiencing a psychological disorder and to think about how well your preconceptions of psychological disorders fit with the reality experienced by people with those disorders.  Document your sources, use MLA style and standard grammar and carefully proofread your paper (-2 points per error or typo will be deducted).Due date:  ______________________________

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DIRECTIONS:   Choose a specific disorder (not an entire class of disorders, like anxiety disorders) that is addressed in the Psychological Disorders chapter of our textbook.  I recommend you choose a disorder you know little about.  NOTE:  If you want to choose a disorder you or a close loved one are experiencing, please first consult your doctor or therapist to ensure that is advisable.

 

Think of this paper as essentially 4 mini-essays.  The information required in each essay or “section” of your paper is described below.  Please number the four sections of your paper.

 

1) PRIOR KNOWLEDGE- share what you already knowor believe about your disorder.  If you don’t know anything, share what you know or believe about disorders in general (10 points– should be approximately one paragraph). Note:  Write this section BEFORE starting your research.
2)RESEARCH-research the disorder, using at least two current sources (must include the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or an article that addresses the DSM diagnostic criteria for your disorder).  Note the diagnostic criteria and share at least 5 interesting facts you found in your research(35 points– should be approximately 1-2 paragraphs). You must cite your sources!
3) NARRATIVE– Create a personal narrative about daily life with this disorder.  Write your narrative like a journal entry, from the first-person perspective of an adult diagnosed with the disorder as if YOU are experiencing it.  (45 points– should be approximately 1 page).
To do this I suggest you start this section with “I work up this morning and….” then follow that with information you gleaned by thinking about the following:

  • How might YOUR life be different if you had this diagnosis?
  • How might your school, work life and hobbies/interests potentially be impacted?  (at least 2 different areas of life must be addressed)
  • How might your relationships (friends, family, coworkers, significant other, etc.) be impacted?
  • How would your behavior, thoughts and feelings likely be impacted?

4) REFLECTION- Reflect on how your thinking, feelings and behaviors have changed (or may potentially be changed, moving forward!) and any knowledge or insight you may have gained through the process of working on this assignment (10 points– should be approximately 1 paragraph).

SUBMIT your assignment to me as a Word document at the submission link in our BlackBoard class (click on the assignment title, next to the scroll icon, to open the submission window then “browse” your computer to attach your saved document).