Posted: February 28th, 2023

capstone

Be sure to incorporate into this final draft the feedback and suggestions from your earlier drafts. 

Abstract

The professional aspirations I currently hold are to become a counseling or clinical psychologist. This capstone paper outlines the reasoning why I chose this field, the skills and knowledge I will need to obtain for this career and how this career can be a part of social change. I have discussed future schooling for my career choice. I have included a research question and methods of study for my own research question. I have written a critique of two articles that are connected to my field of interest and discussed the outcomes of those articles. Lastly, I have included the reasoning for my passion behind mental health services.

Capstone Paper

This capstone paper was written as an accumulation of the knowledge I have gained over the course of my bachelor’s degree. I am passionate about the mental health field and have become a knowledgeable advocate for the population we are serving. This paper reflects my hard work, dedication, and future plans to become a clinical psychologist.

My professional Future

The professional occupation that I am seeking to obtain after schooling is a clinical psychologist. I am highly interested in the clinical mental health counseling field where I can build on my substance abuse counseling license I have already obtained. I want to be able to offer co-occurring services to my clients. O*Net describes this occupation as assessment, diagnosing and treatment of mental health/emotional disorders of persons through observations, interviewing and testing (O*Net, n.d.). Clinical psychologists aid clients in group and individual counseling to help a person be more effective in their personal, social, environmental, and vocational development (O*Net, n.d.). The reason this field intertest me is highly due to the fact that I am already a trained school counselor, while working in the field it has become prevalent that the need for clinical psychologists in addiction counseling has become dire. I am striving to give my clientele the best services possible, also being able to see one professional rather than several for their services. Mental health co-exists with substance abuse and being able to treat both disorders would benefit my community. I also am interested in counseling psychology because I am fascinated with mental health illness, how the brain processes differently with mental health and how mental health affects substance abuse.

Knowledge, Skills, and Characteristics to be Successful

· Psychological theories ,neural, behavioral and behavioral disorders and Dsm-5tr

· psychology and the law and state licensure (board of psychology 2014)

· SKILLS

·
CLINICAL SKILLS

· Assessment and diagnosis

· treatment planning and case management.

·
CHARACTERISTICS:

· Active listener and communicator

· empathy

· Confidential and Integrity

This profession includes technology skills, skills, knowledge, and work values to be successful in a clinical or counseling psychology career. Technology skills include knowledge of testing software, calendar/scheduling software, medical software, spreadsheets, and word (O*Net, n.d.). Some skills to be successful are understanding why people react the way they do, active listening, speaking with purpose, critical thinking skills and being active in ways to aid people (O*Net, n.d.). To be successful in the psychology field knowledge of psychology is needed, understanding how to conduct groups and individual session, and knowledge of customer and personal service (O*Net, n.d.). Therapy and counseling play a major role in this field and understanding how principles, methods, and procedures of psychology work to complete diagnosis and treatment is important (O*Net, n.d.). Understanding how sociology and anthropology play into societal trends and influences, and understanding differenced in culture (O*Net, n.d.). Work values that will help me to be successful in this career include working with others, working independently, using my abilities to feel achievement and moral values (O*Net, n.d.).

Tasks to be Preformed

There are many tasks that may be asked to be performed in the clinical psychologist occupation. Some include individual counseling, group therapy, family therapy, documentation, treatment planning, writing reports, diagnosing, maintaining current knowledge, and consulting with other for collaboration (O*Net, n.d.). There is a long list of responsibilities, the main objective is to continue to stay up to date on knowledge, be able to diagnosis individuals, be open to working others within the medical field, and engage in ongoing treatment
of individuals (O*Net, n.d.). The most interesting task that I look forward to completing is emotional, psychological, and behavioral testing and diagnosis.
Additional Schooling
According to O*Net this occupation required graduate schooling, which many be a master’s degree or a PHD in clinical psychology (O*Net, n.d.). From my own research I am aware that Washington state required you to obtain a master’s in behavioral science or similar degree to obtain a license to practice counseling psychology. I have investigated the master’s program at Walden University to fulfill those requirements, and I will be completing a master’s in clinical mental health counseling. Washington also requires 3,000 hours of internship under a licensed psychologist or counseling psychologist to become fully licensed.

Theories and Research Methods two Journal Articles of Research Studies

This study set out to determine whether or not cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT) for depression was beneficial in a clinical setting (Brown and Barlow, 2019). The theoretical frame of reference for this study is cognitive-behavioral theory, which states that negative thoughts and behaviors can perpetuate depression (Brown and Barlow, 2019). The variables in this study were the presence of depression and the use of CBT. The hypothesis was that CBT would lead to a decrease in symptoms of depression in a clinical population.

The research design was a randomized trial, and the individuals were randomly allocated to either a cognitive behavioral therapy unit or a waitlist control group. The sample size was 60 individuals who met the criteria for depression and sought treatment at a university clinic (Brown and Barlow, 2019). The sample was selected through convenience sampling, as the participants were already seeking treatment at the clinic.

Data was collected through self-report measures, such as the Beck Depression Inventory, and through structured clinical interviews. The data was analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance and post-hoc tests (Brown and Barlow, 2019). The authors interpreted the findings as evidence that CBT was effective in reducing symptoms of depression in a clinical population.

Strengths of the study include the use of a randomized controlled trial, which increases the validity of the results, and the use of self-report measures and clinical interviews, which provide multiple sources of data (Brown and Barlow, 2019). However, the results may not be generalizable to the entire population due to the small sample size and the application of random selection (Brown and Barlow, 2019). The authors also did not consider the potential effects of medication on the outcomes, which could have influenced the results.

The second research article I will critique is “Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial” by Roemer, Orsillo, and SaltersPedneault (2018). The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of mindfulnessbased cognitive therapy (MBCT) for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) (Roemer and SaltersPedneault, 2018). The theoretical frame of reference for this study is cognitive-behavioral theory, which states that negative thoughts and behaviors can perpetuate anxiety (Roemer and SaltersPedneault, 2018). The variables in this study were the presence of GAD and the use of MBCT. The hypothesis was that MBCT would lead to a decrease in symptoms of GAD. Participants were randomly allocated to either an MBCT cohort or a waiting control group in a randomized control experiment. The sample size was 76 individuals who met the criteria for GAD and were seeking treatment at a university clinic (Roemer and SaltersPedneault, 2018). The sample was selected through convenience sampling, as the participants were already seeking treatment at the clinic.

Data was collected through self-report measures, such as the Beck Anxiety Inventory, and through structured clinical interviews. Analysis of variance with post hoc testing was used to break down the data (Roemer and Salters-Pedneault, 2018). The authors interpreted the findings as evidence that MBCT was effective in reducing symptoms of GAD.

Strengths of the study include the use of a randomized controlled trial, which increases the validity of the results, and the use of self-report measures and clinical interviews, which provide multiple sources of data. However, the results may not be generalizable to the overall population due to the small size and the application of survey method (Roemer and SaltersPedneault, 2018). The authors also did not consider the potential effects of medication on the outcomes, which could have influenced the results.

In conclusion, both studies demonstrate the effectiveness of CBT and MBCT in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety, respectively. However, both studies have limitations in terms of sample size and generalizability, and do not consider the potential effects of medication on the outcomes (Roemer and Salters-Pedneault, 2018). In order to increase the validity of the results, future studies should consider using larger sample sizes and different sampling methods to ensure that the results are generalizable to a larger population (Roemer and Salters-Pedneault, 2018). Additionally, future studies should also consider the potential effects of medication on the outcomes and control for these effects in the design of the study.

Research Question and Study

In my role as a mental health counselor, I will help clients work through their own unique psychological issues by employing a variety of psychotherapeutic approaches. Researchers have found that one-quarter of adults are dealing with a mental health issue right now, and that almost half of all adults will suffer from a mental health issue at some point in their lives (Cherry, 2021). In this area, I will explore a variety of research questions related to mental health, as well as my own research topic. Many people, including those struggling with mental health issues, do not seek or are not interested in receiving professional counseling services. The latest epidemic has significantly increased interest in telemedicine services. Weinzimmer et al. (2021) conducted a cross-sectional survey on interest in telehealth and access to mental health therapy among 2,010 people living in rural and urban locations. The findings revealed a disparity between the availability of mental health counseling and the level of interest in telehealth among rural individuals. Younger persons and those with difficulties gaining access to mental health counseling were the most likely to be curious about telehealth services, according to the results of this study (Weinzimmer et al., 2021). There is still some uncertainty about the most effective methods for making telehealth services accessible to those who live in remote areas. In class, we learnt that there is no single cause of mental illness; rather, there are millions of factors that can contribute to its development. Abuse in childhood, whether it be physical, sexual, or emotional, has been linked to serious mental and physical health issues in adulthood. Mason et al. (2022) analyzed data from a large sample of people and discovered that emotional maltreatment in childhood is a strong predictor of adult obesity. Potential for putting on weight Body dysmorphia, sadness, anxiety, panic disorders, and chronic stress are all possible mental 3 health issues in later life. There are still unanswered problems, such as whether or if there is a technique to counteract the correlation between abuse and weight increase. Can the negative effects of weight growth on mental health be mitigated by creating a buffering technique? Making sure that everybody, even those in academic settings, have access to mental health therapy. Academic failure is a kind of self-harm for students experiencing emotional suffering. Half of all full-time degree-seeking students drop out after six years, as indicated by Kivlighan et al. (2021). In light of this, Kivlighan et al(2021) .’s study sought to determine whether or not going to counseling improved students’ grades. The study’s findings lent credence to their efforts and led them to recommend that colleges and institutions keep mental health issues front-and-center and provide students with accessible resources to deal with them (Kivlighan et al., 2021). My initial idea is(needs
a research question)that women who use social media more regularly are at increased risk for mental health issues like sadness, anxiety, and low self-esteem. As for the second point, I think that guys who use social media more regularly are less likely to have mental health concerns like depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem because of the question I’m investigating. A self-reporting questionnaire administered to a specified sample size of males and females would constitute the methodology for this study. For optimal results, it’s preferable to employ this method because it may be applied to a larger sample size of people. Demographic information, background details, social media use details (including how much time was spent and what was posted), a description of the user’s relationship with social media, and any mental health symptoms they had while using social media would all be recorded.

Critiquing research

The first research article I will critique is “The Effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Depression in a Clinical Population” by Brown and Barlow (2019). This study set out to determine whether or not cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT) for depression was beneficial in a clinical setting (Brown and Barlow, 2019). The theoretical frame of reference for this study is cognitive-behavioral theory, which states that negative thoughts and behaviors can perpetuate depression (Brown and Barlow, 2019). The variables in this study were the presence of depression and the use of CBT. The hypothesis was that CBT would lead to a decrease in symptoms of depression in a clinical population.

The research design was a randomized trial, and the individuals were randomly allocated to either a cognitive behavioral therapy unit or a waitlist control group. The sample size was 60 individuals who met the criteria for depression and sought treatment at a university clinic (Brown and Barlow, 2019). The sample was selected through convenience sampling, as the participants were already seeking treatment at the clinic.
Data was collected through self-report measures, such as the Beck Depression Inventory, and through structured clinical interviews. The data was analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance and post-hoc tests (Brown and Barlow, 2019). The authors interpreted the findings as evidence that CBT was effective in reducing symptoms of depression in a clinical population.
Strengths of the study include the use of a randomized controlled trial, which increases the validity of the results, and the use of self-report measures and clinical interviews, which provide multiple sources of data (Brown and Barlow, 2019). However, the results may not be generalizable to the entire population due to the small sample size and the application of random selection (Brown and Barlow, 2019). The authors also did not consider the potential effects of medication on the outcomes, which could have influenced the results.

The second research article I will critique is “Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial” by Roemer, Orsillo, and Salters-Pedneault (2018). The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) (Roemer and Salters-Pedneault, 2018). The theoretical frame of reference for this study is cognitive-behavioral theory, which states that negative thoughts and behaviors can perpetuate anxiety (Roemer and Salters-Pedneault, 2018). The variables in this study were the presence of GAD and the use of MBCT. The hypothesis was that MBCT would lead to a decrease in symptoms of GAD.

Participants were randomly allocated to either an MBCT cohort or a waiting control group in a randomized control experiment. The sample size was 76 individuals who met the criteria for GAD and were seeking treatment at a university clinic (Roemer and Salters-Pedneault, 2018). The sample was selected through convenience sampling, as the participants were already seeking treatment at the clinic.

Data was collected through self-report measures, such as the Beck Anxiety Inventory, and through structured clinical interviews. Analysis of variance with post hoc testing was used to break down the data (Roemer and Salters-Pedneault, 2018). The authors interpreted the findings as evidence that MBCT was effective in reducing symptoms of GAD.

Strengths of the study include the use of a randomized controlled trial, which increases the validity of the results, and the use of self-report measures and clinical interviews, which provide multiple sources of data. However, the results may not be generalizable to the overall population due to the small size and the application of survey method (Roemer and Salters-Pedneault, 2018). The authors also did not consider the potential effects of medication on the outcomes, which could have influenced the results.

In conclusion, both studies demonstrate the effectiveness of CBT and MBCT in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety, respectively. However, both studies have limitations in terms of sample size and generalizability, and do not consider the potential effects of medication on the outcomes (Roemer and Salters-Pedneault, 2018). In order to increase the validity of the results, future studies should consider using larger sample sizes and different sampling methods to ensure that the results are generalizable to a larger population (Roemer and Salters-Pedneault, 2018). Additionally, future studies should also consider the potential effects of medication on the outcomes and control for these effects in the design of the study.

Contributions to Positive Social Change Aspect of Social Change

Clinical Psychology specializes in providing mental assistance and life guidance for individuals or groups and offering training, educating members, and research work. Clinical psychology addresses trauma in stressed individuals, emotional and mental problems, social difficulties, and behavioral troubles. It applies some specified skills to address the problems, such as conducting interviews with affected individuals, approaching the affected group to guide them, and providing education and training (American Psychology Association, 2022). This paper will identify a social problem that clinical psychology will address through a certain aspect to gain a fruitful outcome. Connectivity using virtual platforms is an aspect to consider in addressing social change in clinical psychology. Many people have become mentally ill because of the loss of their loved ones or due to Covid-19 isolation, which reduced social connectivity, thus resulting in loneliness, mental stress, and the mortality of many close friends (Wolff & Glassgold, 2020). However, clinical psychology tries to address the problem by addressing people to accept the change and embrace online platforms to stay connected. Before the Covid- 19 period, people used to stay connected with each other physically. Nevertheless, there were no mortality rates as were in the corona period. Therefore, during the Covid period, people changed their social lives by using online platforms such as social media and emails to communicate and work remotely (Wolff & Glassgold, 2020). Clinical psychologists insist that online platforms keep people connected locally and remotely. I chose the example of Covid-19 because it did cause brought not only severe problems but also brought new changes that were previously not discovered by many. Besides the virus causing deaths and social disruptions, it made people change to connecting online and working 3 remotely. For example, Google provided both platforms to work remotely and offer meetings online (Wolff & Glassgold, 2020). On a personalized level, the virus brought people together through communicating online, where one can gain more connectivity than the physical one. Furthermore, online activities have brought new jobs such as freelancing, online advertisements, and online shopping for entertainment. YouTube is one online web application with many subscribers to different individuals. Through YouTube, one can post video contents that viewers can enjoy and like, which on the other hand, becomes an earning platform for many people. Platforms such as Twitter and Instagram give users connectivity to many contents that help them share their ideas and give advice to one another (Wolff & Glassgold, 2020). Therefore, Clinical psychologists addressing the aspect of online connectivity helps the affected individuals to stay connected, updated by local and remote news, as well as offering jobs.

The web map of social change that would result from free counseling services to women in the legal system is largely based on systems of thinking. The web would include practice, collaboration, advocacy, and humane ethics. The system of thinking is a large part of my web because it is a technique to gaining insight into troublesome situations and difficult situations (Callahan et al., 2012). This also includes a multidisciplinary team of collaboration (Callahan et al., 2012). The pro bono agency has a multidisciplinary team of mental health professionals, substance abuse counselors, practitioners, lawyers, case managers, and many others that work together to solve the complex problems brought about by the individual within the legal system. Practice is something that most professionals will want to continue engaging in once they have completed their schooling to give them the learning hours needed for their licenses. Advocacy for my situation would be supporting women in the legal system through court, probation, and other legal appointment. This also includes being the voice for the individuals we are serving for fair treatment. The human ethics portion of my web is largely based on the treatment of women that are incarcerated and making sure they are treated fairly through their legal proceedings. It is also connected to my own morals and empathy that has motivated me to begin this activity of social change. Social change is so important not only to my community but the world because we need to strive for inclusion and equal treatment for all.