How does Technology affect Privacy? Essay

The emergence of science and technology generates a platform for global communication. Users of technology forget that the platforms generated to offer communication expose their private information. One simple search through social media sites pulls out detailed information of a person for observation. Online fraudulent activities continue to grow as malicious attackers use fake accounts to steal from unsuspecting victims. Technology simplifies business by providing organizations with e-commerce platforms to perform business. E-commerce gives convenience to the business and the buyer as they spend less but still provide quality services to their clients. The privacy of buyers decreases as malicious attackers hack into the sites (Schlag, 2013). A stranger can simply read an email if the owner of the email account forgets to logout. Subsequently, the user can access personal information of the user from the personal information profile. Other forms of technology such as secret cameras also affect the privacy of individuals. Someone might spy shoppers using cameras without the shoppers realizing that the privacy is exposed. Technology companies trace people through computers chips embedded in cars and clothes. The use of digital records in hospitals leaves private information of patients exposed to anyone who has access to the records. Credit card records and mobile phone bills leave personal information on receipts generated for confirmation purposes (Schlag, 2013). Any person who sees this information could use it to display confidential information. The use of technology should have regulations that detail the exposure people get while encountering different technological devices. Technology does affect the privacy of individuals as it makes it easier for anyone to access personal information of people in contact with the technological device. References Schlag, C. (2013). The New Privacy Battle: How the Expanding Use of Drones Continues to Erode Our Concept of Privacy and Privacy Rights. Journal of Technology, Law and Policy, 13(1), 1-22.

Most Important Person in Your Life

One person in my life that influences me the most would be my mother. My mom is by far the strongest person I know and she has gone through more struggles than any person should have to. She had to raise me on her own while facing many health issues and did whatever she had to do to give me what I needed. While I was growing up, she did not get to spend as much time with me as she would like because she worked a lot to take care of the bills and she was often in the hospital sick. We also moved around a lot until I was about 12, then we finally owned our first house and stated to spend more time together.Things started to improve from here, until my Grandpa passed away. This affected my mom and I greatly, but especially my mom. She started to become more distant and she stopped working for a while. I tried to make her smile and get back the close relationship we had. After a few months things went back to normal, she was back to the fun, loving woman I knew. Over the last few years m y mom has grown to be my best friend, we do everything together, but her health has also been progressively getting worse.Even though she is always sick, she does whatever she can to make me happy. Although I do not always appreciate it, my mom has made many sacrifices for me and has taught me many life lessons. I have learned to be responsible, caring, ambitious, confident, and most importantly strong. She has influenced me to become a better person and to always make the most out of what I have. Because of her I know that I can achieve great things and she has inspired me to be the best person I can be.

Feminism Vs Queer theory Essay

The book by Catherine Churchill titled ‘Cloud Nine’ provides insight into the two very different types of societies in the two acts of the book and depicts the change in the characters in terms of their femininity and sexual orientation. The diverse factors impacting the lives of the characteristics like power, wealth and politics as well as their ion satisfactions levels in different relationships have been discussed through the use of comedy and the art of storytelling. The book highlights the concepts of feminism and queer theory through its content and the way the lives of the characters play out in the two different acts of the book. Feminism is basically defined as the change or orientation towards women empowerment. It is made up of the social, cultural as well as the political reforms, movements and diverse theories which contribute towards equality between makes and females and highlights the equal rights movement for the women. The basis of feminism is the exhalation of the position of women in the society. Queer Theory on the other hand is a branch of gender studies which pertains to the gay and lesbian studies. This field is specific to diverse sexual orientation in women and takes its foundation form the feminism movement and theory itself. The inclination towards feminism in the book and the play of Cloud Nine is very explicit as depicts how the women are oppressed in the Victorian era so much so that they are forced to disguise themselves as men to hide their feminine identity when giving in to their strong nature and ambitions. The play clearly and explicitly describes the differences in the roles of the women and the men in the Victorian era, and in the modern era, therefore depicting how they have changed to an extent, but not as much as they should have. in the first act the play violently depicts the male oriented society by initiating with a welcome for the male gender, and present the allude of power, in context of economics as held by men in the society. Aside from this the play also depicts the position of the women in history as the subservient gender. This established the concept that the role and cultural construction of the females in the society is a product more of history and tradition than of their own capabilities, thus reinforcing the concept of feminism. The queer theory is expanded upon by the author in the play though the confused sexual orientation of the characters and the cross dressing and role reversal amongst the cast in the play. â€Å"Churchill clearly intended to raise questions of gender, sexual orientation, and race as ideological issues; she accomplished this largely by cross-dressing and role-doubling the actors, thereby alienating them from the characters they play. † (Worthen, 807). The characters in the play like those of Gerry the homosexual man and the lesbian mother provide the essence of the queer theory. In fact it can even be mentioned that Cloud Nine is an explicitly queer play. The structure of the play is very confusing for the audience as well as the readers due to the role reversals by the characters, and the language used in the play is highly oriented towards the depiction of feminism and queer theory. The play clearly points out the underlying issues in the societies pertaining to women oppression, women’s rights as well as gay pride and sexual orientation of the men and women. Moreover the play is highly political in nature as it tends to shock the audience and the readers through the presentation and the roles played by the characters. On the whole however the play contributes towards the literary identity development of women in the modern society. References Barry, P. , ‘Beginning Theory: An Introduction to Literary and Cultural Theory (Beginnings)’, Manchester University Press, (2002) , ISBN-10: 0719062683 Caslin, S. , ‘Feminism and post-colonialism’, accessed March 15, 2008 from Churchill, C. , ‘Cloud Nine’, Nick Hern Books, (1989), ISBN-10: 1854590901 Marx, K. , ‘The Communist Manifesto: Complete with Seven Rarely’, Filiquarian Publishing, (2005), ISBN 1599869950 Worthen, W. B. , ‘The Wadsworth Anthology of Drama’, Heinle, (2003), ISBN-10: 0838407501

Facilitate Adult Learning Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Facilitate Adult Learning - Coursework Example Conflict entails the clash between two forces, because of different expectations, beliefs and needs. In classroom situation, conflict represents incivility. This explains intentional behavior by students to negatively interfere with the learning or teaching process of others. Hence conflict manifests itself in several ways between various parties; for instance, class versus teacher, student versus teacher and student versus student. This paper illustrates three conflict scenarios. Firstly, conflict arises when student(s) contiguously challenges the authority and knowledge of the instructor; for example, inappropriately describing the abilities of the instructor. Secondly, conflict takes place when the student deliberately affect the classroom; for instance, participating in leisure discussions or being unprepared. Thirdly, conflict occurs when a student is impolite; for instance, insulting other students (Johnston, 2010). There are several explanations to the conflict situation in the classroom. This reasons are; increased diversity of the student body, increased emotional issues among the huge number of students, increased success pressure, and the perception that education involves business transaction; hence they pay to achieve higher grades (Johnston, 2010). Students are not solely responsible for the conflict in the classroom. Studies have shown that instructors contribute significantly towards students’ incivility. For instance, an instructor who communicates ineffectively or inappropriately with students is more likely to experience disputes or heated disagreements. Also, an instructor who does not establish proper learning environment, may encourage display of resistance or arrogance by students. For instance, being unprepared. Teachers can apply various techniques so as to minimize occurrence of conflict in the classroom. These techniques are; completing class inventory, having a classroom discussion, creating a

Porter's Five Forces Analises Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Porter's Five Forces Analises - Essay Example This essay will implement porter’s five force model to conduct an analysis of the competitive environment of UK coffee industry. Discussion Porter’s five forces model is an analytical tool that helps organizations to determine the competitive force of supplier’s bargaining power, buyer’s bargaining power, industry rivalry, threat of substitutes and threat of new entrants within an industry. Industry Rivalry UK coffee market is highly competitive as several leading global coffee chains and potential local chains are competing with each other within this similar industry. Starbucks is the leading organization within the UK coffee industry. High concentration among the rivals, high fixed costs, static market growth and presence of several perishable products, such as coffee drinks and food items are the major characteristics of UK coffee industry (Kine, 2010, p.245). Organizations like Starbucks and Costa are competing with each other for the same customers. These organizations have similar corporate goals, such as customer friendly products and employee friendly business policies and strategies. Zero switching cost for the potential customers promotes price war among the organizations (West, 2012, p.165). On the other hand, static market growth forces the existing organization to fight with each other for the market share. This intense market competition forces the organizations to adopt aggressive marketing strategy to survive in the market (Hill and Jones, 2008, p.12). Looking into these above aspects, it can be stated that the rivalry among existing organization within UK coffee market is quite high. Threat of New Entrants It is true that organizations within this industry require large capital to developed coffee chain stores. Therefore, it is difficult for the newcomers to compete with the potential and existing organizations with high capital and more than sufficient finance (Kim and Mauborgne, 2005, p.66). On the other hand, sig nificant and favourite locations are already occupied by the leading organizations. Therefore, it is tough for the new entrants to enjoy maximized footfall. Significant brand differentiation and differentiated product line increases the brand preference of leading players. It is difficult for the new organizations to compete with these leading players at the initial stage. Last but not the least; high legal entry barriers and market saturation can make it difficult for the new entrants to maximize market share at initial starting phase. Looking into these factors, it can be stated that the threat of new entrants is low. Threat of Substitutes Coffee is considered as a major energy drink products. The popularity and acceptance of this product is unavoidable. Recently, several food retail chains and soft drink manufacturing and distributing organizations are introducing several substitute calories free and differentiated energy drink products (Hutchens, 2009, p.31). Globalization and a dvanced technology is motivating organizations to offer substitute products. Somehow, these differentiated substitute products is affecting the total market share growth of the coffee industry. In addition to this, low or negligible switching cost to other substitute products in encouraging the potential customers to taste the differences. Though, several coffee chains are trying to differentiate their brand and product level, but

Epidemiology Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Epidemiology - Article Example Various studies have been performed in order to determine the risk involved in the sector of occupational cancer in falling ill with cancer for those working in this sector. The purpose of the study was to determine the risk of lung cancer as a result of occupational exposure to wood dust. For this research, there were two population-based case-control studies in Montreal, Canada. There was different study populations used in this research. The first study was conducted from the year 1979 to the year 1986. It included men of the age of 35-70 years. These men were diagnosed with cancer at any of the 19 sites. The second study was conducted between the years 1996 and 2001. This population study included both men and women who were aged between 35-75 years. This group of men and women were diagnosed with lung malignancy. In both of these studies, the patients included all had incident histological confirmed cancers identified across all major Montreal area hospitals and restricted to Canadian citizens. Both of the studies also included a series of population controls. These population controls were randomly selected from electoral lists. The first study was to explore the possible associations between hundreds of occupational substances and multiple cancer sites that included lung cancer. This study was conducted in the early 1980s and was a population-based case-control study that was done in Montreal in Canada. A similar study was then later performed in the same region in the late 1990s. This was the second study and it focused more on lung cancer. Both of these studies examined the risk of lung cancer associated with occupational exposure to wood dust while controlling for the major confounders that include smoking and other occupational exposures. The exposure in the study was to the wood dust in occupations such as construction and timber making industries. It was to analyze the first and second study in

Writing a memoir Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Writing a memoir - Essay Example I once came face to face with my own feelings toward a bully that made me reassess my own ability to feel empathy toward someone who had never done anything but expressed profound hatred toward me and others. This bully's name was Fidel and he had a habit of picking on people. One day a kid fought back and Fidel was on the receiving end of a good old-fashioned whooping. My sympathy went toward Fidel who had been such a perfect model of a bully rather than the little kid who had avenged us all. Why Why on earth did I suddenly feel this compassion toward a person for whom I had never felt anything but contempt I realized that day that the mind is far more than a mystery; it is a comic mystery, forever capable of upending expectations. What I learned from feeling an unexpected depth of emotion toward someone that I normally feared and despised was that placing some kind of expectation upon emotions is senseless. Whenever I hear someone say something like "nobody would ever react in such and such a way" what they are really saying is everybody reacts the same way to every circumstance. My compassion for a brutal bully allows me to laugh at people expressing such remarkably unimaginative beliefs. The experience with Fidel and the intrusio

Japan U.S. relation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Japan U.S. relation - Essay Example In 1639, the shogunate commenced the isolationist sakoku ("closed country") policy spanning two and a half centuries of feeble political unity known as the Edo period. (Frost, 25-7) Late in the nineteenth century, abundance of the prerogative and the resignation of the shogunate led to the founding of a centralized state integrated under the name of the Emperor. Influenced by Western political, judicial and military institutions, the Cabinet prepared the Privy Council, brought in the Meiji Constitution, and assembled the Imperial Diet. This transformed the Empire of Japan into an industrialized world power that got into a number of military conflicts to increase the empire's sphere of authority. Today, Japan is a constitutional monarchy, with the powers of the Emperor being very limited. Seen as a ceremonial figurehead, the constitution defines him as "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people". (NDL, 1) Power is chiefly vested in the Prime Minister of Japan and other elected members of the Diet, while Japanese people are the root of the sovereignty. The relationships between U.S and Japan date back to the 1850's when Commodore Matthew Perry with his "Black Ships" sailed to Japan and signed the Convention of Kanagawa in order to initiate trade between Japan and U.S. This ended the sakoku policy of Japan and 300 year seclusion from the outside world. A few years later, the first Japanese embassy to the United States ever, was sent to ratify the new Treaty of Friendship, Commerce, and Navigation among the two regimes. Subsequent to the Meiji Restoration of 1867, the United States aided Japan in its modernization of its economy and of its military. This resulted in the new constitution of Japan being partly influenced by the United States Constitution. (Hay, 1) Diplomatic relations ended with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, drawing the United States into World War II. The war ended after the Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. After the end of the Second World War, Japan was taken under control by the Allied Powers, led by the United States. The San Francisco Peace Treaty, signed on September 8, 1951, manifested the end of the Allied occupation, and Japan regained its independence on April 28, 1952. The early post-occupation period Japan needed direct United States economic assistance. The general Japanese public feeling of dependence decreased gradually as the devastating results of World War II faded into the background and commercial activities with the United States saw a significant growth. (Huntington, 3-17) Self-confidence increased as the country applied its assets and organizational skill to retrieve economic health. This led to a general want for greater autonomy from United States influence. Bilateral talks on improving the 1952 security pact started in 1959, and the new Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security was signed in Washington on January 19, 1960. The pact, when presented to the Diet for approval, stirred a bitter argument over the Japan-United States relationship and a violent all-out effort was made by the leftist opposition to thwart its passage. Under this treaty, both U.S and Japan assumed an obligation to aid each other in case of an armed attack on provinces under Japanese supervision. (LaFeber, 165) It was however implicit, that Japan could not come to

Retention of Heritage Language as a Means of Encouraging Bilingual Essay

Retention of Heritage Language as a Means of Encouraging Bilingual Education Among Immigrants - Essay Example In this study, we examine the place of heritage language among immigrants and how this can form an important aspect of â€Å"America’s push to becoming a fully integrative and bilingual nation† (Chiswick and Miller 119). It should not be taken to mean that all in the American society share in the view that bilingual is a positive thing. In any case, the debate appears to be a divisive matter among scholars, policymakers and politicians. This study seeks to delve into the overall debate and demonstrate why heritage language is an opportune way of achieving this goal. Close reference will be given to the Hispanics; Hispanics are the fastest growing group of immigrants in United States. Bilingualism is a reality in modern day world. Firstly, the world’s projected 5000 languages are used in the globe’s 200 countries, representing an average of 25 languages for every state; â€Å"this means that interactions between citizens of numerous world countries clearly require extensive bilingualism† (Bhatia and Ritchie 1). At the moment, the processes of globalization are now in progress these developments heighten the extent and character of multilingualism, as citizens across the globe build awareness on the merits of adding a world language to their verbal repertoires (Bhatia and Ritchie 1). One must consider that, far from being exceptional, as most people believe, bilingualism and in extension multilingualism is at present the tenet all over the world and will turn out to be progressively more so in the future. Bilingualism is the ability to communicate in two languages. There is a difference between individuals and social bilingualism as well... This paper approves that parents and siblings are typically important in a student’s multi-literacy development. They often provide a literacy ‘eco-system’ where there is mutual support, adaptability, and linguistic survival and spread. Different languages may mean differing roles. This report makes a conclusion that heritage language degeneration is widespread in modern society, especially in U.S. where policies, social, economic as well as political activities are conducted in English. Most immigrants feel alienated mainly due to their insufficiency in the English language. Thus their first step is to learn English and sideline their heritage language albeit to gain acceptance from their native counterparts. This translates to a slow but sure death of the heritage language. This loss is not only a blow to efforts aimed at developing bilingualism but it also affects the culture and identity of the immigrants. Sooner or later, they feel misplaced and isolated as they lack a particular community, or society they can completely associate with. As gathered from this text, these are misplaced fears, as proved, retaining the heritage language does not in any way affect one’s capacity to understand a second language in any case it enhances one’s linguis tic capacity. In this case, there is no need to do away with the heritage language as a prerequisite in understanding English. This fact underlines the main point of this study that immigrants need to foster their heritage language even as they cultivate their understanding of the second language.

Bank of America Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Bank of America - Assignment Example MBNA is the largest player in the credit industry worldwide. By acquiring MBNA, the Board of Bank of America would be able o acquire a majority market share of 20.2% in the $1.2 trillion credit card business. For this reason, the Board of America has taken a strategic decision to buy out MBNA for $35 billion. The advantages of the acquisition include access to a large share of the worldwide credit card markets (Kumar, 2012, p.37). The Bank of America could make use of its large network of 5800 branches in the US for providing financial services. The customer portfolio of MBNA also comprises of low risk borrowers which would be advantageous for the bank of America. The buyout also involves certain disadvantages. The buy out decision of MBNA has come at a time when the credit card market is saturated and there is a turn-around in the consumer behavior in the credit cards industry. Thus the growth prospects of venturing into the credit card business are likely to be decided with time. . .. Considering the slow down of the credit card business, the shareholders would still expect the bank to leverage on the resources of MBNA. The shareholders view this buyout to have been taken place at a higher value than the market price. The acquisition of MBNA by the Bank of America would tend to kill the competition in the market and the Bank of America would increase its market share. The vigorous strategies of American Express by persuading banks to advise customers to use their credit cards could also be challenged and the Bank of America is likely to move to the higher position in terms of market capitalization (WetFeet, 2008, p.46). An increase in the gamut of financial services would make the shareholders believe that the company is looking to expand its operations and the volume of revenues and earnings would also tend to increase. A high earning for the Bank of America after the buyout and exploring the potentials of the credit card business would mean that the earnings per share for the shareholders would increase. The dividend payout of the bank is also likely to increase and it is viewed positively by the shareholders. The shareholders also foresee a rise in valuation of the shares due to the strategic buyout of MBNA by the Bank of America (Kunitzky, 2010, p.78). Perspective of the shareholders of MBNA The shareholders of MBNA were supposed to be skeptical about the future of business of credit cards of MBNA. This is due to the facts that the credit market has saturated at this point of time and there is change in the consumer behavior in the credit card industry. Due to huge competition in the credit card market, the consumers expect a term of

Euthanasia - A Kantian Perspective Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Euthanasia - A Kantian Perspective - Term Paper Example The world is divided over the moral issues involved in taking the life of a person. Some people see no moral violations in allowing mercy killing whereas some others especially the believers in religion and God argue that only the creator has the right to take the life back of his creations. This paper briefly analyses the moral issues involved in euthanasia with the help of Kantian perspectives or moral theories of life. According to Kant, suicide was an action that violates moral responsibility. He believed that the proper end of rational beings requires self-preservation, and that suicide would, therefore, be inconsistent with the fundamental value of human life. Nobody has so far succeeded in creating an artificial life in a laboratory set up even though science and technology advanced a lot. The above fact itself clearly shows the value and preciousness associated with life. Kant believed that humans have the duty or the mission of managing his resources in the physical world and he has no right to intrude into the spiritual world. Nobody knows from where we come and where we go after death. But everybody knows that only the physical body will be destroyed after death whereas the spirit/soul which drives the human body may not have an end even after death. Kant believed that human being has a special place in the creations of god and hence morality is the core of every action or duty performed by a human being. Since man cannot have absolute surety in what is going to happen in the next moment, it is his mission to do his duty and don’t bother about the outcomes. In other words, the man comes to this earth for a temporary assignment and he is not sure about his mission in the past, present and in future. â€Å"According to Kant, every rational being exists as an end in himself and not merely as a means to be arbitrarily used by this or that will†.

English-language films Essay Example for Free

English-language films Essay ?I saw this quote in Mr. Laxman Gnawali’s laptop and I copied it right away, I don’t know but I liked that line very much. The quote was written on the wall of some park the place was really clean and that picture showed that it was really nice clean with lots of trees. After searching it in the internet I found it that it was the attribute to those who lost their lives in the war. We were talking about the teaching training session. We were told that we can achieve the next level in our career but we need to concentrate and do the session delivery seriously. There the quote was quite related because we had the freedom to be a teacher trainer but we have to be more responsible and develop certain habit, there with the freedom comes the responsibility. Looking at the history of freedom one can always see war as the synonyma for the freedom. The first thing that comes in our mind when we talk about freedom is war and quarrels. This phrase is mostly used by the people to show gratitude towards those who have lost their life in wars. There are so many articles and books written on them or about them. Shiv Khera have written a book â€Å"freedom is not Free† and there are mny other people who have talked about it and this is the phrase I think will be talked in coming future or as long as the existence of the human beings. Freedoms are rights of individuals, according to Webster its a state in which somebody is able to act and live as he or she chooses, without being subject to any, or to any undue, restraints and restrictions. As our country is democratic country and we proudly say that we are free, we have every freedom to do whatever we like to but in the beginning we fought for our freedom, can we still be fighting. In the beginning we fought for our freedom, with the birtishers, we fought with them not for the freedom but to keep our country free. We fought for the democracy from the Rana rulers and then we fought for the cruel royal rule and we achieve the freedom but the question remains that we have been fighting within ourselves. Now we have the ability to exercise free will and make choices independently of any external determining force, but are we truly free. I think we are still fighting within ourselves for the freedom we dream of. History has been our eyewitness that whenever we fought we fought to rule and not for the development or growth and we are still doing that. First we had MAHISHPAL than came GOPALA DYNESTYR and KIRAT after that many other than the most influential SHAH now we have politicians ruling still to rule not to develop. If I talk about the freedom realting with our history than it will never finish. Historians believe were not free, but on the other hand I just say we have our rights and restrains. Because completely unrestricted freedom of action would make peaceful human existence impossible, some restraints on freedom of action are necessary and inevitable. But, we do have to recognize that basic limitation, to make our life safe. We the people have to turn over some of our rights so that our country performs right and many say that the government is in our business but if they werent all chaos would occur. But, Freedom becomes a cost, a cost of just giving up some rights in return to be a great nation. But, some cost could become a concern. In the declaration of independence, Thomas Jefferson have clearly stated the difficulties and problems that America has to face on the process. The very recent and clear example abo;ut freedom is not free is our own country’s fight against the maost. We faced difficulties than one can imagine but ultimately we overcame with all the difficulties we faced. In the process of freedom government has to include all the armies of moist as well. There comes the pay for freedom. We had to go through traumas which many of the nation have been through but that trauma was from our own people to their own family. India, the biggest country with large population, which is emerging ijn every field in this modern time, have faced problems. They were colonized by British people and treated in the most cruel behave that one could ever treat to another human being in their own country but they fought for their freedom and have lost so many lives but at last they are free. The payment that they paid for the freedom are the lives, the great politicians and enthusiastic youths, there county were divided into parts and there is still fight among those country. Though they got the freedom they are still paying for it, that is why freedom is not free. America the land of opportunity, was not free and with the help of many freedom fighters they declare the independence. Instead of freedom they call it independent, as everyone knows in America most of the people are from different countries, the native people, the red Indians have actually lost their identity in order to be independent or free. the country have faced so many difficulties and still facing but it is the free country everyone says and believed that but they have the most criminal records and most frustration within their country. The fragmented society, self-centered individual, loss of culture and focus point of terrorism are the payment USA is paying with. Every country have their own struggle and history of freedom and the kinds pf payment they are paying as the freedom is not free. All the great people in this world has paid one or the other way for the freedom they fought for. Countries have faced the war and loss of the youngsters but the individual who are the great influential for that event lost their family ,loved once, and their own life as well. Hitler’s life story also suggest that freedom is not free. he hated zuse and to free himself from them he committed the crime which no human can forget and he is the most cruel person in this world. He could not face the failure and to make himself free from the thought of failure he continued doing the things which kept him free from that thought and the payment for the freedom of his thought is being cruel and called murderer and be alone in all his life. However his murder is still have no actual evidence but he was killed because he was becoming cruel and threat for many people so in the quest of freedom to free the abuse and feeling of failure he paid it with his life. Mahatma Gandhi, India call him their BAPU, was hated by his son because he had no time to spend with the family as he was in great mission to free his country from the Birtish. He freed his fellow country but the payment was his own children, he was killed by the very young person as people saw that his generosity is causing the country into many countries. He was free from all the material things and loved by all the people but to gain this freedom to loved by everyone with his life. The four martyrs, who was killed by rana rulers for their freedom speech also shows that whatever our country have got is not free. in whatever way we are enjoying or complaining about is actually the payment that those martyrs paid. They were from well known and educated family but in the quest to free the country from the ranas they paid their life and we got freedom. Being anyone as human is not free from all the responsibilities and rules that we need to follow. As a baby you are free to cry over anything but the payment is most of the time people don’t understand what your problem is. As a student you are allowed to make noise or make wrong choice but the payment is later on you have to fail in your exam and in your life. As a social worker you have the freedom to help others and take their pain as your own and the payment you have to pay is your time, for you and for your family, as an engineer, your freedom is to use any model but the payment is you have to be responsible for the lives of the people who will stay there, as writer you are free to write anything but the payment is no one will write about you, as the teacher you have the freedom to conduct your classroom as you wanted but the payment is you have to be the model all the time, you cannot make any mistake if you do you have to deal with all the consequences that might occur or the payment is your time and effort. When you see some advertisement on television about the free scheme, we always need to buy something with it because nothing is free, not even the water, the air. Freedom is actually the metaphor for all the responsibilities that comes with freedom. When one becomes the minister or join the politics, like in our country everyone blames them to be the negative one, you are free to be the politician but the payment is you won’t be trusted. When I first started to teach I don’t have any freedom to chose what I do in the classroom, so I was just following whatever the teacher told me to do and there no one expected anything from me so I was free from the responsibility and the payment I was paying is getting the low pay. As I developed the teaching learning skill and given the full responsibility of the class, I had the freedom to do any kind of things in the classroom and make it my own and include everything I have learnt but the payment is time and the continuous work load and no self time. Likewise with the PGDE course we had the freedom to garnish ourselves and the payment is all the criteria that was set for us to be what we were trained to be. FREEDOM IS NOT FREE, even the quote is controversial because when freedom is not free than why would one use these words and if it is used why it is mostly related with the people who have done so much for the betterment of the human being?

Components Of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Components Of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) occurs in children, adolescents, and adults. OCD is an anxiety disorder characterized by uncontrollable, unwanted thoughts and repetitive, ritualized behaviors (American Psychiatric Association [DSM-IV-TR], 2000). The two main component of OCD are obsession and compulsion. Individuals with obsessions often attempt to ease the stress that the obsessions cause through compulsions (Shih, Belmonte, Zandi, 2004). Types of OCD Obsessions Aggressive/ catastrophic Religious Sexual Contamination Somatic Compulsions Hoarding Counting Confessing/ asking Ordering/arranging Washing In a developmental study conducted by Geller and his colleagues (2001), OCD in childhood and adolescence was male preponderant and associated with a higher frequency of aggression/catastrophe obsessions, hoarding and saving compulsions, multiple obsessions and compulsions, and poor insight compared with adult OCD. Sexual and religious obsessions were selectively more prevalent in adolescents compared with either children or adults. Children with OCD had higher rates of Tourettes disorder and separation anxiety disorder than older age groups, but mood disorders were similarly high in both adolescents and adults with OCD. Adults with OCD also had higher rates of substance use and eating disorders than either children or adolescents. This study indicated that age specific correlates with different types of OCD. DSM Diagnosis Criteria of OCD (DSM-IV-TR, 2000) A. The Person Exhibits Either Obsessions or Compulsions Obsessions are indicated by the following: The person has recurrent and persistent thoughts, impulses, or images that are experienced, at some time during the disturbance, as intrusive and inappropriate and that cause marked anxiety or distress The thoughts, impulses, or images are not simply excessive worries about real-life problems The person attempts to ignore or suppress such thoughts, impulses, or images or to neutralize them with some other thought or action The person recognizes that the obsessional thoughts, impulses, or images are a product of his or her own mind (not imposed from without as in thought insertion) Compulsions are indicated by the following: The person has repetitive behaviors (eg, hand washing, ordering, checking) or mental acts (eg, praying, counting, repeating words silently) that the person feels driven to perform in response to an obsession or according to rules that must be applied rigidly The behaviors or mental acts are aimed at preventing some dreaded event or situation; however, these behaviors or mental acts either are not connected in a realistic way with what they are designed to neutralize or prevent or are clearly excessive. B. At some point during the course of the disorder, the person has recognized that the obsessions or compulsions are excessive or unreasonable. (Note: this does not apply to children.) C. The obsessions or compulsions cause marked distress, are time consuming (take more than 1 hour a day), or significantly interfere with the persons normal routine, occupational/academic functioning, or usual social activities or relationships. D. If another axis I disorder is present, the content of the obsessions or compulsions is not restricted to it (e.g., preoccupation with drugs in the presence of a substance abuse disorder). E. The disturbance is not due to the direct physiologic effects of a substance (e.g., drug abuse, a medication) or a general medical condition. Sign and Symptoms of OCD Most people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have both obsessions and compulsions, but some people experience just one or the other (Help Guide, 2010). Common obsessive thoughts in OCD include (Help Guide, 2010): Fear of being contaminated by germs or dirt or contaminating others. Fear of causing harm to yourself or others. Intrusive sexually explicit or violent thoughts and images. Excessive focus on religious or moral ideas. Fear of losing or not having things you might need. Order and symmetry: the idea that everything must line up just right. Superstitions; excessive attention to something considered lucky or unlucky. Common compulsive behaviors in OCD include (Help Guide, 2010): Excessive double-checking of things, such as locks, appliances, and switches. Repeatedly checking in on loved ones to make sure theyre safe. Counting, tapping, repeating certain words, or doing other senseless things to reduce anxiety. Spending a lot of time washing or cleaning. Ordering, evening out, or arranging things just so. Praying excessively or engaging in rituals triggered by religious fear. Accumulating junk such as old newspapers, magazines, and empty food containers, or other things you dont have a use for. ETIOLOGY Biological Aspects of OCD Family and twin studies Family studies have demonstrated an increased prevalence of obsessive-compulsive disorder in the first degree relatives of patients as compared to controls (Hettema, Neale, Kendler, as cited inTaberner et al., 2009). Studies of OCD patients and their families have established a 10% prevalence of OCD in first degree relatives (Brynes, 2009). One American study (as cited in Anxiety Care, 2011) suggested that up to 30% of teenagers with OCD had a member of the immediate family with the problem or with obsessive symptoms. However, a two years study carried out by Black (2003, as cited in Waite Williams, 2009) demonstrated that although the children of parents with OCD were likely to go on to develop an emotional disorder, it was not particularly likely to be OCD. In studies of twins, there is a 63% concordance rate for OCD in identical twins (Brynes, 2009). Twin studies suggested a higher concordance rate in monozygotic as compared to dizygotic twins (Samuels Nestadt, 1997; Eley, Bolto n, OConnor, Perrin, Smith, Plomin, 2003). Because MZ twins share 100% of their genes and DZ twins share 50% of their genes on average, the concordance rate for a genetically influenced disorder is expected to be higher for MZ twins than for DZ twins (Shih, Belmonte, Zandi, 2004). Brain structure and chemistry Positron emission tomography (PET) studies measuring resting glucose metabolism have reported hyperactivity in the inferior frontal and anterior cingulate cortices, striatum, and thalamus in patients with OCD (Saxena et al., as cited in Busatto et al., 2001).Researcher believed that OCD may be developed by the abnormal metabolic activity in the orbitofrontal cortes, the anterior cingulate, and the caudate nucleus (Dejdar, 2002). The interaction between these different parts is called a cortico-basal ganglia network (Dejdar, 2002). Dejdar described that these cortico-basal ganglia interactions make up a neural system that is crucial in the acquisition of habits and also establishing a fixed routine of performing those habits, which in turn connected to the typical behaviors of OCD where people maintain certain obsessive habits and continue to perform those habits. Study by Lewin, Storch, Adkins, Murphy, Geffken (2005) supported the neurochemical etiology involving a functional disturbance in the frontal-limbic-basal ganglia system as well as thalamic and cortical neurostructural abnormalities. It is hypothesized that if cortical regions are dysfunctional in patients with OCD, then conscious mechanisms must be used to accomplish what would occur automatically in an unimpaired brain (Sturm, 2008). As a result, inappropriate or obsessive thoughts repeatedly intrude and conscious thought processes suppress them, facilitated by accompanying ritualistic behaviors (Neel, Stevens, Stewart, as cited in Sturm, 2008). There is a strong connection between basal ganglia and OCD. Several studies have implicated that basal ganglia is active during the learning or execution of sequential behavior (Brown, 1997; Graybiel, 1998). Graybiel (1998) explained that the chunking functions of the basal ganglia helps people to focus. Chunking refers to the organization of information into specific associated groups (Dolan DNA learning center, n.d.). This happened when the dopamine released in the basal ganglia system communicates with the brain areas in the prefrontal cortex to allow people to pay attention to critical tasks, ignoring distracting information (Dolan DNA learning center, n.d.). In an experiment by Graybiel, she hypothesized that the basal ganglia system helps the cortex to chunk learning into habits and routines to help the brain quickly access stored information. The experiment of Graybiel was done on training the rats on maze tasks and records the firing groups of neurons in the striatum as the r ats learn, forget, and then relearn the task. When the rats get used to the maze, lots of cells in motor striatum tend to fire at the beginning and the end of the run instead of the whole thing. This happened because the basal ganglia has chunked the behavior. The symptoms of OCD included repetitive, intrusive thoughts and compulsions which lead to ritualistic behaviors such as washing, counting and checking. These behaviors according to Graybiel involved sequential acts and they are performed as chunks, unitized and driven by the extraordinary imperative of urges and compulsions that the patient recognizes as abnormal and out of the persons control. As the result, OCD patients showed over focused attention to irrelevant stimuli. In OCD patients, an abnormal activation of the striatum has been observed. A clearer view is illustrated by a charity organization, Anxiety Care (2011). The organization explained that the thalamus is involved in sensory perception processes and caudate nucleus, a component within basal ganglia work to sort sensory information and filter thoughts. When these messages are being misinterpreted or misfiring, which mean that the normal electrical activity in the brain is being disrupted by the overactive electrical dischargers, it will causes the problem of communication between nerve cells. This will affect and confused the thinking part of the brain to respond chemically to a threat perceived by the primitive part of the brain as if the danger is real. In effect, the caudate nucleus is letting unnecessary thoughts and impulses through to the cortex where the thoughts and emotions combine; and an over active cingulate nucleus at the brains centre, which helps shift attention from one th ought or behavior to another, becomes over active and gets stuck on certain behaviors, thoughts or ideas. The cingulate is that part of the brain which tells the OCD sufferer that something terrible will happen if the compulsions are not carried out (Anxiety Care, 2011). Besides that, some researchers have suggested that OCD results from the imbalance of the neurotransmitter in the brain which is known as serotonin (Pauls, Mundo, Kennedy, 2002). A study by Stengler-Wenzke, Muller, Angermeyer, Sabri and Hesse (2004) revealed that there is a significant reduction of serotonin transporter availability in the midbrain and upper brainstem in OCD patients. The reduction of serotonin transporter availability may reflect a reduced number of serotonergic neurons that may result in low level of serotonin. Serotonin is responsible for transporting impulses to and away from the nerves (Dejdar, 2006). The physiological activity of serotonin starts from the brainstem in groups of brain cells called raphe nucleus (Function of Serotonin, 2009). Serotonin brain cells then spread to various regions of the central nervous system by branching out throughout the brain(Function of Serotonin, 2009). In a case reported by Cohen, Angladette, Benoit, and Pierrot-Deseilligny (1999), a 59-year-old man developed obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms after his head injury. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scans showed a small contusion in the right orbitofrontal region. In the similar case, the single-photon emission CT (SPECT) showed greatly reduced blood flow in the orbitofrontal region of the 59-year-old man with OCD (Cohen et al., 1999). A study by Busatto et al. (2001) supported the findings as their research found reduced right cerebral blood flow in the right orbitofrontal cortex in OCD patients as compared with the healthy control group. Paulmann, Seifert, and Kotz (2009) explained that the orbitofrontal cortex is linked to a variety of cognitive and emotional functions. Gray, Braver, and Raichle (as cited in Bracha Brown, 2009) mentioned that emotion and cognition conjointly and equally contribute to the control of thought and behavior. Additionally, Pessoa (as cit ed in Bracha Brown, 2009) added that emotions and cognition not only strongly interact in the brain, but they are often integrated so that they jointly contribute to behavior. Hence, impairment of orbitofrontal cortex contributed to the intrusive thoughts and bizarre behavior of OCD patients (Swinson, Antony, Rachman, Richter, 1998).In particular, lesions of the human orbitofrontal cortex lead to large-scale changes in social and emotional behavior (Paulmann, Seifert, and Kotz, 2009). For example, patients with orbitofrontal lesions are reported to suffer from deficits in affective decision-making (Hornak, as cited in Paulmann, Seifert, and Kotz, 2009). Consistently, Swinson and his colleagues (1998) stated that OCD patients have difficulties in decision making. Psychological Aspects of OCD According to Salkovskis, Shafran, Rachman, and Freeston (1999), there are five mechanisms for the development of inflated responsibility which are critical for the development of OCD. Inflated responsibility refers to an excessive sense of personal responsibility related to unwanted or upsetting thoughts (Abramowitz, Deacon, Woods, Tolin, 2004). The first mechanism is being given too much of responsibility. A child or adolescent, who assumed responsibility during early age due to incompetent parenting, might believe that they are responsible for the negative consequences over which they have little or no control. This is related to the parental communications, where the child is scapegoated for negative occurrences whether or not they are in fact responsible. Through this type of upbringing, Salkovskis et al. stated that the child will develop and accept a wide sense of responsibility and are inclined to translate it into a high degree of conscientiousness, marked by a dedication to work and an acute sense of social obligations. The second mechanism in influencing a person to be OCD is the exposure to rigid or extreme codes of conduct. Strict behavioral codes being instilled by schools, authorities or religion will lead to the development and the reinforcement of attitudes about responsibility. In the study by Abramowitz et al., they found evidence that religion and other cultural influences affect the presentation of OCD symptoms. Rasmussin and Tsuang (as cited in Abramowitz et al., 2004) observed that strictly religious patients often had religious themes to their obsessional thoughts and compulsive rituals. An early study by Khanna and Channabasavanna (as cited in Abramowitz et al., 2004) noted a large portion of symptoms related to contamination and washing among Hindus with OCD, and commented that Indian culture emphasizes on the issues of purity and cleanliness. The third mechanism for the development of inflated responsibility is being given too little responsibility. The responsibility is withheld from the child by the parents. Worries are prominent in the family system and the parents are likely to be excessively anxious and fearful themselves, they will be overprotected toward their child. This will thus convey a sense that danger is around the corner to the child. When growing up, the child will have difficulty in leaving home and being independent; he or she is unprepared to cope with the dangers that the child believe to have in the world outside. Salkovskis et al. further mentioned that leaving home is usually marked by the emergence of OCD symptoms in the child. The lack of preparation to deal with the world outside will frighten the child and leads to the development of anxiousness in the child. The fourth route to the development of an inflated sense of responsibility is the sudden critical incidents that happened where a persons action or inaction contributed to serious misfortune. An example illustrated by Salkocskis et al. on a young doctor who gave the wrong prescription to the patients. Although it did not have any adverse effects on the patient, the young doctor was reprimanded intensely by his senior supervisor. Since then, he developed repetitive checking on the prescription and spent an inordinate amount of time in checking the details of each prescription. Another factor that contributed to the exaggerated sense of responsibility occurred from an incident that is in fact coincidental but the person erroneously assumed that their thoughts, actions or inactions contributed to a serious misfortune. This happened though the learning experiences, for example, when a child angrily wishes an adult dead; soon afterwards the adult, by unfortunate coincidence, actually dies (Salkocskis et al., 1999). The child will think that it is his fault and he has caused the death but actually it was just a coincidence. Salkocskis et al. described that people who are prone to the cognitive bias of thought-action fusion are the ones who are most likely to experience inflations of responsibility and thus contribute to the origins of OCD. PHYSIOLOGICAL TREATMENT Medication Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor The pathogenesis of OCD has been linked to abnormal serotonin levels. Drugs which increase levels of serotonin in the brain have been shown to improve symptoms of OCD. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most commonly prescribed antidepressants to deal with OCD (Taylor, 2009). SSRIs included citalopram, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine and sertraline (Taylor, 2009). Taylor in his study discussed that SSRIs ease the anxious feeling of OCD patients by affecting the neurotransmitters of the brain that used to communicate between brain cells. SSRIs block the reuptake or re-absorption of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain. Changing the balance of serotonin seems to help brain cells send and receive chemical messages, which in turn boosts patients mood. Taylor explained that SSRIs are called selective because they seem to primarily affect serotonin, not other neurotransmitters. Side effects of SSRIs included nausea, headaches and insomnia (Taylor, 2009). In evaluating the safety and effectiveness of sertraline in children and adolescents, Cook et al. (2001) ran a study in United States. Their research indicated that long-term sertraline treatment was well tolerated and effective in the treatment of childhood and adolescent OCD. In consistent with the result of sertraline, studies has showed that fluoxetine, citalopram and fluvoxamine were well tolerate and effective in treating children and adolescent with OCD (Liebowitz et al., 2002; Riddle et al., 2001). Nonetheless, six adverse events occurred significantly more frequently in fluoxetine patients who experienced palpitations, weight loss, drowsiness, tremors, nightmares, and muscle aches (Riddle et al., 2001). Escitalopram, another type of SSRI has been examined by researchers in Malaysia in treating OCD patients (Hatim et al., 2008). The research reviewed that the risk of relapse for those treated with placebo appeared to be four times that of those treated with escitalopram. Moreover, the study suggested that escitalopram is well tolerated in Malaysian patients with OCD. No serious adverse event was reported throughout the study. A few milder side effects have been reported by the patients, such as dizziness, hypertension, delayed ejaculation, and throat tightness. The sample of the study, however, may be too small to yield broad generalizations. Serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor Serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) such as venlafaxine has been used to manage OCD. Researchers found that venlafaxine may be beneficial to individuals with OCD, including those who have not responded to prior SSRI trials (Hollander, Friedberg, Wasserman, Allen, Birnbaum, Koran, 2003SNRI works by inhibiting the reuptake of the neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine (Donaldson, 2010). As low serotonin is associated with OCD, SNRI function to increase the amount of two neurotransmitters, serotonin and norepinephrine, and thus enhance the neuronal activity of the brain. The side effects of SNRI included nausea, restlessness, sexual dysfunctions, insomnia, and increased blood pressure (Bandelow, 2008). Tricyclic antidepressants One of the effective tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) that have been using to treat OCD is clomipramine. It was one of the first anti-obsession drugs prescribed in the 1960s, but is less prescribed now due to their unpleasant side effects (Goodman, 2011). The side effects of this drug included dry mouth, constipation, urinary retention, sexual dysfunction, weight gain, seizures, and cardiac side effects (Bandelow, 2008). Bandelow added that TCAs should be avoided in patients who are considered to be at risk of suicide, due to their potential cardiac and central nervous system toxicity after overdose. In general, the side effects of TCAs are more adverse than SSRIs. Therefore, it is usually recommended when the treatment with SSRIs have failed (Taylor, 2009). Neurosurgical treatment More than 10% of OCD patients remain incapacitated despite rigorously involving in medication trials and intensive behavior therapy (Kim et al., 2003). Several neurosurgical procedures have been used in OCD for treating such refractory patients. Cingulotomy is among the neurosurgical methods to deal with OCD. Cingulotomy defined by Carlson (2008) as the surgical destruction of the cingulum bundle, which connects the prefrontal cortex with the limbic system; helps to reduce intense anxiety and the symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (p. 489). Anterior cingulotomy targets the anterior cingulate cortex and the fibers of the cingulum has been recently reported as being effective and safe (Dougherty, as cited in Kim et al., 2003). Study by Kim et al. (2003) aimed to to investigate OCD symptom improvements and to evaluate any cognitive changes and adverse effects after cingulotomy. Their study found no evidence of cognitive dysfunction including intelligence, memory and executive fun ction after cingulotomy compared with preoperative performances. In addition, seizure, urinary problems, chronic pain and suicide were not reported and other adverse effects, such as headache, insomnia and weight changes did not continue for more than 3 months. Taken together, they suggested that cingulotomy could be safe in terms of cognitive and other side-effects. Furthermore, deep brain stimulation (DBS), a procedure in which surgically implanted electrodes stimulate localized brain structures, has also been reported to be effective in patients with OCD when the anterior limb of internal capsule was targeted (Nuttin et al., as cited in Cannistraro et al., 2007). Deep brain stimulation surgery involves the placement of tiny implantable electrodes into abnormally functioning areas of the brain through burr holes in the skull; then a neurostimulator, which is commonly implanted near the collarbone; an insulated wire that connects the electrode to the neurostimulator (Brown University, 2003). The electrodes emit pulses of electrical stimulation to block abnormal brain activity that can cause obsessions, moods, and anxieties associated with psychiatric disorders (Brown University, 2003). A study conducted by Gabriels, Cosyns, Nuttin, Demeulemeester, Gybels (2003) concluded that deep brain stimulation may have important therapeutic benefits on psy chopathology in OCD and no harmful side-effects were detected during follow-up up to 33 months (see Appendix A, for case study). However, Greenberg, Rauch, and Haber (2010) stated that hemorrhages on device insertion may have long-lasting or permanent consequences, although relatively rare. Infection represents another significant risk (Greenberg et al., 2010). On the other hand, Greenberg and his colleagues added that the great appeal of DBS in comparison with lesions is that it permits focal, adjustable, and reversible modulation of the brain. Specifically, various combinations of electrodes can be activated, at adjustable polarity, intensity, and frequency; DBS thus permits flexible neuromodulation. The great clinical advantage of this is that parameters can be optimized for individual patients. In cases in which no beneficial settings can be identified despite extensive efforts, the electrodes can be inactivated, and the devices may be removed (Greenberg et al., 2010). DISCUSSION CONCLUSION Overdose TCAs have been revealed to be lethal in overdose (Bandelow, 2008). These drugs should be avoided in patients who are considered to be at risk of suicide, due to their potential cardiac and central nervous system toxicity after overdose (Bandelow, 2008). Although the benefit of SSRI and SNRI is that they are relatively safe in overdose (Bandelow, 2008), the issues of associating SNRI with other substances need to be highlighted. During 2010, Donaldson revealed that overdose with SNRIs has commonly occurred in combination with alcohol and/or other drugs. The adverse event of combining alcohol with SNRI medication include electrocardiogram changes, sinus and ventricular tachycardia, bradycardia, hypotension (low blood pressure), altered level of consciousness (from somnolence to coma), rhabdomyolysis, seizures, vertigo, liver necrosis, and death have been reported. Besides that, Donaldson emphasized that SNRI medications should not be taken by patients also taking monoamine oxidase inhi bitors (MAOIs). This can lead to increased serotonin levels and cause serotonin syndrome which is a rare, but serious and potentially life-threatening condition unfortunately often mistaken for a viral illness, anxiety, neurological disorder or worsening psychiatric condition). Therefore, it is vital to address the adverse events of drug overdose and the combination with other substances. Relapse Relapse and remission is common in OCD and many patients will never be free of the disease (Taylor, 2009). Earlier study in 1973 by Capstick (as cited in Ravizza, 1998) stated that if the SSRI is withdrawn or reduced too quickly, the patient is able to relate the time of onset of the recurrence of the obsessions, usually 36 to 48 hours after the former dose. In a follow-up study of 15 patients with OCD who responded to clomipramine, Thoren et al. (as cited in Ravizza, 1998) reported that 6 patients who had stopped taking the drug had a recurrence of their symptoms within a few weeks of discontinuation. A research group by Ravizza et al., 1996, the group completed a 2-year, open-label follow-up study of 130 patients with OCD who had previously responded to 6 months treatment with clomipramine, fluoxetine or fluvoxamine. At the end of the 2 years of follow-up, the relapse rate was 77 to 85% among those patients who discontinued pharmacotherapy. Implication Most research related to the physiological treatment has been studied for not more than five years. Therefore, the effects of long term treatment have yet to be observed. However, when the discontinuation of treatment is discussed, researchers indicated several relapse problems and adverse events. A study stated that response to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may be influenced by body weight, age, sex, and genetic makeup, and therefore can vary between individuals of different ethnic populations (Hatim et al., 2008). Malaysia as a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic country, the use of treatment in patient with OCD should be wise and well considered. The lack of physiological treatment in Malaysia is the major limitation for the implication of treatment toward Malaysian. On the issue of unresponsive to treatment, researcher found the benefits of switching between venlafaxine and paroxetine for OCD. In 2004, the Brown University reported that 56% of patients who were not responding to venlafaxine benefited from a switch to paroxetine; 19% of patients who were not responding to paroxetine benefited from a switch to venlafaxine.Despite the evidence that clomipramine and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are effective in the pharmacology management of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), between 40% and 60% of the patients suffering from it show only a partial or no symptom improvement (Marazziti et al., 2008). Therefore, Marazziti and his group conducted a research to examine the effectiveness of combined treatment by associating clomipramine and citalopram in the treatment of OCD. The study found that combination treatment is effective and well-tolerated for OCD patients, and much more effective than treating patients with single drug, su ch as SSRI or TCA. In prescribing medication for the OCD patients in Malaysia, the doctor should inform the possible side effects of the medication to the patients. The adverse events that would occur in combination of substances should be stressed and patients should be education on the appropriate dosage and time to consume the medication. Limitations on the use of medications include unwillingness of approximately 25% of OCD patients to take medications which they view, globally, as a form of contamination (Greist, 1998); side effects that interfere with comfortable use of medications; and continuing costs of medications that are necessary to prevent relapse associated with discontinuation. Besides physiological treatment, psychotherapy has been recommended to deal with OCD. The consensus guidelines produced by the American Psychiatric Association (2000) suggested that cognitive, behavioral therapy (CBT) was the first choice treatment for children and young people. Waite and Williams (2009) mentioned that CBT alone or in combination with medication appears to be more effective and less likely to lead to relapse. More recently, National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (2011) described a stepped care model beginning with self-help materials for mild cases through CBT, medication and finally combined treatments. The Malaysian Psychiatric Association reviewed a research being done by Saxena et al. (2009) indicated the effectiveness of CBT on brain glucose metabolism in OCD. They discovered significant changes in brain activity solely as the result of four weeks of intensive cognitive-behavioral therapy in ten OCD patients. Reduction of thalamic activity, decrea ses in glucose metabolism has been observed after the intervention. However, the study also showed a significant increase in activity in an area of the brain called the right dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, a region involved in reappraisal and suppression of negative emotions. The major constraints on the use of CBT include patient unwillingness to invest the time and energy. This may be due to patients fear that their anxiety will be too great when they expose themselves to their triggers. As the conclusion, there are several causes of OCD which involved both biological and psychological aspects. In introduc

The Play The Crucible By Arthur Miller English Literature Essay

The Play The Crucible By Arthur Miller English Literature Essay The play The Crucible by Arthur Miller is set in the New England town of Salem, Massachusets in the year 1692. This has a very important effect on the play. Salem is populated mainly with Puritans, or a person who is strict in moral or religious matters. Therefore, there were strict rules as to what it mean to be a Christian. Now, you are inoccent until proven guilty. However in that time, you were guilty until proven innocent. Things that happened in the play, such as the witch trials, could only happen in a theocracy based on literal Christianity. A subsetting in the play is the forest within Salem. The forest was seen as the last strong hold of evil in the town. Abigail and the girls danced in the forest, therefore it was seen as ruled by the devil, when Salem was seen as ruled by god. Plot A group of girls go dancing in the woods lead by an African American slave named, Tituba. Reverend Parris daughter Betty falls into a coma-like state. Revernd Parris sends for Reverand Hale, an expert of witchcraft. Elizabeth urges John to denounce Abigail as a fraud. Mary Warren, returns from Salem with the news that Elizabeth has been charges with witch craft. Giles Correy and Francis Nurse arrest Elizabeth. John Proctor forces Mary Warren to testify that the girls are lying. Elizabeth is spared for time because she is pregnant. John Proctor convinces Danforth to allow Mary Warren to testify and Mary tells the court the girls are lying. When the group of girls are brought in the accuse Mary of bewitching them. John Proctor confesses his afair with Abigail Williams and accuses her of being motivated by the jealousy of his wife. Danforth asks Elizabeth if her husband has been unfaithful to her, but says he hasnt to spare her husbands name. She did not know John had already confessed. Mary accuses John Proctor of being a witch. John Proctor is arrested and Hale quits the proceedings. Abigail Williams runs away, taking Reverand Parris money with her. Reverand Hale begs the accused witches to confess falsely to save their lives, but they will not. Elizabeth trys to talk John into confessing. John confesses but refuses to incriminate anyone else, and ends up retracting his confession. Characters There are many important characters in The Crucible. One of them is Reverand Samuel Parris. Reverand Parris is an egolistic man that was more concerned with his reputation than the sickness of his child. He has made many changes to his church that are to the peoples dismay. He was strongly disliked for straying away from the ways of the Puritan Church, such as placing gold within the church and wanting to own the house that the church had provided for him. John Proctor, the protagonist in this play as well as a target of Reverand Parris, is another important character. Mr. Proctor is a man in his thirties, and is seems unlike the other men in the town. He had a brief afair with Abigain, and is making it his duty to stop the witch hunt that he and his wife, Elizabeth Proctor, have found themselve caught up in. Mr.Proctors wife, Elizabeth Proctor, has a non-affectionate demeanor towards her very caring husband, leading him into the arms of Abigail. This makes Elizabeth Abigails main ta rget, for she thinks if she is gone, she whave a chance with Mr. Proctor. Abigail Williams, the teenage neice of Reverand Parris, is the main force behind the witch hunt. She is the leader of the victims claiming to be possesed who are in search of the towns witches. Abigails cousin, Betty Parris, is the ten year old daughter of Reverand Parris. She mysteriously became ill after being caught by her father dancing with the other girls in the woods naked. Bettys illness brings Reverend Hale to Salem to check for signs of witchcraft. Reverand Hale is a revered reverand who starts a massive outbreak of people being accused. He realizes the corruption of the outbreak and tries to protect the lives of innocent people. Themes Many themes are portrayed in this pay. One of them is lie and deciet. Most, if not all of the characters are lying in some way. If not to other people, then to themselves. Along with, Respect and Reputation, the social status in the town is tied to ones ability to substain the unspoken religious rules. A good name is the only way you will survive, such as getting people to do buissiness with you or even getting a fair hearing in court, however reputation means nothing when it comes to witch craft. Another theme is Good and Evil. The village bases their belief system between good vs evil, or god vs satan. The play is divided into two camps, but nobody truly understands which side is good, and which side is bad. Then of course, theres the theme of jealousy. However, the main theme is fear. Fear of the devil allows the witch trials to proceed, fear of death causes people to lie and say theyre witches, and the fear of lying causes inocent people to die. Quotations Act 4- John Proctor: Because its my name! Because i cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name! John cares more about he and his friends reputations that his own life Act 3- John Proctor: A man may think god sleeps, but God sees everything. I know that now. -John now realizes that what he did was Abigail was a sin and that it was wrong, and he claims he will not make the same mistake again. Act 1- Abigail Williams: I danced for the devil; I saw him, I wrote in his book; I go back to Jesus; I kiss his hand -Abigail is worried about being disgraced for having cast charms, dancing, and worshipping the devil with her friends and hopes she can be forgiven and return to god. Act 2- Elizabeth Proctor: John, grant me this. You have a faulty understanding of young girls. There is a promise made in any bed -Elizabeth is trying to explain to her husband, John, that Abigail is accusing her of being a witch because she is jealous of her and wants John to herself. Act 3- Danforth: You must understand, sir, that a person is either with this court or he must be counted against it, there be no road between. This is a sharp time, now, a precise timeà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬we live no longer in the dusky afternoon when evil mixed itself with good and befuddled the world. -He is saying that everything and everyone belongs to God or the Devil. The court as well as the government of Massachusets necessarily belong to God. That means, anyone who disagrees with the courtà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s activities is not an honest opponent. Questions 1) Why did they set the people that claimed to have worshipped the devil free, rather than the ones that claimed they didnt? 2) What started the witch trials? 3) How did the witch trials end and who ended them? 4) 5) Response I believe things that happened in the Salem Witch Trials were highly unfair and uncalled for. It made me realize that Im very greatful to live in the society we live in today. The court was unfair and people got killed for no reason. If the court had not improved since then, I cannot even begin to imagine what society today would be like. I think they should have at least found evidence of people being guilty before they were hung, rather than taking peoples word. Just because they swore to tell the truth, doesnt mean they actaully do. Assignment #2 Expository Creative Dear Elizabeth Proctor, Throughout the play, i found you one of the most inspiring characters. You were a mother and wife, who has been through a great deal. You were accused of witchcraft simply because of jealousy, and were cheated on but still managed to help your husband when he was in need. The way you carried yourself even though you were accused of something you hadnt actually done is really amazing. You stayed true to who you are and didnt break down like many of the others that had been accused did. When the court asked you to step in and convince John to confess, even though you knew he didnt, you helped him decide what was best to do for not only yourself, but for him aswell.

Isolation in A Rose for Emily Essay -- essays papers

Isolation in A Rose for Emily The year is 1852, Emily Grierson has just been born into the small town of Jefferson. A town she will soon discover has distinct hierarchial differences and social classes that are to be followed by everyone in her community. However this same community and the values which it holds will eventually be a key factor in determining Miss Emily's madness. "A Rose for Emily", tells the story of a woman who fails to live up to her high reputation and fitting in a community where almost everyone knows each others business. William Faulkner lets the reader into the life of Emily Grierson from two different key perspectives, man and woman. The men represent respectful affection towards Emily, while the women are just plain curious and enjoy gossiping behind her back. In this story Faulkner reveals how a community's actions, or in this case, lack of action can contribute to one's madness. Faulkner opens "A Rose for Emily" with a lengthy fifty-six-word single sentence that shows the community's reaction to her death and describes the scene through gender differences. Although both men and women attend the funeral, they do so for very distinct reasons. Faulkner writes, "When Miss Emily died, our whole town went to her funeral: the men through a sort of respectful affection for a fallen monument, the women mostly out of curiosity to see the inside of her house, which no one save an old manservant- a combined gardener and cook- had seen in at least ten years" (p.52-53). With this initial passage we see what motivates the townspeople to attend Emily's funeral. Although the men attend the funeral to show a sort of respectful affection, the reader gets the feeling that the men have attended because th... ...uses to enter. It is safe to say that there are a large number of factors that help contribute to Miss Emily's madness. Her father's over controlling relationship, is not a healthy one and does not really prepare her for dealing with relationships in the future. However, when her father dies she does not receive the support she deserves from the community, simply because of her high patriarchal status. She is not regarded as a real person, who has feelings just like anyone else, instead she is put on a pedestal that she can not live up to and like an old fallen monument she leaves the people of Jefferson behind, without having a friend or someone that even cared about her. Maybe if someone would have come to her in her time of need she could have received the help she desperately needed and maybe she might have lead a fulfilling, normal and enjoyable life.

Deviancy in Society Essay -- essays research papers fc

There are many different kinds of deviancy in today’s society. In this essay I will tell you the meaning of deviance, the different kinds of deviancy, the biological, social, and psychological factors on deviant behavior, and how they differ from each other. According to James M. Henslin, Editor of Down to Earth Sociology, â€Å"For society to exist, people must be able to know what to expect of others.† â€Å"People develop norms to provide regularity to social life.† â€Å"Deviancy is the violation of these rules and expectations.† So according to Mr. Henslin, we all have deviant tendencies in us at some point in our lives. We all violate rules and expectations others have created whether it is a minor or large-scale offense. In today’s society, the word deviant is used very commonly and its meaning becomes distorted. People might associate the word deviant with being twisted, nasty, or perverted. â€Å"Deviance is not a term for negative judgment.† It just means anyone to violate the expectations of others. The norms that we create cover three basic aspects of human behavior: our appearance, manner, and conduct. The rules of appearance and manner, if broken, are usually called civil disobedience and conduct is usually called criminal disobedience. The first major type of deviance that will be mentioned is against the appearance norm. The expectations of appearance concerns clothing, make-up, hairstyle, and other â€Å"social extensions of a person.† There are even certain expectations on things...

Mill and Harm Thesis

In this essay I shall argue that John Stuart Mill’s Harm Principle is about justice and truth.   John Stuart Mill’s argues in On Liberty that the use of the harm theory, or harm principle is that a state of government must ensure the quality of liberty just so long as the actions committed in the cause of liberty are not detrimental to the activists.   That is to say that the government may interfere in order to prevent harm.   The following paper will discuss Mill’s harm principle and its application to government in regards to restrictions and controls. Mill argues for the doctrine of liberty.   Mill means to define the role of a person in society and as such the limited amount of coercion consistent in society that should affect that individual, â€Å"No society in which these liberties are not, on the whole, respected, is free, whatever may be its form of government; and none is completely free in which they do exist absolute and unqualified†.   Mill is stating that although these qualities are liberty come at a cost in no society would they be considered free because of the forms of government in which the world adheres. Mill argues that any opinion should be voiced despite its offensive sentiments and unpopularity.   Mill did not right from a perspective in the harm theory to state that speech was not harmful, but despite this subsequent commentary, speech was an ideal freedom.   Mill believed, and stated in the Harm Principle, that the harmfulness of an act is just cause to place social control on that act through legal means.   These means included coercion. Mill advocates a style of liberalism that governs that individuals have basic rights (as is stated in On Liberty) and the apex of these is free speech.   The factors that involve Mill also include a free society in general and specific terms.   Even in this free society there are certain actions that a person in a society may be involved with and then there are counter-actions of the government against those acts.   This is interpreted to mean that such acts were harmful and the government was justifiable in their prevention or retardation of those acts being committed. Such acts by the government or society do not necessary lead to an infringement on that person’s liberty.   There are however points to consider when examining the harms theory; once such interpretation to the theory includes the ubiquitous nature of permissible interference by society or a governing body since any act committed may be a legitimate harmful act upon another person, and thus action in any definition could be interpreted in this sense.   Thus, any action taken by the government with the umbrella statement of harm could be legitimate. Mill however was very stringent on his interpretation of Harm Theory and its application to law.   He did not for one thing want a blanketed reason for any misuse of human liberty; thus, to use the Harm Theory in regards to the prevention of free speech because it can be construed to be harmful is not legitimate according to Mill.   He was not an advocate of preventing expression or opinion.   This is shown in his absolute rejection to consider the efficacy of tolerating any particular inference against that censoring it, â€Å"†¦however positive any one’s persuasion may be, not only of the falsity but of the pernicious consequences-not only of the pernicious consequences, but (to adopt expressions which I altogether condemn) the immorality and impiety of an opinion†.   This is stated in regards to any person or legislation’s opinion that speech could potentially be harmful. Mill helped define in broad termination a tolerant perspective of accepting opinions and/or sentiments, that were made not only in private but also in public places, â€Å"†¦human beings should be free to form opinions, and to express their opinions without reserve†.   Despite this statement Mill had a firm belief in the restrictions of certain acts and believed such free speech was conditional. These exceptions of Mill were specious.   Although Mill’s harm theory does constitute legitimate ground by which to swerve the use of free speech much of On Liberty   deals with the propagating of free speech.   Mill made a distinction between qualified and unqualified liberties.   While Mill guards the use of free speech and free trade it is the former of the two that is unqualified as a liberty.   This is done by stating that free trade is not in accordance to individual rights and liberty but that speech on the other hand is a self-regarding action. This statement of free speech is however debatable.   Free speech may be considered a self-regarding action but in most interpretations of Mill this has been denied.   In this denial can be found the fact that free speech then may very lead to harm.   In this harm, the Harm Theory is cemented as a prevention that the legislating body may act upon.   In the debate of self-regarding Mill states that self-regarding is an action committed in which the outcome has no bearing of positive or negative effects on anyone else. The introduction of harm can be taken to mean either physical harm or otherwise.   In Mill’s introduction of harm the common consensus is that it means the former.   This means that speech must be attributed as becoming harmful or having the potential to become harmful to a larder body.   In the Declaration of Liberty Mill highlights his key points of liberties and the subsequent harm that should be delivered with their abuses, This, then, is the appropriate region of human liberty.   It comprises, first, the inward domain of consciousness; demanding liberty of conscience, in the most comprehensive sense; liberty of thought and feeling; absolute freedom of opinion and sentiment on all subjects, practical or speculative, scientific, moral, or theological.   The liberty of expressing and publishing opinions may seem to fall under a different principle, since it belongs to that part of the conduct of an individual which concerns other people; but, being almost of as much importance as the liberty of thought itself, and resting in great part on the same reasons, is practically inseparable from it. It is clearly stated in the above excerpt in the phrase â€Å"expressing and publishing opinions†¦concerns other people† it is devised that speech as well as the written word fall under the category of liberty which in turn, because it concerns other people is subject to the jurisdiction of Harm Theory and must be regulated by the government. The cost of the obstruction of free speech is to not have anyone commit a harmful act.   Although the thought of censorship in regards to the Harm Theory are prevalent and extensive in scope it must be realized that opinion even in its most innocent form of private discussion lead eventually to action; and these actions are not consistently without destruction. Through speech a person’s opinions are discovered.   These opinions have a domino effect that is not a contained event but becomes widespread especially in the media centered world.   Opinions of speeches are tools by which a revolution may occur or based upon the wrong assumptions of an event or theory speech and opinions that are accepted by the general public become gateways by which hysteria, chaos and harm do occur.   Thus it is behooving to place mandates on certain speeches to ensure that destruction and harm do not occur. In this essay I have argued that although Mill focuses his attention of liberty in a free society he is also a humanist and the concern over a person’s body is the main principle of his On Liberty essay, â€Å"That principle is, that the sole end for which mankind are warranted, individually or collectively, in interfering with the liberty of action of any of their number, is self-protection.   That the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others†.   It may thus be construed that Mill advocated the use of minimal censorship if the reason behind the prevention was to retard harm being done to another person or a group of people. There must however, in Mill’s theory exist a legitimate reason behind the censorship in order for drastic prevention to occur.   Although the Harm Theory suggests that   prevention is the key to stopping a destructive act there must also be extant governing rules that would prohibit the extreme exercise of government power that could turn into autocratic power which was not in the context of Mill’s theory.   The Harm Theory is regulated by the potential for harm and thus, free speech or other liberties may be interpreted and prevented by a government in order specifically to avert harm. Work Cited Bilbija, Ksenija et al.   The Art of Truth –Telling about Authoritarian Rule.   University of Wisconsin Press, 2005. David Riesman. The Lonely Crowd. 1950 Dollard John. Frustration and Agression. 1939 Freud, Sigmund. Civlilization and Its Discontents. 1930 Kessler, Sanford.   â€Å"The Review of Politics†.  Notre Dame:  Spring (64:2).   (2002).   207   31. Konrad, Lorenz. On Aggression. 1963 Laing, R. D. The Politics of Experience. 1967 MacDonald, Ross.   Socrates versus Plato.   Aspects of Education.   P9-22.   1996. Mill, John Stuart.   Utilitarianism.Social Benefit. More, Thomas.   Utopia.   Trans.   Robert Adams.   W.W. Norton and Company, 1991. Stanford Encyclopedia.   John Stuart Mill.   Online.   11 March 2008: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/mill-moral-political/

Disney Park

Disney Theme Parks Case 1. What do you think motivated Disney to set up parks abroad, and what might be the pros and cons from the standpoint of the Walt Disney Company? The reason behind Disney's motivation to set up theme parks abroad were mostly because of business opportunities. Based on how successful the Disney Theme Park is in the United States and the attraction they are gaining from foreigners, the management probably realized that it is time to consider entering the global market. By doing this, it would mean an increase of sales for the company.This is somehow a form of advertisement for people to buy their products and even to attract more and more consumers. Opening another theme park in a different country would also contribute to the survival of the company should their theme park in the United States lower in sales. On the other hand, for the cons, one is concerning the cultural factors that may hinder the company from doing business in other countries. A good example would be the concerns in Paris. They feared that putting up a Disney Theme Park in their country might destroy their own culture. Another con would probably be the area where the park would be best put up.In other words, which area the theme park should be placed that would be profitable. Transportation is another factor as well as competition from other theme parks abroad. 2. Why do you suppose Disney made no financial investment in Japan, one of $140 million in France, and then one of over $300 million in Hong Kong? Disney made no financial investment in Japan because they were considering the risks of building one. They probably think that it might not be as profitable or that putting up a Disney Theme Park in Japan would outweigh the cons than the benefits.Paris, like what was mentioned in the case, is the most visited European City and the French are the largest European consumers of Disney Products. This is the reason why Disney invested in Paris. Also they were getting a lot of support from the country's government. And with their help, they would be able to get investors. According to the case, the reason why Disney invested only $140 million to take 49% of the ownership in a $5 billion worth of operation was due to the problems they have encountered before, which is the fear of France's culture to be destroyed.So what Disney did was to add attractions that would cater to French tastes and agreeing to make French the first language in the park. Aside from France, Disney also invested in Hong Kong. The case states that Disney is interested in Asia since it accounts for about half the world's population and is becoming affluent enough that more people can afford to take trips and pay for leisure activities. They chose Hong Kong not only for their infrastructure, but also because it is Asia's largest tourist destination.In addition, the families that live in Hong Kong are those with higher family incomes than mainland Chinese cities. Soon after, the two agreed to a joint venture that included 57% ownership by the Hong Kong government and the remaining by Disney. 3. What factors in the external environment have contributed to Disney's success, failure, and adjustments in foreign them park operations? There are many factors in the external environment that contributed both to Disney's success and failure.For the factors that contributed to the success, one would probably be Disney's already popular reputation, which helped them in entering the global market easily. Another is their strategy of focusing on countries that would ensure and give them better business opportunities. Another factor to be considered is the government support they are getting. As for the factors that contributed to their failure, one that is mentioned in the case is that they encounter problems concerning the culture of other countries.Another example would be the almost downfall of Euro Disney when their shares went down to 39% and the general public to 36%. This is probably due to the high prices and their no-alcohol policy. Another factor that contributed to their failure is the climate. Some countries were just too cold to attract visitors. 4. Should Disney set up a park in Shanghai? If so, what types of operating adjustments might it make there? It is not advisable for Disney to put up a theme park in Shanghai. One of the major reasons is competition.The case states that China has built more than 2000 amusement parks, ranging from lavish to shoddy. Although most of them have not done well, putting up a Disney Theme Park would not necessarily mean that it would eliminate its competitors. In addition, China's one child per family policy may hinder the success of Disney. The visitors of Disney Theme Parks are mostly children, and if the number is lacking, it would also probably mean lack of visitors. Another reason is that if Disney puts up a theme park in Shanghai, there would be few customers since there is also a Disney theme park in Hong Kong.

Relationships with Children Essay

Unit aim This unit provides the knowledge and understanding which underpins effective communication and professional relationships with children, young people and adults Unit introduction Successful relationships have a positive effect on learning and behaviour. Being listened to and responded to by trusting adults encourages active engagement by children and young people and supports the development of curiosity, creativity and resilience, which are key characteristics of effective learning. Adults who demonstrate mutual respect, collaboration and negotiation are positive role models who have a significant impact on the behaviour of children and young people. Integral to building and maintaining positive relationships are effective communication skills. It is also essential for those working in support roles in schools to know the  legislation and policies and procedures for confidentiality and sharing information. This unit provides the essential knowledge and understanding required for working in support roles in schools. Learners will examine the principles of building positive relationships with children, young people and adults. This includes considering reasons why effective communication is important and the effect of social, professional and cultural contexts on communication. Communication difficulties are examined and learners find out how to adapt communication to meet individual needs including how to deal with disagreements with children, young people and adults are studied. The legislation, policies and procedures relating to confidentiality are examined and why children, young people and adults need reassurance about confidentiality are studied. Learners will also consider situations where confidentiality must be breached. This unit applies to all support staff roles in schools and is particularly suitable for those preparing for working in schools and those new to working in schools, including parent-helpers and other volunteers. Learning outcomes and assessment criteria In order to pass this unit, the evidence that the learner presents for assessment needs to demonstrate that they can meet all the learning outcomes for the unit. The assessment criteria determine the standard required to achieve the unit. On completion of this unit a learner should: Understand the principles of developing positive relationships with children, young people and adults How communication supports positive relationships: benefits eg shows respect for individual, values diversity, builds trust, demonstrates genuine interest, respects privacy, encourages autonomy, supports learning, enables effective teamwork, enables negotiation, reinforces self-esteem Principles of relationship building: ways to build relationships eg recognise the uniqueness of everyone as an individual, honesty, dependability, integrity, confidentiality; importance of relationships for learning; know role and responsibilities, how own role relates to colleagues; respect the skills and expertise of others; contribution to effective teamwork; follow organisations expectations and procedures for good working relationships; communicate effectively eg keep colleagues informed, use agreed lines of communication, maintain confidentiality; know own role in relation to parents; differences between professional and personal relationships; contribute to Every Child Matters Outcomes Effect of social, professional and cultural contexts on relationships and communication: eg power relationships, cultural expectations, social differences, prejudice, pre-conception, stereotyping Understand how to communicate with children, young people and adults Skills for communication: verbal skills eg form and tone of expression, questioning, confirming, reflecting; clarifying meaning, encouraging contributions from others, offer choices; non-verbal skills and behaviour eg eye contact, facial expressions, body movement, posture, gesture, muscle tension, touch, proximity, orientation, facial expressions, gestures, active listening; importance of contact and cultural differences in interpretation of non-verbal communications; empathy eg responding to emotional state Adapting communication: ways eg language appropriate, meaning/message, concentrate on one issue at a time, do not give mixed messages, match words to body language, open questions, active listening, encourage discussion and debate; contexts eg hearing difficulties, children with English as an additional Language (EAL), promote thinking and talking in first languages to support understanding, group EAL learners who share the same home language Differences: context eg communication formal, informal, form of address; type of communication eg verbal, language, non-verbal, orientation, confidentiality Adapting communication: use of clear speech and plain  language; different needs eg EAL, hearing difficulty, visual impairment; adaptations eg translator/ interpreter, quiet room, hearing loop, signing, Braille  Managing disagreements: behaviours eg keep calm, encourage individuals to articulate their point of view, find common ground, negotiate a compromise, win-win solutions, support children and young people to deal with disagreements, follow school policy and procedures for behaviour and reporting, restorative justice Understand legislation, policies and procedures for confidentiality and sharing information, including data protection Legislation, policies and procedures: range eg for home country, human rights eg Human Rights Act 1998, Human Rights Act 2004, for safeguarding children eg Children Act 1989, Children Act 2004, relating to freedom of information eg Data Protection Act, Every Child Matters, policies and procedures in own organisation Reassuring about confidentiality: aspects eg information shared on need to know basis, human right for privacy, protecting information when using social networking sites, buying online, using a mobile phone, procedure in own organisation, whistle-blowing Essential guidance for tutors Delivery This unit should be delivered through a combination of tutor input and active learning experiences. DVDs and case studies will give learners opportunities to link theory to practice. Role play enables learners to develop and practise their interpersonal and communication skills. Discussions, peer observations and peer assessment support assessment for learning and contribute to an understanding of the skills required for effective practice. Learners should also be encouraged to demonstrate an awareness of the importance of communication skills in addressing issues of equality, diversity, and the rights and responsibilities of children and young people. At this level the focus needs to be on understanding the significance of positive relationships in relation to the wellbeing and learning of children and young people and exploring how effective communication enables this. The Emphasis needs to be on understanding the behaviour and communication skills required to develop and maintain positive relationships with children, young people and adults and to provide positive role models. Learners should be introduced to why effective communication is important for establishing and maintaining positive relationships with children, young people and adults. How positive relationships enhance self-esteem and encourage learning could be explored through relevant research. The impact of social, professional and cultural contexts on relationships and communication should also be explored. It is essential that learners understand the communication skills needed to establish and maintain relationships. Learners need to explore ways to meet the communication needs of individuals by adapting communication for different ages and stages of development and for different contexts. Learners should be introduced to the current national legislation for confidentiality and data protection which can be accessed from relevant  government department websites. They should have the opportunity to look at a range of school policies and procedures for confidentiality and data protection and consider how these may impact on working practices. It is essential that learners know the situations when confidentiality must be breached to safeguard children and young people. Learners should be encouraged to share their experience of working in schools through employment, as a parent-helper or work experience. Assessment This is a knowledge-based unit. Evidence from workplace performance is not required. Suggested assessment activities Assessment will be through tasks, projects and other activities completed individually to meet the assessment criteria. Learners should draw on any relevant practical experience of working in schools but will not be assessed directly on workplace performance. For learning outcomes 1 and 2, learners could research and produce a guidance document to use for the induction of new support workers in school to help them understand the principles of developing positive relationships with children and, young people and adults and the skills they need to communicate effectively. Case studies may be used to support explanations. The document needs to include why effective communication is important for developing relationships, the principles of relationship building, explanations of how social, professional and cultural contexts impact on relationships and communications, clarification of the skills required for effective communication, how to adapt communication to meet the needs of  individuals and in different contexts and how to manage disagreements with children, young people and adults, explaining reasons for responses. For learning outcome 3, learners could produce a reference document for all school staff giving details about confidentiality and data protection to include legislation relating to confidentiality and data protection, school procedures for confidentiality and data protection, reasons why it is important to reassure children, young people and adults about confidentiality and why confidentiality may need to be breached. Essential resources Learners will need access to legislation for the relevant home nation and examples of school policies and procedures for confidentiality and data protection. Indicative resource materials Textbooks Bentham S – A Teaching Assistant’s Guide to Child Development and Psychology in the Classroom (Routledge, 2003) ISBN 9780415311083 Blake S, Bird J & Gerlach S – Promoting Emotional and Social Development in Schools: A Practical Guide (Sage Publications, 2007) ISBN 9781412907316 Burnham L – S/NVQ Level 2 Teaching Assistant’s Handbook: Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools, 2nd Edition (Heinemann, 2008) ISBN 9780435449308 Burnham L – Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools (Primary) (Heinemann, 2010) ISBN 9780435032043 Burnham L – Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools (Secondary) (Heinemann, 2010) ISBN 9780435032050 Dunhill A, Elliott B & Shaw A– Effective Communication and Engagement with Children and Young People, their Families and Carers (Creating Integrated Services) (Learning Matters, 2009) ISBN 9781844452651 Foley P & Leverett S – Connecting with Children: Developing Working Relationships (The Policy Press, 2008) ISBN 9781847420589 Kamen T – Teaching Assistant’s Handbook: NVQ and SVQ Levels 2 & 3, 2nd Edition (Hodder Education, 2008) ISBN 9780340959381 Riley P – Attachment Theory and the Teacher-student Relationship (Routledge, 2010) ISBN 9780415562621 Journals Times Education Supplement (TES) 42 BA029026 – Specification – Edexcel Level 3 Award/Certificate/Diploma specialist qualifications in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools (QCF) – Issue 2 – June 2011  © Edexcel Limited 2011 Websites www.education.gov.uk/ Department for Education www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/ Yourrightsandresponsibilities Directgov www.nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/ earlyyears The National Strategies www.tda.gov.uk The Training and Development Agency for Schools www.teachers.tv Teachers TV www.teachernet.gov.uk Teachernet BA029026 – Specification – Edexcel Level 3 Award/Certificate/Diploma specialist qualifications in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools (QCF) – Issue 2 – June 2011  © Edexcel Limited 2011