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Psyc620replies.docx Neysa Peer 1   The video and the textbook both emphasize the importance of managing medication effectively in the treatment of bipolar disorder. However, it is important to note that the effectiveness of medication differs between bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Research indicates that adherence to medication significantly reduces the likelihood of relapse in individuals with bipolar disorder compared to those who do not take medication (Barlow, 2021). Moreover, medication is believed to alleviate symptoms more consistently in bipolar disorder compared to schizophrenia (Barlow, 2021). The medications prescribed for bipolar disorder typically aid in mood regulation and can range from mood stabilizers to antidepressants (Barlow, 2021). As portrayed in the video, the client experienced notable improvements in mood stability with the medication prescribed for her bipolar disorder. While the video primarily addresses bipolar disorder, it resonates with the textbook's discussion on schizophrenia in terms of emphasizing the importance of recognizing and discussing symptoms. The therapist in the video consistently asks about the patient's symptoms during different phases of bipolar disorder, including mania, depression, and medication periods. This aligns with the textbook's assertion that disclosing symptoms allows therapists to tailor treatments accordingly (Barlow, 2021). Additionally, the video underscores the patient's awareness of her symptoms and her strategies for managing them during manic or depressive episodes, which also aligns with the textbook's emphasis on symptom awareness and training patients to recognize symptom onset. The video and the textbook chapter also highlight the significance of family involvement and support in managing bipolar symptoms, which is similar to the emphasis on family interventions in schizophrenia treatment. Although the video doesn't extensively cover psychosocial interventions for bipolar disorder, the textbook elaborates on various interventions, including cognitive-behavioral therapy, family interventions, social skills training, and psychosocial rehabilitation, which are useful for improving symptom management and overall quality of life in both disorders (Barlow, 2021). Specifically, the text mentions that there has been a push in recent years in exploring the efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy in conjunction with a medication regimen for the treatment of symptoms associated with schizophrenia, however, cognitive behavioral therapy is not utilized in the treatment of bipolar disorder. While the specific variations of treatment may differ for bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, the shared principle of utilizing psychosocial approaches for enhancing symptom management and functional abilities remains key for both disorders.   References Barlow, D. H. (2021).  Clinical Handbook of Psychological Disorders (6th ed.). Guilford Publications, Inc. Ntawv Peer 2 Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are severe mental diseases that may have a major effect on a person's life. There are some similarities between them, such mood, and cognitive disturbances, but there are also differences in the way symptoms manifest, how treatments are administered, and how well they function. Significant mood disorders are present in both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Manic episodes in bipolar disorder are characterized by heightened or irritated mood, whereas mood disturbances in schizophrenia might include despair, anxiety, or depressed affect. Effective therapy for these diseases usually involves a combination of psychosocial activities and medicines. While psychological education, social skills training, and supportive treatment may be used to improve general functioning and well-being in the management of schizophrenia, psychotherapy such as cognitive-behavioral therapy or family therapy is typically beneficial in treating bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, the main differences are in how psychotic symptoms are shown and how medications are administered. While psychosis may occur during manic or depressive episodes in people with bipolar disorder, psychosis in people with schizophrenia is characterized by more pronounced and widespread psychotic symptoms, such as hallucinations, delusions, and disordered thinking, which continue even during stable times. Treatment strategies also vary greatly; mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, and sometimes antidepressants are used to treat bipolar disorder, while antipsychotics are the main medicine used to treat schizophrenia's psychotic symptoms. Because of the nature of schizophrenia and the accompanying cognitive deficits, medication adherence is often more difficult in this condition. The bipolar disorder video and the schizophrenia textbook chapter both place a strong focus on treatment planning and a team-based approach to therapy. The emphasis on relapse prevention in schizophrenia treatment, which includes techniques for early symptom recognition and medication adherence, is mirrored in the video as Miklowitz works with the client to develop a plan for identifying and managing symptoms if they reappear after stopping medication. Furthermore, Miklowitz's cooperative decision-making with the patient and her psychiatrist highlights the value of the therapeutic alliance and shared decision-making in the management of bipolar disorder. This approach is reminiscent of a similar strategy used in the treatment of schizophrenia, which frequently entails collaboration between the patient, family members, and medical professionals to address symptoms and promote recovery.   References Barlow, D. H. (2021). Clinical Handbook of Psychological Disorders, sixth edition: A step-by-step treatment manual. Guilford Publications.  Miklowitz, D. (2011). Helping a Young Woman Manage Her Bipolar Disorder Symptoms. Psyctherapy.apa.org.  https://psyctherapy.apa.org/Title/777700247-001?Client=EBSCO&custid=liberty Psyc621replies.docx Amanda Peer 1 Casey’s behaviors in the case study do appear to be consistent with the diagnosis of Autism. Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder involving social interaction, communication, and behavioral impairments (Boucher, 2003). Typically developing children pass the false belief task when they are 3-4 years old (McCartney & Phillips, 2006). The false belief task tests children to see if they have the understanding that others have different emotions and thoughts from their own. Typically, when children pass the false belief task, they also pass the representational and language tasks around the same time. Autistic children will usually fail language tasks, which correlates as to why Casey is just now developing more advanced verbal language at 6 years old. The minimal gestures that Casey had developed are consistent with Autism. While the gestures of waving goodbye and blowing kisses that Casey did learn may be because they are repetitive and has a consistent use, or it could be that it is a mimicked gesture and the context or reason is not fully understood (McCartney & Phillips, 2006). Impairments in pointing is an early indication in determining Autism, and Casey presents with being non-communicative through pointing. The absence of proto-declarative pointing, in particular, is a key indicator for early diagnosis in autism (McCartney & Phillips, 2006). Proto-declarative pointing is a gesture or pointing to a shared interest (Emery, 2000).  These types of pointing or gestures can vary in meaning and can be difficult for Casey to interpret. The repetitive behaviors, such as echolalia and pacing back and forth, that Casey displays also support Autism as the diagnosis. There have been studies that have shown that echolalia can be a way for Autistic children to cope when they want to communicate but cannot produce the words to do so (Patra & De Jesus, 2023). To help Casey I would suggest targeting intervention in communication. Why I would suggest this is because communication is more than just verbal ques. It can be integrated into his play and made more relative to him by playing with the cars and trucks that he likes. From there it can be progressed to more gesture and verbal ques. The reason why I think intervention in communication would be most beneficial is because communication is an important factor in development throughout our lives. In Proverbs 31:8, the Bible goes over speaking up for those who cannot speak for themselves (The International Bible Society, 2011) and this correlates to Casey’s situation, as he is unable to properly voice his wants and needs, without the proper help and treatment. References Boucher, J. (2003). Language development in autism.  International Congress Series,  1254, 247–253. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0531-5131(03)00976-2 Emery, N. J. (2000). The eyes have it: The neuroethology, function and evolution of social gaze.  Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews,  24(6), 581–604. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0149-7634(00)00025-7 McCartney, K., & Phillips, D. (Eds.). (2006).  Blackwell handbook of early childhood development. Blackwell Publishing Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470757703 Patra, K. P., & De Jesus, O. (2023).  Echolalia. PubMed; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK565908/#:~:text=Autism%20spectrum%20disorder%3A%20Recent%20studies The International Bible Society. (2011).  Proverbs 31:8 NIV - - Bible Gateway. Www.biblegateway.com. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+31%3A8&version=NIV%20(Original%20work%20published%201973) Nicole Peer 2 Based on this case study, I believe that the diagnosis of autism for Casey is accurate. First, the fact that Casey usually does not point or use hand gestures other than saying bye and blowing kisses at someone, suggests that Casey has seen these gestures repetitively and has knowledge that these gestures do not change so they are repeated (McCartney & Phillips, 2006). Secondly, as discussed in McCartney and Phillips (2006), children with autism usually do not point to objects that they want their parents to see. Instead, the child will grab the parent’s hand and lead their hand to an object the child wants them to see. This is because children with autism have an absence of proto-declarative pointing (McCartney & Phillips, 2006). This was also an interesting point because finding this can lead to diagnosing autism early in life (McCartney & Phillips, 2006). Thirdly, the case study says that Casey does not show interest in pretend play. This can be for different reasons, but mostly it can be because of social skill problems. For instance, a study was conducted to make the connections between the Theory of Mind and social interaction in autism, Chiu et al., (2023) stated, “social interaction style is an individual’s habitual pattern of interacting with others” (p. 3660). This means that because Casey plays alone mostly with his cars and trucks, that may just be his social interaction style. Overall, all of these characteristics that Casey shows are all along the diagnosis of autism. Based on the previous discussion about this case study, I believe that imitation could be a treatment intervention for Casey. I think this intervention is because children grow up learning to imitate their parents, and I know Casey struggles with it, but he does imitate people waving goodbye and blowing kisses. Also, I think this intervention could be helpful for Casey because of his love for playing with his cars and trucks. This is because I think if someone were to show him some new tricks to learn he would be able to imitate those new tricks over time, or if someone imitates Casey’s actions with the trucks and cars, he might learn from that as well. For instance, a study by Brown and Whiten (2000) stated “there is evidence that children with autism may benefit from being imitated” (p. 186). This finding means that children with autism may open up and like to play with others who imitate the actions they are already doing. Overall, children with autism have a lot to overcome, but these children are smart individuals who just need a little more attention so we can understand them. In the Bible, Isaiah 54:13 states, “All your sons will be taught by the LORD, and great will be your children’s peace” (Holy Bible: The NIV Study Bible, 1995). This verse is enlightening and inspiring that all children are children of God, and all will enjoy peace because of Him.   References Baker, K. L. (1995).  Holy Bible: The NIV study bible/10th anniversary edition/intro./burgundy top grain leather/plain (10th ed.). Zondervan Brown, J., & Whiten, A. (2000). Imitation, theory of mind and related activities in autism: An observational study of spontaneous behavior in everyday contexts.  Autism, 4(2), 185-204. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361300004002006. Chiu, H. M., Chen, C. T., Tsai, C. H., Li, H. J., Wu, C. C., Huang, C. Y., & Chen, K. L. (2023). Theory of mind predicts social interaction in children with autism spectrum disorder: A two-year follow-up study.  Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 53(9), 3659-3669. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-022-05662-4. McCartney, K., & Phillips, D. (2006).  Blackwell Handbook of Early Childhood Development. Blackwell Publishing. Psyc635replies.docx Nathaniel Peer 1 This week’s material helped to quantify and analyze topics such as intelligence, wisdom, and emotional intelligence that otherwise present to most people as seemingly abstract and rather ill-defined. Dr. Daniel Goleman’s speech on emotional intelligence highlighted key components that essentially defined emotional intelligence as one’s ability to be aware of their emotions as well as the emotions of others and one’s abilities to effectively manage and react to both the negative and positive emotions of both parties (Goleman, 2012). Due to the innate subjective nature of these concepts, emotional intelligence could prove challenging to quantify and measure in a test such as the intelligence measuring IQ test (Checa & Fernández-Berrocal, 2015). However, with an understanding that emotional intelligence may never truly be fully measureable in the same manner that allowances are made for standard intelligence measuring other than the IQ test, an objective measurement for emotional intelligence could be created (Checa & Fernández-Berrocal, 2015). This emotional IQ test would likely involve sections relating to identifying the correct emotions present in particular social and individual situations, as well as sections pertaining to the healthy (or unhealthy) management of said emotions (Checa & Fernández-Berrocal, 2015). Participant answers could be scored and quantified into a final score with breakdown scores in each of Dr. Goleman’s four categories that would help participants identify areas in which they are strong and conversely in which they could use work (Goleman, 2012). In either sense, emotional intelligence is equally important, if not more important than standard definitions of intelligence in most everyday situations. Humans are highly social beings that likely would benefit more from a higher degree of emotional intelligence and ability to interact healthily and constructively with others as opposed solely to displaying high degrees of standardized intelligence without a productive sense on how to convey such intelligence (Checa & Fernández-Berrocal, 2015). Naturally, certain realms require more intelligence with less regard for emotional considerations. Take a microbiologist who works in a solo lab, intelligence is crucial to the completion of the work, and emotional considerations mean less when human interaction isn’t as present as it is in a talk show host, for example. In any sense, emotional intelligence is crucial for everyone regardless of profession due to its very definition containing pillars in self-awareness and self-management of one’s own emotions, without which one would struggle with negative and self-deprecating thoughts which would eventually become debilitating to their ability to function in a productive way (Goleman, 2012).   Although Dr. Goleman did not outright say so, I question if his definition of emotional intelligence is not one in the same as wisdom? More abstract ideas of wisdom may seek to define it in a similar way as Dr. Goleman, with respect to one’s ability to have experiential knowledge that pertains to specific instances in life (Han, 2014). One concept on the distinction between such wisdom and intelligence which is as descriptive as it is humorous would be to define the terms using tomatoes. Intelligence is knowing that tomatoes are a fruit, while wisdom is knowing not to put them in a fruit salad. Many would argue that intelligence can be learned through study while wisdom must be gained over time and through experiential learning (Han, 2014). As with anything, different people have different propensities for different abilities such as physical prowess and intelligence, but can always improve themselves in those categories beyond where they started with the right practice (Han, 2014). Wisdom is likely in similar suit, especially due to its direct correlation with experiential learning (Han, 2014). Overall, this week’s material helped me to solidify some concrete definitions to terms which I have long believed to be abstract, and have helped me identify some areas in which I can grow in my own emotional intelligence. References Checa, P., & Fernández-Berrocal, P. (2015). The role of intelligence quotient and emotional intelligence in cognitive control processes.  Frontiers in Psychology,  6. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01853 Goleman, D. (2012). Daniel Goleman introduces emotional intelligence [YouTube video]. In  Big Think. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7m9eNoB3NU Han, B. T. (2014). About harnessing the power of wisdom: from data to wisdom by Andrew Targowski.  Dialogue and Universalism,  24(2), 217–221. https://doi.org/10.5840/du201424241 Janae Peer 2 Amabile's research fundamentally challenges the traditional view that external rewards enhance creativity. She posits that intrinsic motivation is a crucial driver of creative success, and external rewards can undermine this intrinsic drive (Fisher et al., 2020). This idea initially seems counter-intuitive because rewards are commonly believed to incentivize and enhance performance. However, Amabile's findings suggest that creativity thrives under self-motivation and diminishes when externally motivated, as external rewards may shift the focus from joy and engagement in the task itself to the rewards, thereby reducing the creative process. Goleman's introduction of emotional intelligence (EI) as a set of skills, including self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills, offers a broader understanding of human intelligence. Unlike cognitive intelligence, which is often measured through IQ tests, emotional intelligence encapsulates the ability to manage one's emotions and understand and influence the feelings of others. While the measurability of EI is more complex due to its qualitative nature, various assessment tools have been developed to gauge EI, suggesting its measurability, albeit with certain limitations and debates surrounding the validity of these measures (Fteiha & Awwad, 2020). Wisdom is a multifaceted concept that transcends mere cognitive intelligence. Unlike intelligence, which often refers to cognitive capabilities, wisdom incorporates ethical and affective dimensions, reflecting a comprehensive understanding of life and human nature. Wisdom is not innate but rather a quality that can be developed over time. The Book of Ecclesiastes offers profound insights into the nature of wisdom, presenting it as a deep understanding of life's ephemeral nature and the importance of finding meaning within this context. Ecclesiastes emphasizes the limitations of human knowledge and the vanity of worldly pursuits, advocating for a wise approach to life that recognizes the significance of fear of God and adherence to His commandments as the foundation of true wisdom as the Bible says, “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind (New International Version, 2007, Ecclesiastes 12:13)." This perspective aligns with adult psychology's understanding of wisdom as involving a deep comprehension of life's complexities and moral dimensions, echoing Erikson's theory of psychosocial development, which also underscores the importance of developing a sense of integrity and meaning in later life stages. References Bible, H. (2007). New International Version,(Holy Bible).  Australia. Author. Fisher, C. M., Ananth, P., & Caliskan, O. D. (2020). A winding road: Teresa Amabile and creative process research.  Creativity at work: A festschrift in honor of Teresa Amabile, 35-46. Fteiha, M., & Awwad, N. (2020). Emotional intelligence and its relationship with stress coping style.  Health Psychology Open,  7(2), 2055102920970416.