Final Exam

COLLEGE OF SEQUOIAS - PSYCHOLOGY 1 CRN 24557 (HANFORD) AND 26935 (VISALIA)

FINAL EXAM

DUE TUESDAY 5/19/20 FOR THE HANFORD CLASS

DUE WEDNESDAY 5/20/20 FOR THE VISALIA CLASS

SUBMIT ONLINE VIA THE ASSIGNMENTS SECTION OF CANVAS

This final exam asks you to use your knowledge of the DSM5 to read/view a case history of an unusual person and then develop what you think is the best DSM5 diagnosis for this person. During their lifetimes neither of these people sought psychiatric treatment or was formally diagnosed. Your assignment should consist of four numbered paragraphs which address these four questions:

1. Based on what you saw/read about this person, what is the one DSM 5 diagnosis that is closest to this person’s signs, symptoms, and history? You should cite the specific DSM 5 criteria for the disorder and then connect specific incidents or characteristics of this person to those criteria. [Keep in mind they don’t have to meet all the criteria because the assignment is to find the diagnosis that is closest.] What other information would you need in order to determine whether your provisional diagnosis is correct?

2. In diagnosing cases we sometimes use the term “rule-out” to identify other DSM 5 diagnoses (besides the main one) that are also possible once we get more information. In this paragraph identify any possible rule-out diagnoses and what more information you need to clear this up. If you don’t see any possible rule-out diagnosis explain why you don’t see any.

3. Finding a plausible diagnosis is just the first step in possibly helping this person. In this paragraph identify what type of help might have been in order for this person and at what point in their life. Explain why and how that help was needed and why it didn’t happen.

4. Both these cases fall into the gray area of diagnosis. Neither sought professional help and we don’t know all the details of their lives. In this paragraph I want you to cite, if you can, somebody you know in real life OR a public figure you know well that also falls into that gray area. Maybe they have a DSM5 disorder or maybe they don’t. Give me enough details about that person to show why they are in that gray area. [Keep in mind your papers are submitted in confidence and no one else will hear about what you disclose in this paragraph.]

There are two cases to use in this assignment and you need to pick just one .

The first is a magazine article about a promising academic researcher who ended up with legal issues. You can read that article here:

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2010/10/04/the-scholar-jeffrey-toobin

OR

The second is an 80-minute documentary about a woman named Vivian Maier who lived in obscurity and died in 2009. After her death it was uncovered that she was an exceptional, world-class photographer.

https://petapixel.com/2016/03/23/can-now-watch-finding-vivian-maier-netflix/

This can be streamed on a variety of online video services.