The case studies will require you to carry out research to support your answers, which will allow you to learn how to access and interpret resources beyond the course and see how they may support or contradict your arguments as you build a case for your answers. You should read as widely as possible around each case study to consider aspects of symptomology, diagnosis, condition treatment and treatment prognosis. You must then make an informed decision as to what your answers will be, based on how well the information you have gathered matches the details provided in the case study vignettes. You also need to consider and discuss what each case study suggests about normal psychological functioning. You should primarily try to use research-based journal articles in your case study. Specialised text-books will also be of use, as will some specialist web-sites; however, these should not be your primary sources for the case studies (the main basis for your answers). The case studies will correspond with the topics covered in the Biological Psychology lectures and activities. Clearly cite your source material; the idea is to justify your claims for symptomology, diagnosis, condition treatment and treatment prognosis. However, avoid an overly descriptive style of report ensuring that you also adopt a critical approach in your answers and personal narrative. Your assignment should be approximately 1,500 words and double-spaced. Learning outcomes assessed: 1 and 2 (which you can identify in your module guide). ________________________________________ In preparing your response, be sure to answer the following questions: 1.Provide a diagnosis for this case. 2.Provide specific evidence from the case study, focusing particularly on biological, cognitive and neurological explanations to justify your diagnosis. 3.Focus on how the biological and cognitive causes impact on psychological factors i.e. behaviour, mood etc. 4.Where requested outline a treatment/therapy plan for the patient. Ensure your plan is empirically supported, thorough and detailed. Tips for Making a More Accurate Diagnosis; These real-world cases represent complex human beings. No effort has been made to simplify the cases or to focus on only a single set of symptoms. As a result, you need to review the entire case file before you begin formulating your diagnosis(es). Use all available information, your goal should be to form a diagnosis and be able to cite facts that support this diagnosis. Pay attention to all of the facts and symptoms. It is important to acknowledge symptoms that are both consistent and inconsistent with your diagnosis. David Smith is a 38 year old male with sleep difficulty. David is a school teacher and reports that for the past three and a half years he has had difficulty with getting to sleep. He goes to sleep at 10-11 pm but often finds himself struggling to fall asleep and will often not do so until 1-2 am in the morning often feeling frustrated and finding himself just laying in bed looking at the clock trying hard to sleep. Even once asleep his sleep is often disturbed with several awakenings throughout the night, with an additional half an hour then required to get back to sleep. According to his spouse once asleep he does not have any unusual limb movements, nor does he snore. He reports that as the time to go to bed approaches he often finds himself becoming very stressed and fears that he will be having another sleepless night. He does not take sleeping pills and has no symptoms of depression. He enjoys his work when not struggling with fatigue and concentration difficulties, and reports no marital or family difficulties currently. He does report that the last time he had a really good sleep was the family holiday away in Spain last summer. Although, his general health is good he often finds himself feeling fatigued and having difficulty in concentrating at work. From recollection he reports that the sleeping difficulty started after he had gone through an anxious period where he had a disagreement with his siblings about their elderly mothers care following the death of their father, as she had severe support needs due to Alzheimers. a) What sort of insomnia is David suffering from? Ensure you provide a clear and empirically supported rationale for your answer, also justifying as to why you have ruled out others. b) How would you manage Davids sleep problem? Provide a brief list of possible treatments/therapy with strengths and limitations based on supporting material, and provide an evaluated conclusion as to why you would select the treatment/therapy (or combination) that you have. c) What part does our brain and physiology play in getting us to sleep each day? Provide clear in-depth mechanisms and sites of actions based on empirical sources d) Why is Davids condition potentially problematic in the long-term if he continues to struggle sleeping? Why is sleep important for us? Again base your arguments on carefully evaluated and reviewed literature. Please use attached PowerPoint lecture note for reference
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