Holmes in the room Essay

‘ His ability to withdraw within himself and to detach himself is reinforced with his preference for German music; ‘it is introspective and I want to introspect. ‘ This behaviour is shown yet again in Silver Blaze in his movement from ‘day-dreaming’ and ‘absorbed in his own thoughts’ to ‘suppressed excitement’. This essence of his character is also a strong reference to Victorian morality in the duality of human nature. Conan Doyle’s stories convey the sense of a double life led by many middle class men, in particular. Conan Doyle conveys Holmes as possessing a character that changes from the ‘languid’, ‘dreamy’, ‘gentle’ sense of his inertia to his predatory qualities; ‘Holmes the sleuth-hound, Holmes the relentless, keen-witted, ready criminal agent’. The words ‘swing of his nature’ and ‘alternately’ further contribute to our impression of his dual nature. There is also a symbolic representation of a duality of human nature in the contrast between the ‘shabby’, ‘faded’, ‘weedy’ side of the square and the ‘fine’ ‘stately’ side that backs the pawnbroker and represents commerce. The gap between rich and poor widened with the growth in industry during the Victorian era. The growth in wealth is shown in the metaphor of a ‘tide’ and ‘immense stream’ of increasing wealth. Dual nature is also clearly identified in Silver Blaze when Silas Brown is shown to have two personalities; ‘never have I seen such a change as had been brought about in Silas Brown in that short time’. In The Man with the Twisted Lip you will find the strongest representation of dual nature. At the beginning of the story Holmes disguises himself as a ‘tall, thin old man’ so that not even Watson, his closest friend can recongise him. Conan Doyle describes the change in Holmes ‘his form had filled out, his wrinkles were gone, the dull eyes had regained their fire’. Doyle’s language in the paragraph conveys the duality of man and as the paragraph progresses, language marks Holmes’ transformation from ‘very thin; very wrinkled, bent with age’ to his real self. Finally he regains his ingenious disguise to ‘doddering, loose-lipped senility’. But the strongest personification of the dual nature of man lies in Neville St. Clair who is the embodiment of Victorian double personality; one life by day and another by night. The first evidence of this lies in his two distinct writing styles of which he has a different style for ‘when he wrote hurriedly’. But the main reference to duality of nature appears near the end of the story when Holmes starts scrubbing off the beggar man’s, Boone’s, face to reveal his true persona – Neville St. Clair. The description of the face peeled off and exposing the ‘refined’ man beneath shows the true extent of Victorian double nature. There is also a strong metaphor for the merging of the two sides of his character; ‘the horrid scar which had seamed it across’. In The Red-Headed League Holmes’s appearance is compared to that of a ‘strange bird’ with a ‘hawk like nose’. This draws an image of an almost predatory figure in the reader’s mind. This image is further reinforced in The Red-Headed League with his quick firing of questions to Jabez Wilson. These questions reflect his razor sharp ability to extract information and also his quick-thinking mind. He is also described as a bird in The Man with the Twisted Lip when Conan Doyle draws attention to his ‘strong set aquiline features’. This description could also be in reference to the publication of Darwin’s On the Origin of the Species and the idea that human kind were descendants of animals, beasts. There is also a reminder of Darwin’s theory in The Speckled Band; ‘I have heard, Mr Holmes, that you can see deeply into the manifold wickedness of the human heart. ‘ There was a huge fear in Victorian times that men possessed a bestial quality. This also conveys the Victorian double standard because Holmes works for the good of society, but possesses something that draws him towards evil. This is reinforced again in Silver Blaze when he is described as having ‘menace in his eyes’. In the Victorian age, a certain type of novel emerged from the largely romantic literary background, the Gothic novel, which was invented almost single-handedly by Horace Walpole who wrote The Castle of Otranto in 1764. It has been suggested, by the critic Ann B. Tracy, that the Gothic novel could be seen as a description of a fallen world. While Sherlock Holmes is certainly a hero in many senses, in that he solves crimes, repeatedly saves people from the forces of evil and restores moral values while he is at it, he could also certainly be seen as a Gothic hero. It is his strong power of perception that solves crimes, and it is his hunger for sensation that drives his crime-solving and his cocaine use. To succeed as a detective Holmes frequently must himself descend into London’s underworld, which further reinforces the theory of a fallen world. It could be said that in all of the Sherlock Holmes stories there is a Gothic element in the form of a mysterious, inexplicable situation. This could be definitely be seen in The Red-Headed League, but to really discover the more detailed elements that constitute the genre of a Gothic novel we can look no further than The Speckled Band, which is littered with references to a true Gothic novel. First of all there is the woman in distress, in this case taking the presence of Helen Stoner, who ‘arrived in a considerable state of excitement’. She is described as being ‘in a pitiable state of agitation, her face all dawn and grey, with restless, frightened eyes’, which certainly conforms to the Gothic element of women with highly wrought emotions. There is also a woman in high state of emotion present in Silver Blaze when Mrs. Straker’s ‘face was haggard, and†¦ stamped with the print of a recent horror’. Also present in The Speckled Band which is an element of a Gothic story is the occurrence of a cruel, tyrannical male who threatens and harms a woman, which appears in the form of Dr Grimsby Roylott, whom Helen Stoner appears to be considerably afraid of when she tries to hide the marks on her arm; ‘you have been cruelly used’. Then there is the setting in a ruined building, Stoke Moran, which seems to be in a considerable state of disrepair; ‘the building was of grey, lichen-blotched stone†¦. windows were broken†¦. a picture of ruin’. There is also a sense of mystery and suspense as the question is posed whether or not Dr Roylott killed Helen’s sister. Also the fact that Helen Stoner has been effectively forced into living in her sister’s room could be seen as a Gothic element, as could the eerie whistle which both the sisters heard in the dead of night. Conan Doyle’s literary masterpieces are been enjoyed by thousands for almost a century now and continue to capture the hearts of both young and old. So brilliant and absorbing are these stories that when Sherlock Holmes was ‘killed’ in The Final Problem fans complained so forcefully that Conan Doyle was compelled to resurrect him again. Holmes fans even refer to the time in between his death and revivification as the ‘Great Hiatus’. The Guinness World Records has consistently listed him as the â€Å"most portrayed movie character† with over 70 actors playing the part in over 200 films. A rare manuscript of one of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s final Sherlock Holmes stories has recently been expected to fetch a whopping i 250,000 at auction. Overall there have been 56 short stories and 4 novels, written over a decade. These accounts are littered with references to Victorian England and can help people today to understand what life was like in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Kate Manson 10S Page 1 of 5 Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Arthur Conan Doyle section.

Ben-Hur and Messala

Full of surprising actions, difficult compromises, and bitter defeats, Ben-Hur tells the tale of a Jewish prince, Judea Ben-Hur, born around the time of Jesus Christ in Jerusalem. Judea is childhood friends with a Roman boy named Messala. The deep bond between the two is a point clearly made in the beginning of the movie. The movie swiftly moves ahead over 20 years to a time when Rome has invaded Jerusalem. Ben-Hur is still a prince and regarded still with honor though he no longer rules the land.After years of separation, Ben-Hur and Messala have a joyful reunion and once again begin to reinvigorate the bonds of friendship. Exposition as they walk around fountain with the women discussing their youth lets us know Messala was almost a part of the Ben-Hur family. Everything is sweet with talk of â€Å"old times† yet one still gets the feeling that Messala is a bad guy as he discusses turning Libya to ashes in front of the women and soon after as he tries to get Judea to turn in fellow Jews. Messala is looking to climb the ladder of power and he begs for Ben-Hur’s help in getting rid of Jewish rebels.When Ben-Hur refuses, Messala uses an accident to place Ben-Hur under arrest. He is sent away as a galley slave for use on Roman ships. After saving the life of the Roman Counsel Quintus Arrius, Ben-Hur is freed from slavery and adopted by the high-ranking Roman. Judea Ben-Hur, driven by obtaining revenge on Messala, decides he must leave his new friends and family and return to Jerusalem. The longing to find his sister and mother are as strong as his need for revenge. After leaving Rome, Ben-Hur finds that Messala is now a famed chariot racer in Jerusalem.Fate has Ben-Hur meeting an Arab sheik who owns a chariot but whose rider is inadequate. This Arab offers Ben-Hur the chance to ride in a chariot driven by four of the finest horses he has ever seen in competition against Messala, hoping winning against the evil ex-friend will be revenge enough for Be n-Hur. After politely rejecting the offer, Judea heads back to his Jerusalem home in hope of finding his revenge and his family. But instead, Ben-Hur returns to find his home in disarray and his family still gone.His slaves, however, remain and they have hidden Ben-Hur’s wealth. Esther, the slave daughter he freed years before is still there, almost waiting for him to return. Fate once again steps in, and Judea winds up on the sheik’s chariot in the great chariot race of Jerusalem. Taking up almost twenty minutes of screen time, this ultra-dramatic and occasionally gory scene finds Ben-Hur the victor in the end. Thinking his family dead and his nemesis not only beaten but also mortally wounded, Ben-Hur finally believes the end of his torments may be close at hand.But Messala, despite knowing he is near death, still refuses to concede defeat. He requests a visit from Ben-Hur. It is then that Messala tells Ben-Hur that his family is alive and living as lepers in the vall ey. The obvious fresh pain he brings to his one-time friend seems to please Messala as Ben-Hur is once again filled with agonizing reality. Esther and Ben-Hur soon bring his mother and sister out of the valley and into the city where they are pelted with rocks. Soon though, attention shifts to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.Ben-Hur recognizes Christ. He cannot understand why he is being tortured so and Ben-Hur thrashes through the crowd in order to get closer. He is able to bring Jesus a wooden cup of water and when he sits in front of the wounded Christ to offer the drink, Ben-Hur looks into Christ’s eyes and it is obvious something deep has passes between them. The crucifixion complete, we see Christ’s blood being washed down the hillside where Esther and Ben-Hur’s family have taken shelter in cave. It is this night that finds Ben-Hur finally attaining peace.Ben-Hur has probably been described as a film of â€Å"epic† proportions more times than the su n has risen since its birth. Nevertheless, epic it is. Made on a grand scale, Ben-Hur is a story of good and evil which is often as clear as in children’s fable. For example, for centuries most people associate the color white with good and black with bad. Messala, the enemy of Ben-Hur wears black clothing and has black horses in the great chariot race while Ben-Hur’s are clothes are light and his horses white.Yet, it is also a tale that makes one wonder if good and evil are actually as clearly defined as we have been led to believe. Though it is in the background most often, religion plays a big part of this movie. Just like in the modern world where religious fanatics abound, there were many conflicting beliefs two centuries ago. While the movie, in my opinion, could have made the Romans the evildoers simply for their different beliefs, it never stoops that low. Instead, the movie shows that greed is evil and that acceptance of others unlike oneself is what makes all humans good.Messala disparages Jews to Ben-Hur frequently, but it is not that which makes him evil. It is Messala’s corrupt ways, selfish actions, and unrepentant heart that make him evil. Not only does the movie compare and contrast Messala and Ben-Hur, it also strives to compare Ben-Hur with Jesus. They were born around the same time, they were good men with great things in their futures. But the pain of one found him seeking blood for blood where the other professed people should fight oppression and evil with love and peace. With cunning subtlety, the live of Jesus is intermingled with Ben-Hur’s.We never see Jesus’ face, nor do we ever hear him speak. But, we do get the ideas Jesus professed through other characters such as Balthazar and Esther. We hear of the types of choices Jesus would make and we witness the one Ben-Hur makes. Judea is absolutely powerful as he talks of how freedom will ring so loudly when Rome falls. We know his choice is to fight, vio lently if need be for what he wants. Yet Jesus is powerful too, as we hear his words of peaceful action through others. Compared to Messala, Ben-Hur is the opposite of evil.But, when compared to Jesus, Ben–Hur is also an opposite. This is where the lines of good vs. evil are less clear than say white and black. It is almost as if the movie wanted us to see Messala as the ultimate evil, Jesus as the ultimate good, and Ben-Hur as the fallible human who must live every day between the two. This pull of both is obvious quite often in Ben-Hur’s life. First he must choose between being a loyal friend and a loyal leader, then he must choose between killing those who would have him dead and remaining alive for the future.He makes life-altering choices based on emotion only many times. The ship scene where Ben-Hur is unlocked prior to being rammed turns into him saving as many other slaves as he can, despite risking his own life by remaining in the ships’ hold is not onl y graphic but very emotional. And soon after, he not only kills another to save the life of Quintus Arrius, he saves him again by refusing to allow Quintus Arrius to kill himself by suicide. No expert on this time period, I found this movie to be extremely accurate historically.From the clothing to the architecture of ships and buildings to the desolate desert settings, they all rang fairly true. If occasionally, one could image a particular shot taken on a movie lot, there were hundreds of others that felt perfectly real that could make you forget a second or two of falseness. It seemed that very detailed attention was given to even minor aspects of the film. For instance, Ben-Hur’s hairstyle was decidedly Roman after his months spent in the empire’s capital. The make up of the women was very detailed too, as were the many wounds shown in the war between ships.Also, the instant where the slave must move the Baton of Victory closer to the emperor reach so that the empe ror would save mere inches of movement rang quite true and a tad funny. Every great epic must have a great ending. Ben-Hur certainly does. This is when Judea is finally reunited with his family and he brings them into to Jerusalem where they see Christ being tortured as he carries the cross. â€Å"In his pain a look of peace† Ester mutters softly as Judea struggles to get close to Jesus.Soon after, the blood of Jesus that runs down the hillsides as the rain pours down heals Judea’s family miraculously. Esther was going to leave Ben-Hur as his thirst for vengeance was turning him to â€Å"stone† until a look from Jesus and a few of the crucified preacher’s words rid Judea of the pull toward evil completely. The happily ever after ending can read like a children’s fable and feel a little unrealistic as well. But, one has to consider that with all the torment the main characters in this film had to endure in their lives, a little artistic license is u nderstandable.This version of Ben-Hur was a great success. It remains on many lists as one of the top 100 films of all time and is still discussed frequently among moviegoers and critics alike. The famous chariot race scenes in the later half of the movie are recognizable even to many that have never seen the entire film. No doubt this film can be considered a success when fifty years later it is still being watched, still is recognizable, and it’s actions scenes are still being emulated (Think of the pod-race in Star Wars – The Phantom Menace).Another aspect of measuring its success is that while some of the scenes are obviously shot on a filming lot (Ben-Hur’s home after his return from Rome, close-up shots during the dramatic race are the first scenes to come to mind) the production itself was an amazing undertaking. Made in the days before computers could enhance, fix, and modify any image, the drama accomplished is admirable. Thousands of people at a time i n some shots and the final product came together in a way that ends up looking so smooth, but must have been quite an undertaking to realize.The most recent production of Titanic, a massive success in its own right, had fifty years of technology at is disposal and yet it’s computer generated people aboard the luxurious cruise liner with their stiff movements and bodies and clothing without details cannot hold a candle to the thousands of extras used to fill a Jerusalem arena as they cheer for Ben-Hur, line roman streets for a tribute to the returning Quintus Arrius, fill a hillside from all directions to listen to the words of Jesus Christ, or follow Christ as he takes his last tortured steps through Jerusalem with the heavy wooden cross on his back.Technology has been wonderful to the movie industry, but Ben-Hur stands out even today because it is able to touch the audience intensely without the use of modern tools. The realistic touches, such as the thousands of extras invo lved, the intelligent decision to parallel the live of Jesus while still keeping his character in the background, and the still exciting chariot scenes are only a part of the reason this film is a monumental success still.

Discuss substance abuse on the job

Substance abuse in the workplace is defined as overdependence on or overindulgence in a certain chemical substance resulting to effects that harm the mental and physical health of the individual or the wellbeing of others. The substance taken by the abuser does not have any medicinal or therapeutic effect on the individual. Substance abuse at the workplace is not a new issue but the problem has affected many companies and business organizations for a long time.Some of the most common substances that are abused in the workplace include alcohol, opium alkaloids, cocaine and barbiturates among others (King and Chassin, 2008: 629-637). Abuse of substances not only affects the workplace but it may also lead to criminal penalty and at the same time the individual involved may be harmed socially, physically and also psychologically depending on the local authority within the individual’s environment. Substance abuse in most cases results to substance dependence or addiction to the su bstance and so the individual is unable to work without the substance.Individuals who are addicted or dependent on a certain substances need to develop some tolerance for them to cope with the problem and these results to withdrawal symptoms. Substance dependence and abuse are different from substance addiction in that addiction involves duress to using the substance no matter the negative effects of the substance on the individual and in some cases it may involve chemical dependence although not always. Substance dependence implies some kind of abuse although abuse takes place without dependence and in most cases it occurs when an employee first engages in the abuse of the substance.Dependence is a physiological process and on the other hand substance abuse shows an intricate interaction between the individual, the society and the substance abused by the individual (King and Chassin, 2008: 629-637). SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN THE JOB Substance abuse in the workplace is not a new concept an d at various instances throughout history there have been issues of substance abuse in the workplace. In the past years the abuse of substances in the work place has encountered a dismissive attitude and so many organizations have tried to adopt working with the problem rather than developing ways to counter the issue.Many organizations have therefore come to a conclusion that substance abuse and especially alcohol abuse in the workplace is not a problem that can easily be secluded from the workplace. Currently it has emerged that substance abuse is detrimental both to the workers and the organization although this concept has not been universally accepted. Most organizations have realized that for them to be internationally competitive they need to deal with the issue of substance abuse among the employees in an effective manner.The following are some of the reasons behind substance abuse in the workplace: Psychological disorders are a cause of substance abuse in cases where some e mployees use substance abuse so as to reject, adapt to or hide a fundamental psychological disorder. Depression in the workplace may also lead to substance abuse because it affects an individual’s ability to work effectively in the daily activities like caring for family members and going to work. Schizophrenia is also another cause of substance abuse in the workplace.Panic disorder in the workplace leads to periods of irrational fear and this may lead to substance abuse so as to get rid of the fear. Social phobia may also lead to substance abuse. Social phobia affects an individual when he or she has an intense fear of being humiliated socially, this happens when the person does not want to embarrass himself in front of other workmates. Emotional stress may also lead to substance abuse in the workplace. Emotional stress in the workplace may be as a result of a lot of work or difficulties in the family of the affected individual.There are a number of syndromes that may lead t o substance abuse in the work place, these include: Austrian syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome and also the Gulf War syndrome. Harassment in the workplace may also lead to substance abuse as a result of trying to cope with the threats posed by the harassment (wrong diagnosis, 2009). Although the above factors may result to substance abuse in the workplace some individuals may become addicted while others do not. This is because of the following factors: The genes that people are born with are very unique and this means that the level of addiction of people varies due to the genes present.Gender, social status, ethnicity and other mental disorders also affect the level of addiction to a certain substance. An individual’s environment which includes the family, friends, workmates and the quality of life affect the individual’s risk of substance abuse. Peer pressure and parental guidance affect the course of substance abuse and the level of addiction of an individual. The l evel of addiction vulnerability is affected by developmental stages of the individual.Although substance abuse at any developmental stage may lead to addiction there is evidence to show that the earlier the substance abuse begins the more likely it is to progress to serious cases of addiction. Adolescents have a higher chance of trying substances because their brains are still undergoing development in the sections that determine self-control, decision making and judgment (Robert and Neil, 2009). SYMPTOMS OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE AT THE WORKPLACE Different substances may have differing effects on the overall health of the individual but the pattern of the effects on the individual’s mental and physical health is similar.Acquiring and at the same time using the substance becomes more essential to an individual as compared to everything else like friends, workmates or the family. Substance abuse causes some emotional and physical damages to the individual and so the individual is fac ed with a problem of functioning in the right way and also the ability of the individual to make appropriate judgments is also affected. Substance abuse affects the brain and the physical body in a direct way as it is the case in some substances that increase the blood pressure and the heart rate.Some substances that act as stimulants in the body for example cocaine increasing the activities of the body resulting to increased blood pressure and therefore the individual lacks the ability to sleep. On the other hand there are some substances that slow down the level of activities in the body for example barbiturates, these substances reduce the blood pressure of the body and also reduce the level of breathing and sometimes it may go to some dangerous levels. There are several physical signs of substance abuse and addiction in the workplace which include some instances of increased energy.This is when an individual is seen to act in a way that shows he or she has some increased energy although the source of the energy may not be known. One major symptom associated with stimulants is restlessness and the lack of sleep by the worker. Although some workers may be naturally restlessness it is always necessary to carefully note any changes in the workers’ levels of restlessness as it may be as a result of substance abuse. Some strange behaviors expressed by the workers may be a symptom of substance abuse, some of these behaviors include: slow reaction time, unusual slow movements, slow speeches or confusion at the workplace.Most of these behaviors are common with those individuals who abuse opium or barbiturates. Another symptom is a rapid loss of weight or in some instances it may be a sudden gain in weight. Cycles of abnormal sleep is also a symptom of substance abuse. A rapid change in the manner of dressing may also be a symptom of substance abuse, for example wearing long sleeved shirts at all times so as to hide the scars caused by injections in the proce ss of substance abuse. An increased severe dental condition is a symptom mostly with those workers who use methamphetamine.If a certain worker is suspected of being in possession of drug paraphernalia like syringes and pipes, this may be an indicator of substance abuse by the worker. A major symptom for those substances that are snorted is severe troubles with nosebleeds or frequent nose bleeding. Substances that are normally smoked have a major symptom of continuous coughs which at high levels of substance abuse may increase to coughing of blood or excessive mucus. Substance abuse affects the mood of the individual because the substance is consumed to provide temporary feelings to the individual.The temporary feeling resulting from substance abuse may vary with the substance used by the individual although the following are the major emotional and mental symptoms of substance abuse. A period of an individual being unusually talkative with a lot of energy or some times the individua l becoming unusually cheerful is a major emotional symptom of substance abuse. An increase in the level of verge for violence expressed by the individual is another emotional symptom of substance abuse. Workers who show signs of increased irritability, fury and agitation may be involved in substance abuse.Another major emotional and mental symptom of substance abuse is unexpected calmness or workers becoming unresponsive. Lack of interest and depression may also be an emotional symptom of substance abuse. Other minor emotional and mental symptoms include hallucinations, fear, temporary psychosis and increased anger (Joanna, Jeanne and Deborah, January 2009). Other physical signs that indicate a person is abusing a certain substance or he is under the influence of a certain substance vary from one substance to another, for example: A worker who uses tobacco will have a frequent odor of tobacco, discolored teeth and finger tips.Individuals who use cannabis experience abnormal levels o f hunger, excessive happiness and the white parts of their eyes are red in color. Those who use cold medications have slow heart rates and are sleepy at most times. Inhalants are characterized by running noses confusion and irritability of the users. Users of narcotics experience pain at a lower level, slow rates of breathing and excessive happiness. Those who use anabolic steroids experience an increase in their levels of irritability, increased muscle development and loss of hair.Dissociative anesthetics are associated with an increase in the heart rate resulting to increased blood pressure, loss of memory and also increased irritability. Hallucinogens are associated with sleeplessness and blurred perceptions. Club drugs are associated with very active individuals who do not sweat and they also seem to like everyone they meet or having excessive euphoria. The following behavioral symptoms are associated with the abuse of substances. Mood swings: All the substances abused end up pr oducing some changes in the moods of the individual, a person may shift from euphoria to depression.A person who is into abuse of substances may be passive at one time and in the next few minutes he is angry. Personality changes are also a symptom of abuse of substances in the workplace. This is evident in that individuals become depressed and avoid communication with their workmates. Defensiveness is also a symptom of substance abuse in the workplace because individuals blame others and they claim to be accused falsely. Those who are into substance abuse soon become self-centered and they do anything their own way without consulting their workmates.Withdrawal from family activities is also a symptom of workers engaging in substance abuse, this includes rejecting any family events or not eating together with the other family members. Change of friends, for example termination of a long relationship or spending time with suspicious friends is a behavioral symptom of substance abuse. Sudden lack of self discipline and capability to follow rules and regulations in the workplace is a sign of substance abuse too.Work problems like absences, tardiness, avoiding senior staff members, missed deadlines and a drop in the quality of results obtained is a behavioral sign of substance abuse. EFFECTS OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE ON PERFORMANCE AND WORKSAFETY According to the International Labor Organization (ILO), in the recent years there has been an increased realization in many countries concerning the effects of substance abuse on the performance of the employees. The fact that substance abuse is detrimental to both the employees and the organization has been widely accepted in the past few years although the issue has not been recognized universally.Substance abuse does not only affect the performance of the work as a whole but it also results to increased accidents, absenteeism, mortality and illness. These effects of substance abuse are related to the cost of doing business an d therefore for businesses to succeed they should come up with ways of reducing substance abuse among the employees. Over the past few years studies have shown that absenteeism is three times higher for substance users compared to other employees (ILO, 2009).Absenteeism has a direct effect on the business in that the business may not achieve its target therefore it may be unable to satisfy its customers and hence a negative reputation from the public in general. Absenteeism due to substance abuse leads to overwork of the other employees which may then result to poor quality of work leading to poor quality goods and reduced sales. Very high rates of absenteeism in an organization as a result of substance abuse may lead to complete closure of the organization due to lack of employees.Study has also shown that employees who are substance abusers may claim three times more sickness benefits compared to the other employees (ILO, 2009). The sick benefits increase the cost of operation of the business and so the business suffers financially because a huge portion of its returns is used to cater for the sick benefits. Workers who are substance dependent file more compensation claims as compared to those who are not, this increases the expenses the organization incurs in litigation processes and therefore it reduces the profitability of the organization.Study has also revealed that almost a quarter of all the accidents that occur in the workplaces are caused by intoxicated workers who either harm themselves or end up harming other workmates, this reduces the performance of the organization as resources are used in treating the injured. Accidents due to intoxication of some workers also lead to absence of workers which is fatal to the organization (ILO, 2009). As a result of increased research in the area of substance abuse and work performance it is evident that the problems in the workplace as a result of substance abuse are not restricted to alcoholics and drug addic ts only.Although alcoholics and heavy drinkers are groups most likely to cause accidents in the workplaces their numbers are quite low in most of the workplaces. Due to this moderate and occasional drinkers are responsible for most accidents in the workplace resulting due to alcohol or intoxication. The level of consumption of some substances is directly related to the performance of the individual. According to a research carried out to investigate the effects of alcohol on the performance of pilots, it was noted that before any consumption of alcohol 10% of the pilots could not carry out their operations in the right manner.After consumption of alcohol up to an alcohol-blood concentration of 0. 11/100ml of blood, 90% of the pilots could not perform all the necessary operations in the right way. After all the alcohol had gotten out of their systems 65% of the pilots could not carry out all their operations in the right way (ILO, 2009). A similar research to the one carried on pilot s was carried on workers who use other types of substances and the results were almost the same. This is a clear indication of the fact that substance abuse negatively affects the performance of workers therefore leading to poor results.Research has identified not only those areas that are at the risk of substance abuse but it has also identified the reasons behind the occurrence of substance abuse problems in some industries and not in all industries. Out of a number of major workplaces that were researched upon the following were identified as the areas that are most likely to be affected by substance abuse: construction industry, military, transport sector, catering sector, maritime sector and the entertainment services industry.Workers who are of a lower status and young are more likely to indulge into substance abuse and hence their performance in the workplace is quite low. The other groups of workers who reduce the performance of their industries due to substance abuse are la wyers, doctors, police officers and company directors. The performance of workers who engage themselves in substance abuse is highly affected due to the fact that this group of workers tends to fall sick more frequently as compared to the other workers and therefore their level of performance is below the optimum.Substance abuse also affects organizations in that it lowers the productivity of the organization because of absenteeism, accidents and health issues related to the workers. Family problems also occur due to substance abusing and these problems may end up being extended to the workplace, for example a husband who is into substance abuse may cause problems in his home that may affect the productivity of the wife in her workplace.Job loss is another effect of substance abuse and these leads to lack of enough workers in the workplace and therefore the productivity of the organization is greatly affected. Substance abuse affects the employers in that it leads to safety problems that affect the whole organization, the employees and the general public and it also increases the costs incurred by the organization, decreases the productivity of the organization and reduces the competitive advantage of the organization.Security of most enterprises whose workers are into substance abuse is also affected because some substances may cause individuals to be angry and violent. Violence in any enterprise affects the performance of the enterprise because the workers are not freely working as they fear being affected by actions of those workers who are into substance abuse. Substance abuse also leads to continued disagreements in the workplace and therefore the workers spend a lot of time arguing, this time would have however been spent in productive activities of the enterprise.Health issues that are as a result of substance abuse affect the performance of the workers; a good example of this is the case of alcohol. Excessive consumption of alcohol leads to health prob lems as a result of liver failure, workers who are affected by this condition may find it difficult to work at their normal rates and this causes them to reduce their performance level in the workplace. Employers will mostly make the decision of not adopting substance testing policies because they assume that they will confidently detect the abuse of substances among their employees.Regrettably the effects of substance use are rarely noticeable in the first stages until the employers have greatly incurred losses as a result of substance abuse. Those beginning substance abuse are not likely to portray the typical characteristics of a substance user although the substance in his body affects the ability of the employee to function efficiently. At the entry level of the substance the employee has shifted from the recreational use of the substances and now the substances are required by the employees to help them cope with their daily stress.The major effects of the abuse on the employe e performance at this stage are seen by: increased tardiness and absenteeism, an increase in the rate of errors as a result of lack of attention and proper judgment and the increase in the number of unachieved deadlines at the workplace. At the second stage the employee develops a habit of using the substance in secret place so as to hide the increase in the intake from other workers.At this stage the employee develops the following problems lower quality of work notable by all people even the workmates, lower levels of concentration in the workplace, high rates of hospitalization leading to increased absenteeism and the employee is no longer dependable. At this point the co-workers can feel the effect of the substance abuse as the abuser becomes more irritable and begins to borrow money from workmates. At the third stage the employer begins to notice although the employer may not clearly see the relation between the poor work performance and the substance abuse.This stage is also c haracterized by the abuser disappearance from work and the refusal to discuss the issue of substance abuse with other people. At this stage the abuser no longer hides the use of the substance and he or she suffers from financial or legal issues. The last stage is when the abuser sees the work as an obstacle to his substance use and therefore he or she might accept drug test so as to be laid off or the abuser may just disappear from work (Elliot and Shelley, 2009).AMELIORATIVE ACTIONS According to the U. S Department of labor, the issue of workplace substance abuse is best dealt with by establishing all-inclusive programs so as to achieve a win-win situation to both the workers and the employers. Developing a workplace program to deal with substance abuse at the workplace can reduce the cost incurred by businesses and at the same time improve the health status of the workers (U. S Department of Labor).There is no accurate model that can be perfect for a specific company but the needs and the circumstances of the individual organization are what determine the kind of program to adopt in solving substance abuse in the workplace. Training education is another action that can be taken to counter substance abuse in organizations. The supervisors are trained to understand the policy governing the issues of substance abuse in the organization so that they are able to correctly identify those employees who are in the vice and then refer them to the appropriate people for assistance; say counselors.The employees also need to be educated about the substance abuse program adopted by the organization so that they learn of any assistance that is available to them from the organization. Depending on the size of the organization it may either adopt an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) within the organization or outsource the program to other organizations specialized in the area. Drug testing is another action that can be used to reduce cases of substance abuse in organizatio ns.In this method the employees are tested for certain chemicals in their bodies and if the levels are too high then the employees are laid off from the organization depending with the formulated policies of the organization. The method is not feasible to many organizations because the drug test package is very expensive and drug testing is not allowed in all countries. Developing a strong discipline within the organization is a good option for those organizations that cannot afford the drug test (Patrick, 2009).In conclusion substance abuse has fatal effects on organizations both to the management and the employees. Substance abuse should therefore be eliminated in the workplace as it can lead to severe damages to the organization and at times it may also lead to the complete failure of an organization if the number of abusers is at a high level. Substance abuse not only affects the organization and the employee but it also affects the public as a whole.

Abnormal Psychology Critique

Sheila Laine Dela Paz Date submitted : January 30, 2012 ABSTRACT This study sought to understand how functional status, impairment level, and use of assistive devices change over 3 years for older adults with depressive symptoms. I further explored factors that predict change in severity of depressive symptoms. During 3 years, participants experienced ncreased physical disability, a decline in severity of depressive symptoms, and an increase in the total number of assistive devices owned. A significant number of older adults will experience a decrease in depressive symptoms over 3 years, despite an increase in physical disability. They also will obtain more assistive devices as they age. The specific issue that stands out in the journal is relative to the various changes in impairment level, functional status and use of some suggested assistive devices that could be used by older people who suffer symptoms of depression. I do very much agree how the author ouched the subject and expl ained depression among the older people. There is nothing from the journal article that I disagree about. The points presented by the author about the existence of this feeling of depression among the older people are true and satisfactory. The second journal that I have, Suicide In Older Adults : Nursing Assessment Of Suicide by Linda Garand, PhD, APRN, BC, Ann M. Mitchell, PhD, RN, AHN, BC, Ann Dietrick, MSN, APRN, BC, Sophia P. Hijjawi, BSN, RN, and Di Pan, BSN, RN, is somewhat parallel to my first journal. This second article talks about suicide in older adults. It is being discussed here that suicide and attempted suicide is associated with depression, psychosis and substance abuse among younger individuals, yet among older adults, depression and co morbid medical conditions play important contributory roles. Same as what was being talked about in the first article. The issue that attracts my attention is on the prevalence of suicidal behaviors in older adults and lays a foundation for understanding the role of risk factors in the prevention of suicide. Just like in the first article, the issue focuses more on depression on older adults. It has been proven that the older adults are the one that easily get depressed than the younger ones. Just as no single factor is universally causal, no single intervention will prevent all suicides. The multi-dimensionality of suicide presents great challenges, but also has important implications for prevention. Suicide in late life must be understood as a complex combination of interactive effects in which mood disorders take a central role. Our ability to more precisely target preventive interventions will hinge on a better understanding of those relationships. Until then, urses and others must be diligent in the identification of older adults at risk for suicide. Subgroups of older adults at high risk for suicide include those with depressive illnesses, previous suicide attempts, physical illnesses, and those who are socially isolated. Therefore I can say, that major depression is the most common diagnosis in older adults (of both sexes) who attempt or complete suicide. This stud y used data from Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Aging Consumer Assessment Study, a longitudinal study of coping strategies of elders with disabilities. Seventy-three participants with depressive symptoms were interviewed at baseline and 3 years later. I believe that the author used the most appropriate method because they have come about with good results. And thus, there is no other appropriate or suitable way to test the depressive symptoms of older people than having a study or conducting a survey on a rehabilitation center. For me, application through conducting tests would be the best idea to prove whether the issue is correct or not. The journal article fully and clearly explains what depression is all about that affects the lder people. It is notable that depression happens to some people more especially the old ones who are said to be prone to the disorder. Upon relating the topic to my course, such situation is under the field of Abnormal Psychology. The field is of great importance to students taking up Psychology course like me who would desire to pursue the field of Clinical Psychology. As depression is common and could happen to everyone, this study is applicable to all. Through it, we shall have a clear idea of the appropriate way to do if ever we meet or experience a feeling of depression. Above all things, this will be a great help to me who would really like to be a successful Clinical Psychologist in the future. REFERENCES Mann, William C. , et al. â€Å"Changes in impairment level, functional status, and use of assistive devices by older people with depressive symptoms. †Ã‚  AJOT: American Journal of Occupational Therapy  62. 1 (2008): 9+. InfoTrac Custom 100 Titles. Web. 19 Jan. 2012. Document URL http://find. galegroup. com/gtx/infomark. do? source=galesrcprod=SP00prodId=SPJ. SP00u serGroupName=phmtctabID=T002docId=A208219498type=retrievecontentSet=IAC- Documentsversion=1. 0 Agree, E. , Freedman, V. (2003). A comparison of assistive technology and personal care in alleviating disability and unmet need. Gerontologist, 43, 335-344. American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed. ). Washington, DC: Author. Bergner, M. , Bobbitt, R. , Pollard, W. , Martin, D. , Gilson, B. (1976). The Sickness Impact Profile: Validation of a health status measure. Medical Care, 14, 57-67. Bradburn, N. (1969). The structure of psychological well-being. Chicago: Aldine. Center for Functional Assessment Research. 1990). Guide for use of the Uniform Data Set for Medical Rehabilitation (Version 3. 1). Buffalo, NY: Author. Chen, T. Y. , Mann, W. C. , Tomita, M. , Nochajski, S. (2000). Caregiver involvement in the use of assistive devices by frail older persons. Occupational Therapy Journal of Research, 20, 179- 199. Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics. (2004). Older Americans 2004: K ey indicators of well-being. Washington, DC: U. S. Government Printing Office. Fillenbaum, G. G. (1988). Multidimensional functional assessment of older adults: The Duke Older American Resources and Services procedures. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. Fillenbaum, G. G. , Smyer, M. A. (1981). The development, validity, and reliability of the OARS Multidimensional Functional Assessment Questionnaire. Journal of Gerontology, 36, 428-434. Folstein, M. , Folstein, S. E. , McHugh, P. (1975). â€Å"Mini-Mental State†: A practical method for grading the cognitive state of patients for the clinician. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 12, 189- 198. Gilson, B. S. , Gilson, J. S. , Bergner, M. , Bobbit, R. A. , Kressel, S. , Pollard, W. E. , et al. (1975). The Sickness Impact Profile: Development of an outcome measure of health care. American Journal of Public Health, 65, 1304-1325. Hamilton, B. , Granger, C. , Sherwin, F. , Zielenzy, M. , Tashman, J. (1987). A uniform national data system for medical rehabilitation. In M. Fuhrer (Ed. ), Rehabilitation outcomes: Analysis and measurement (pp. 137-147). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes. Hamilton, M. (1960). A rating scale for depression. Journal of Neurologic Neurosurgical Psychiatry, 23, 56-62. Hoenig, H. , Taylor, D. , Sloan, F. (2003). Does assistive technology substitute for personal assistance among the disabled elderly? American Journal of Public Health, 93, 330-337. Kruskal, W. , Wallis, W. (1952). Use of ranks in one-criterion variance analysis. Journal of the American Statistical Association, 47, 583-621. Lebowitz, B. , Pearson, J. , Schneider, L. , Reynolds, C. , Alexopoulos, G. , Bruce, M. , et al. (1997). Diagnosis and treatment of depression in late life. Journal of the American Medical Association, 278, 1186-1190. Lenze, E. , Schulz, R. , Matire, L. , Zdaniuk, B. , Glass, T. , Kop, W. , et al. (2005). The course of functional decline in older people with persistently elevated depressive symptoms: Longitudinal findings from the cardiovascular health study. Journal of the American Geriatric Society, 53, 569-575. Lubin, B. (1967). Manual for the Depression Adjective Check Lists. San Diego, CA: Educational and Industrial Testing Service. Mann, W. , Llanes, C. , Justiss, M. , Tomita, M. (2004). Frail older adults’ self-report of their most important assistive device. Occupational Therapy Journal of Research: Occupation, Participation, and Health, 24, 4-12. Mann, W. , Ottenbacher, K. , Fraas, L. , Tomita, M. , ; Granger, C. (1999). Effectiveness of assistive technology and environmental interventions in maintaining independence and reducing home care costs for the frail elderly. Archives of Family Medicine, 8, 210-217. Noel, P. , Williams, J. , Unutzer, J. , Worchel, J. , Lee, S. , Cornell, J. , et al. (2004). Depression and comorbid illness in elderly primary care patients: Impact on multiple domains of health status and well-being. Annals of Family Medicine, 2, 555-562. Ottenbacher, K. , Mann, W. , Granger, C. , Tomita, M. , Hurren, D. , ; Charvat, B. (1994). Inter- rater agreement and stability of functional assessment in the community-based elderly. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 75, 1297-1301. Pollak, N. , Rheult, W. , ; Stoecker, J. 1996). Reliability and validity of the FIM for persons aged 80 years and above from a multilevel continuing care retirement community. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 77, 1056-1061. Pollard, W. , Bobbitt, R. , Bergner, M. , Martin, D. , ; Gilson, B. (1976). The Sickness Impact Profile: Reliability of a health status measure. Medical Care, 14, 146-155. Pollock, B. , ; Reynolds, C. (2000). Depression late in life. Harvard Mental Health Letter, 17, 3-5. Pollock, B. , ; Weksler, M. (2000). Clinical update: How to recognize and treat depression in older persons. Geriatrics, 55, 67-7 . Raccio-Robak, N. , McErlean, M. , Fabacher, D. , Milano, P. , ; Verdile, V. (2002). Socioeconomic and health status differences between depressed and non-depressed elders. American Journal of Emergency Medicine, 20, 71-73. Radloff, L. (1977). The CES-D scale: A self-report depression scale for research in the general population. Applied Psychological Measurement, 1, 385-401. Radloff, L. , ; Locke, B. (Eds. ). (1986). The community mental health assessment survey and the CES-D scale. In M. M. Weissman, J. K. Myers, ; C. E. Ross (Eds. , Community surveys of psychiatric disorders (pp. 177-189). Piscataway, NJ: Rutgers University Press. Raskin, A. , Schulterbrandt, J. , Reatig, N. , ; McKeon, J. (1969). Replication of factors of psychopathology in interview, ward behavior, and self-report ratings of hospitalized depressives. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 148, 87-96. Roelands, M. , Van Oost, P. , Buysse, A. , ; Depoorter, A. (2002). Awareness among communit y- dwelling elderly of assistive devices for mobility and self-care and attitudes towards their use. Social Science and Medicine, 54, 1441-1451. Rosenberg, M. (1965). Society and the adolescent self-image. Middletown, CT: Wesleyan University Press. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Mental Health Services, ; National Institute of Mental Health. (1994). Mental health: A report of the Surgeon General— Executive summary: Chapter 5–Depression in older adults. Rockville, MD: Authors. Retrieved February 13, 2003, from http://mentalhealth. org/features/surgeongeneralreport/chapter5/sec3. asp Schiller, J. , Bernadel, L. (2004). Summary health statistics for the U. S. opulation: National Health Interview Survey, 2002. Vital Health Statistics, 10(220) 1-101. Tomita, M. , Mann, W. , Fraas, L. (2004). Predictors of the use of assistive devices that address physical impairments among community-based frail elders. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 23, 141-155. Verbrugge, L. , Sevak, P. (2002). Use, type, and efficacy of assistance for disability. Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychologi cal Sciences and Social Sciences, 57B, S366-S37 . Wechsler, D. (1955). Manual for the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale. New York: Psychological Corporation. Westfall, P. , ; Young, S. (1993). Resampling-based multiple testing: Examples and methods for p-value adjustment. New York: Wiley. Wilcoxon, F. (1945). Individual comparisons by ranking methods. Biometrics, 1, 80-83. William C. Mann, OTR, PhD, is Chairperson and Distinguished Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Florida, P. O. Box 100164, Gainesville, FL 32610-0164; wmann@phhp. ufl. edu Jessica L. Johnson, MA, OTR/L, is Research Assistant, RERC-Tech-Aging, Rehabilitation Science Doctoral Program, University of Florida, Gainesville. Lisa G. Lynch, MHS, OTR/L, is Occupational Therapist and Owner, Creative Therapy Works, Inc. , Lake Worth, FL. Michael D. Justiss, PhD, OTR/L, is Assistant Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy, Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis. Machiko Tomita, PhD, is Associate Professor, Department of Rehabilitation Science, University at Buffalo, State University of New York. Samuel S. Wu, PhD, is Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Health Policy Research, University of Florida, Gainesville. Abnormal Psychology Critique Sheila Laine Dela Paz Date submitted : January 30, 2012 ABSTRACT This study sought to understand how functional status, impairment level, and use of assistive devices change over 3 years for older adults with depressive symptoms. I further explored factors that predict change in severity of depressive symptoms. During 3 years, participants experienced ncreased physical disability, a decline in severity of depressive symptoms, and an increase in the total number of assistive devices owned. A significant number of older adults will experience a decrease in depressive symptoms over 3 years, despite an increase in physical disability. They also will obtain more assistive devices as they age. The specific issue that stands out in the journal is relative to the various changes in impairment level, functional status and use of some suggested assistive devices that could be used by older people who suffer symptoms of depression. I do very much agree how the author ouched the subject and expl ained depression among the older people. There is nothing from the journal article that I disagree about. The points presented by the author about the existence of this feeling of depression among the older people are true and satisfactory. The second journal that I have, Suicide In Older Adults : Nursing Assessment Of Suicide by Linda Garand, PhD, APRN, BC, Ann M. Mitchell, PhD, RN, AHN, BC, Ann Dietrick, MSN, APRN, BC, Sophia P. Hijjawi, BSN, RN, and Di Pan, BSN, RN, is somewhat parallel to my first journal. This second article talks about suicide in older adults. It is being discussed here that suicide and attempted suicide is associated with depression, psychosis and substance abuse among younger individuals, yet among older adults, depression and co morbid medical conditions play important contributory roles. Same as what was being talked about in the first article. The issue that attracts my attention is on the prevalence of suicidal behaviors in older adults and lays a foundation for understanding the role of risk factors in the prevention of suicide. Just like in the first article, the issue focuses more on depression on older adults. It has been proven that the older adults are the one that easily get depressed than the younger ones. Just as no single factor is universally causal, no single intervention will prevent all suicides. The multi-dimensionality of suicide presents great challenges, but also has important implications for prevention. Suicide in late life must be understood as a complex combination of interactive effects in which mood disorders take a central role. Our ability to more precisely target preventive interventions will hinge on a better understanding of those relationships. Until then, urses and others must be diligent in the identification of older adults at risk for suicide. Subgroups of older adults at high risk for suicide include those with depressive illnesses, previous suicide attempts, physical illnesses, and those who are socially isolated. Therefore I can say, that major depression is the most common diagnosis in older adults (of both sexes) who attempt or complete suicide. This stud y used data from Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Aging Consumer Assessment Study, a longitudinal study of coping strategies of elders with disabilities. Seventy-three participants with depressive symptoms were interviewed at baseline and 3 years later. I believe that the author used the most appropriate method because they have come about with good results. And thus, there is no other appropriate or suitable way to test the depressive symptoms of older people than having a study or conducting a survey on a rehabilitation center. For me, application through conducting tests would be the best idea to prove whether the issue is correct or not. The journal article fully and clearly explains what depression is all about that affects the lder people. It is notable that depression happens to some people more especially the old ones who are said to be prone to the disorder. Upon relating the topic to my course, such situation is under the field of Abnormal Psychology. The field is of great importance to students taking up Psychology course like me who would desire to pursue the field of Clinical Psychology. As depression is common and could happen to everyone, this study is applicable to all. Through it, we shall have a clear idea of the appropriate way to do if ever we meet or experience a feeling of depression. Above all things, this will be a great help to me who would really like to be a successful Clinical Psychologist in the future. REFERENCES Mann, William C. , et al. â€Å"Changes in impairment level, functional status, and use of assistive devices by older people with depressive symptoms. †Ã‚  AJOT: American Journal of Occupational Therapy  62. 1 (2008): 9+. InfoTrac Custom 100 Titles. Web. 19 Jan. 2012. Document URL http://find. galegroup. com/gtx/infomark. do? source=galesrcprod=SP00prodId=SPJ. SP00u serGroupName=phmtctabID=T002docId=A208219498type=retrievecontentSet=IAC- Documentsversion=1. 0 Agree, E. , Freedman, V. (2003). A comparison of assistive technology and personal care in alleviating disability and unmet need. Gerontologist, 43, 335-344. American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed. ). Washington, DC: Author. Bergner, M. , Bobbitt, R. , Pollard, W. , Martin, D. , Gilson, B. (1976). The Sickness Impact Profile: Validation of a health status measure. Medical Care, 14, 57-67. Bradburn, N. (1969). The structure of psychological well-being. Chicago: Aldine. Center for Functional Assessment Research. 1990). Guide for use of the Uniform Data Set for Medical Rehabilitation (Version 3. 1). Buffalo, NY: Author. Chen, T. Y. , Mann, W. C. , Tomita, M. , Nochajski, S. (2000). Caregiver involvement in the use of assistive devices by frail older persons. Occupational Therapy Journal of Research, 20, 179- 199. Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics. (2004). Older Americans 2004: K ey indicators of well-being. Washington, DC: U. S. Government Printing Office. Fillenbaum, G. G. (1988). Multidimensional functional assessment of older adults: The Duke Older American Resources and Services procedures. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. Fillenbaum, G. G. , Smyer, M. A. (1981). The development, validity, and reliability of the OARS Multidimensional Functional Assessment Questionnaire. Journal of Gerontology, 36, 428-434. Folstein, M. , Folstein, S. E. , McHugh, P. (1975). â€Å"Mini-Mental State†: A practical method for grading the cognitive state of patients for the clinician. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 12, 189- 198. Gilson, B. S. , Gilson, J. S. , Bergner, M. , Bobbit, R. A. , Kressel, S. , Pollard, W. E. , et al. (1975). The Sickness Impact Profile: Development of an outcome measure of health care. American Journal of Public Health, 65, 1304-1325. Hamilton, B. , Granger, C. , Sherwin, F. , Zielenzy, M. , Tashman, J. (1987). A uniform national data system for medical rehabilitation. In M. Fuhrer (Ed. ), Rehabilitation outcomes: Analysis and measurement (pp. 137-147). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes. Hamilton, M. (1960). A rating scale for depression. Journal of Neurologic Neurosurgical Psychiatry, 23, 56-62. Hoenig, H. , Taylor, D. , Sloan, F. (2003). Does assistive technology substitute for personal assistance among the disabled elderly? American Journal of Public Health, 93, 330-337. Kruskal, W. , Wallis, W. (1952). Use of ranks in one-criterion variance analysis. Journal of the American Statistical Association, 47, 583-621. Lebowitz, B. , Pearson, J. , Schneider, L. , Reynolds, C. , Alexopoulos, G. , Bruce, M. , et al. (1997). Diagnosis and treatment of depression in late life. Journal of the American Medical Association, 278, 1186-1190. Lenze, E. , Schulz, R. , Matire, L. , Zdaniuk, B. , Glass, T. , Kop, W. , et al. (2005). The course of functional decline in older people with persistently elevated depressive symptoms: Longitudinal findings from the cardiovascular health study. Journal of the American Geriatric Society, 53, 569-575. Lubin, B. (1967). Manual for the Depression Adjective Check Lists. San Diego, CA: Educational and Industrial Testing Service. Mann, W. , Llanes, C. , Justiss, M. , Tomita, M. (2004). Frail older adults’ self-report of their most important assistive device. Occupational Therapy Journal of Research: Occupation, Participation, and Health, 24, 4-12. Mann, W. , Ottenbacher, K. , Fraas, L. , Tomita, M. , ; Granger, C. (1999). Effectiveness of assistive technology and environmental interventions in maintaining independence and reducing home care costs for the frail elderly. Archives of Family Medicine, 8, 210-217. Noel, P. , Williams, J. , Unutzer, J. , Worchel, J. , Lee, S. , Cornell, J. , et al. (2004). Depression and comorbid illness in elderly primary care patients: Impact on multiple domains of health status and well-being. Annals of Family Medicine, 2, 555-562. Ottenbacher, K. , Mann, W. , Granger, C. , Tomita, M. , Hurren, D. , ; Charvat, B. (1994). Inter- rater agreement and stability of functional assessment in the community-based elderly. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 75, 1297-1301. Pollak, N. , Rheult, W. , ; Stoecker, J. 1996). Reliability and validity of the FIM for persons aged 80 years and above from a multilevel continuing care retirement community. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 77, 1056-1061. Pollard, W. , Bobbitt, R. , Bergner, M. , Martin, D. , ; Gilson, B. (1976). The Sickness Impact Profile: Reliability of a health status measure. Medical Care, 14, 146-155. Pollock, B. , ; Reynolds, C. (2000). Depression late in life. Harvard Mental Health Letter, 17, 3-5. Pollock, B. , ; Weksler, M. (2000). Clinical update: How to recognize and treat depression in older persons. Geriatrics, 55, 67-7 . Raccio-Robak, N. , McErlean, M. , Fabacher, D. , Milano, P. , ; Verdile, V. (2002). Socioeconomic and health status differences between depressed and non-depressed elders. American Journal of Emergency Medicine, 20, 71-73. Radloff, L. (1977). The CES-D scale: A self-report depression scale for research in the general population. Applied Psychological Measurement, 1, 385-401. Radloff, L. , ; Locke, B. (Eds. ). (1986). The community mental health assessment survey and the CES-D scale. In M. M. Weissman, J. K. Myers, ; C. E. Ross (Eds. , Community surveys of psychiatric disorders (pp. 177-189). Piscataway, NJ: Rutgers University Press. Raskin, A. , Schulterbrandt, J. , Reatig, N. , ; McKeon, J. (1969). Replication of factors of psychopathology in interview, ward behavior, and self-report ratings of hospitalized depressives. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 148, 87-96. Roelands, M. , Van Oost, P. , Buysse, A. , ; Depoorter, A. (2002). Awareness among communit y- dwelling elderly of assistive devices for mobility and self-care and attitudes towards their use. Social Science and Medicine, 54, 1441-1451. Rosenberg, M. (1965). Society and the adolescent self-image. Middletown, CT: Wesleyan University Press. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Mental Health Services, ; National Institute of Mental Health. (1994). Mental health: A report of the Surgeon General— Executive summary: Chapter 5–Depression in older adults. Rockville, MD: Authors. Retrieved February 13, 2003, from http://mentalhealth. org/features/surgeongeneralreport/chapter5/sec3. asp Schiller, J. , Bernadel, L. (2004). Summary health statistics for the U. S. opulation: National Health Interview Survey, 2002. Vital Health Statistics, 10(220) 1-101. Tomita, M. , Mann, W. , Fraas, L. (2004). Predictors of the use of assistive devices that address physical impairments among community-based frail elders. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 23, 141-155. Verbrugge, L. , Sevak, P. (2002). Use, type, and efficacy of assistance for disability. Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychologi cal Sciences and Social Sciences, 57B, S366-S37 . Wechsler, D. (1955). Manual for the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale. New York: Psychological Corporation. Westfall, P. , ; Young, S. (1993). Resampling-based multiple testing: Examples and methods for p-value adjustment. New York: Wiley. Wilcoxon, F. (1945). Individual comparisons by ranking methods. Biometrics, 1, 80-83. William C. Mann, OTR, PhD, is Chairperson and Distinguished Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Florida, P. O. Box 100164, Gainesville, FL 32610-0164; wmann@phhp. ufl. edu Jessica L. Johnson, MA, OTR/L, is Research Assistant, RERC-Tech-Aging, Rehabilitation Science Doctoral Program, University of Florida, Gainesville. Lisa G. Lynch, MHS, OTR/L, is Occupational Therapist and Owner, Creative Therapy Works, Inc. , Lake Worth, FL. Michael D. Justiss, PhD, OTR/L, is Assistant Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy, Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis. Machiko Tomita, PhD, is Associate Professor, Department of Rehabilitation Science, University at Buffalo, State University of New York. Samuel S. Wu, PhD, is Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Health Policy Research, University of Florida, Gainesville.

Sexual images in advertising Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Sexual images in advertising - Essay Example This "Sexual images in advertising" essay describes how sexual images in advertisement affect consumer's behavior and reactions. Sexual images were used by the ancient copywriters as long as epistolary genre existed. Ancient Greek comedies were often filled with sexual images, such as Aristophanes' â€Å"Lysistrata†, an antiwar comedy about women who tried to use sex with their husbands to make them stop fighting wars. Medieval classics like Chaucer's â€Å"Canterbury Tales† and Shakespeare â€Å"The Taming of the Shrew† are overwhelmed with sexual double meanings and overtly sexual images, some of which are omitted today because of the archaic language and the "strict" aura around such masterpieces. Since the appearance of electronic media and electronic advertising, sexual images started to appear on television and radio. Though standards for television commercials and radio spots are usually stricter in regard to sexual images use comparing to print advertisin g, because it is easier to keep sexually oriented print media from children than it is radio or TV. In spite of the variety of sexual images on TV, strong theoretical assumptions, and evidence of the power of physical attractiveness on communication outcomes, the influence of physically attractive persons on consumer desire to buy remains unclear. Erotic images were found to increase consumer awareness to an ad, but not necessarily increase recall or positive attitudes to a brand. As the levels of nudity or erotism getting higher, the intended communication trends either turn negative or lose their strength at all. It turns that the effects of sexual images on cognitive behaviour cannot be estimated without considering certain outer consumer attributes such as gender, age, level of product involvement and emotional arousal. The sexual motivation is usually identified as one of eight common tools of emotional communication in television. The inconsistency between cognitive and affective results toward sexual images in advertising can be partially explained by differences in personal traits of every consumer.

Managing the use of Force in Policing Research Paper

Managing the use of Force in Policing - Research Paper Example Many of the police managers are aware that the police officers who are amongst the most motivated and generate most arrests are those who apply maximum use of force. This seems to generate conflict between the managers who find it hard to discipline those said to be on the lead in combating crime. As managers are aware that their core responsibility is to discourage abuse of force and ensure that the police force apply the principle of minimum force, it is not unusual not to believe that the police can be effective by application of these principles. The managers, secretly believe that police obtain respect from those who challenge their authority through dominating physically. This paper aims address this issue by looking at the features of the use of force, which are relevant in understanding the risks related to attempts to manage the use of force by the police. Most use of force by police takes place where managers are never present, and normally involve decisions by a police off icer that force is justified in such circumstance. This decision normally fall on the members of the lowest level of the organizational structure, and it reflects the routine character of uniformed and plain clothed police officers who are dispersed, and has low visibility from the watch of police management and other regulatory bodies. Police encounters with individuals who have the potential for the use of force mostly in public settings or in places where the problems with their clientele have come to light (Fyfe, 1986). Other people may be present in addition to suspects, which increases pressure on police to handle the situation in a manner that demonstrate humanity or they risk adverse reaction from the public. In contrast, these encounters with situations by the police force normally take place, though they are public, in settings by virtue of late hours where non-police third party witnesses are not present. This situation minimizes the pressure and restrains possible influe nce of adverse reactions from the public. In most cases, the situation could increase possibility of using excessive force and enhance fabrication of the facts of the events by the involved police. In addition, it might deprive the person of the confidence that presence of third party may be a restraint on the police. Police may require the use of force in some situations, when they do occur, tend to give a sense of urgency (Fyfe, 1986). Such like cases gives the police limited degree of choices as to whether they can get involved in the situation. The situation is said to be involuntary and require the police to use force in terms of ‘split-second decisions’ made on the inducement of the moment. Some of these situations encountered by the police are unanticipated and call for a quick response from the police force. On the same, trainers and analysts have shown concerns over the recent years on the myth of split-second decision by focusing on the decisions made by an of ficer prior to arrival to the immediate vicinity of the subject (William & Dae-Hoon, 2008). These decisions can be characterized into five phases: anticipation, initial confrontation on entry, exchange of information and dialogue, final frame decision and then the aftermath. Responses to situations that require the police to use force reflect a series subjective judgment that regards the unfolding situation. The work of police

IMPACT OF CHRONIC CONDITION ON SOCIETY Case Study

IMPACT OF CHRONIC CONDITION ON SOCIETY - Case Study Example Moreover, they must agree or make arrangements on to take care and supporting Joe while he is in a different physical location and state of health. These adjustments shall strain the family financially considering that Joe and the wife had retired two years ago. The autonomy needed for this case shall call for strong advocacy from all the involved parties so that both Joe and the family shall be accorded both emotional and final support they needed during this period. Chronic diseases are becoming part of the contemporary society; therefore, the society has introduced chronic care management. The chronic care management involves numerous education and oversight activities (Livius and Weichberger, 1932). These activities have been initiated within the health care professions to help improve the lives of persons suffering from chronic diseases and conditions. Some of the initiatives aim at motivating patients especially by directing them to seek necessary interventions and therapies towards achieving reasonable life or improve lifestyle as they wait to die. In most cases, multiple chronic diseases often coexist; thus, it is advisable for a chronic patient never to seek for fragment health care. Moreover, a patient, as Joe suspected for given chronic condition or illness must seek a proper and elaborate therapies and interventions for such medical conditions (Livius and Weichberger, 1932). Despite the introduction of medical care systems and policies of handling chronic diseases, such services are still too expensive for everyone to afford. However, the political leaderships are introducing health care laws that aim at making such treatment to all citizens. With these bills in place, people like Joe who have financial constrain will have some financial relief towards managing their medical