Analyze the effect of career development experiences and work environments as they relate to human development
COU 510 Final Project Guidelines and Rubric
Overview Understanding and working with human development across the lifespan is essential for counselors. Learning how biological, ps ychological, social, and cultural factors contribute to the lifespan developmental process is key to helping counselors conceptualize client cases. Grasping the human developmental process with all the contributing factors requires a strong insight into developmental theories. Applying foundational knowledge of developmental theories is the guide to conceptualizing clients from multiple perspectives. In this assessment, you will be tasked with creating a Data Assessment Plan (DAP) Case Note by applying a developmental theory to one of the two client scenarios listed below. The developmental theory you choose will give you a specific l ens for understanding the client and presenting issue(s). This assessment will assist in strengthening your understanding of human development across the lifespan and developmental theories and shape your professional identity as a counselor and how you work with clients. Client Scenario Options:
Case 1: Mary Mary is a 21-year-old African American female, self-referred for inpatient treatment due to drug and alcohol use. She is from and still lives in New York City. She is currently unemployed and homeless and has charges pending due to a number of “bounced” checks written over the past several months. Mary has had several part-time jobs that she has been fired from or she abruptly quit. While in high school, she had aspirations of being an architect. Mary’s mother was a heavy drug user while pregnant with her. When Mary was born, she was addicted to crack and spent several month s in the hospital. Mary reports that both of her parents were drug addicts and she experienced physical, sexual, and emotional abuse throughout childhood at their hands. Her father died of liver disease at the age of 37. Mary also reports that at the age of 14, she was kicked out of her family’s home because her father suspected that she was gay. Although they live in the same town, she has not had any contact with her mother for 7 years. Mary describes her relationship with her older sister as “fair.” Mary is not presently involved in a steady relationship, but she does have a network of friends in the local gay community whom she has been staying with off and on. Mary has serious trust issues and does not have anyone she can open up to in her support network. At the time that she left home, Mary survived by becoming involved in sexual relationships with older men, many of whom were also abusive. She has had numerous sexual partners (both male and female) over the past 7 years, has traded sex for drugs and money, has had sex under the influence of drugs and alcohol, and has been made to have sex against her will. Mary struggles with her identity and sexual orientation and considers herself as bisexual, not gay. Mary first used alcohol at age 14, when she had her first sexual encounter with a man. She began using other drugs, including inhalants and marijuana, by age 16 and amphetamines and cocaine by age 19. At 21, four months prior to entering treatment, she began using crack.
Case 2: Sal Sal Franco is a 74-year-old man, living alone in an apartment complex for older adults. Sal has been referred to counseling for feelings of “loneliness” and difficulty coping with health issues. Sal and his wife, Maria, owned and operated a small, local grocery for 44 years (they emigrated from Italy when they were newlyweds at age 19). They sold the business to their son Dominic when Sal turned 70. The plan was to enjoy travel and retired life together. However, shortly after retiring, Maria was diagnosed with an aggressive leukemia, and she died within 4 months. Mr. Franco has been living alone for over 3 years. Because Sal and Maria spent most of their time working and being involved with family activities, there are few close friends in his life. Dominic’s family has Sal to dinner every Sunday, but he has little time during the week because of competing demands. Sal’s other children include a daughter living in another state who calls daily (but seldom visits because of the cost), a daughter overseas in military service, and a son with Down’s syndrome who lives in a group home about an hour away. Sal grew up in a close-knit family with the males being patriarchs and expressing little emotion. Alcohol was normally consumed with all meals, and Sal started drinking at the age of 10. Sal indicates that he was a “hard drinker” during his 20s and 30s, when he developed stomach problems and high blood pressure. At that point, he limited his use of alcohol to his Friday night poker club and to Sunday dinner with the family. Since Maria’s death, Sal has regularly consumed 3 to 4 drinks a day but lately has been drinking more than usual. He says it alleviates some of the pain, stress, and loneliness. It also helps him sleep, along with the over-the-counter medications that he takes for arthritis pain and as sleep aids. He came to the clinic because his hypertension and gastritis have become extremely labile and intractable. When you ask Mr. Franco how he is doing, he says, “Oh, I guess I’m okay for an old widower. I don’t think it really matters how I feel or what I do anymore at my age.”
The final project is the creation of a Data Assessment Plan (DAP) Case Note. The final project represents an authentic demonstration of competency because it will allow you to shape your professional identity as a counselor. The project is divided into three final project journals, which will be submitted at earlier points within the course to scaffold learning and ensure quality final submissions. The final project journals will be submitted in Weeks Four, Six, and Seven. The final project will be submitted in Week Nine. In this assignment, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following course outcomes:
Apply developmental theory across the lifespan in a professional counseling setting for informing client case conceptualization
Analyze physical, cognitive, systemic, and environmental development across the lifespan for their effect on human developmen t Employ ethical and culturally sensitive counseling strategies relating to human development to promote wellness
Analyze the effect of career development experiences and work environments as they relate to human development
Apply a systems approach to conceptualizing clients for informing developmentally relevant counseling strategies
Prompt Your DAP Case Note should explain foundational information about your chosen developmental theory, including information about its founder. You will then apply the theory to the case scenario client to begin conceptualizing the case from a counseling perspective. You should conclude your paper with a summation of your findings and make an overall determination of the client’s mental wellness.
Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:
I. Data A. Establish context for your case note by briefly describing the client based on the information that you are presented within his or her case
scenario. B. Describe the basic elements of the theory that you are applying to the client’s case. Does the theory include developmental stages or other
unique characteristics? C. Explain foundational information about the theory, including information about its founder. D. Explain why this is an appropriate theory to apply to the client. Include supporting evidence from across the client’s lifespan.
II. Assessment
A. Through the lens of the developmental theory, explain the physical and cognitive components of the client’s case across the lifespan. B. Through the lens of the developmental theory, explain the systemic and environmental components of the client’s case across the lifespan. C. Using the developmental theory as a guide, explain the client’s career development across the lifespan. D. Using the developmental theory as a guide, explain the client’s work environment across the lifespan. E. Describe how the client’s career and work history across his or her lifespan relates to his or her current state. F. Explain, through the lens of the developmental theory, any cultural components of the case that play a role in the development of the client. G. Explain, through the lens of the developmental theory, any ethical components of the case that play a role in the development of the client.
III. Plan
A. To create context for your Plan section, summarize your assessment of your client’s case by describing the outcome of the application of the developmental theory.
B. Describe any specific ethical and cultural considerations you will make when working with this client, based on your assessment of his or her case.
C. Based on your description of the client’s current state, in regard to his or her career and work history, describe any specific considerations you will make when working with the client.
D. Explain the client in terms of his or her overall wellness and mental health status. Use your assessment to inform your explanation. E. Based on the client’s overall wellness and mental health status, describe what needs to be addressed to get the person to a state of mental
wellness.
Final Project Journals Final Project Journal: Data In Week Four, you will submit a draft of the Data section of your Data Assessment Plan (DAP) Case Note. This final project journal will be graded with the Data Journal Rubric. Final Project Journal: Assessment In Week Six, you will submit a draft of the Assessment section of your Data Assessment Plan (DAP) Case Note. This final project journal will be graded with the Assessment Journal Rubric. Final Project Journal: Plan In Week Seven, you will submit a draft of the Plan section of your Data Assessment Plan (DAP) Case Note. This final project journal will be graded with the Plan Journal Rubric. Final Submission: Data Assessment Plan (DAP) Case Note In Week Nine, you will submit your Data Assessment Plan (DAP) Case Note. It should be a complete, polished artifact containing all of the critical elements of the final project. It should reflect the incorporation of feedback gained throughout the course. This submission will be graded with the Final Project Rubric.
Deliverables
Deliverable Week Due Grading
Journal: Data Four Graded separately; Data Journal Rubric
Journal: Assessment Six Graded separately; Assessment Journal Rubric
Journal: Plan Seven Graded separately; Plan Journal Rubric
Final Submission: Data Assessment Plan (DAP) Case Note
Nine Graded separately; Final Project Rubric
Final Project Rubric Guidelines for Submission: Your DAP Case Note should be 8–10 pages, double spaced, include one-inch margins, use 12-point Times New Roman font, and adhere to the latest edition of APA formatting.
Critical Elements Exemplary (100%) Proficient (90%) Needs Improvement (70%) Not Evident (0%) Value
Data: Client
Meets “Proficient” criteria , and description demonstrates an
advanced ability to extract a thorough and accurate client description from a narrative
Describes the client based on the information presented
within his or her case scenario
Describes the client based on the information presented
within his or her case scenario, but description is cursory or contains inaccuracies
Does not describe the client based on the information
presented within his or her case scenario
4.75
Data: Elements of Theory
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and description demonstrates a sophisticated awareness of the
developmental theory
Describes the basic elements of the theory being applied to the client’s case
Describes the basic elements of the theory being applied to the client’s case, but description is
cursory or contains inaccuracies
Does not describe the basic elements of the theory being applied to the client’s case
6.34
Data: Foundational Information
Meets “Proficient” criteria , and explanation demonstrates a
nuanced understanding of the foundation of the developmental theory
Explains foundational information about the theory,
including information about its founder
Explains foundational information about the theory,
but explanation is cursory, contains inaccuracies, or is missing information about the
theory’s founder
Does not explain foundational information about the theory
6.34
Data: Appropriate Theory
Meets “Proficient” criteria , and explanation makes cogent
connections between the focus of the developmental theory and the needs of the specific
client case
Explains why the theory is appropriate to apply to the
client and supports response with evidence from across the client’s l ifespan
Explains why the theory is appropriate to apply to the
client, but explanation contains gaps in logic or inaccuracies or lacks supporting evidence from
across the client’s l ifespan
Does not explain why the theory is appropriate to apply
to the client
6.34
Assessment: Physical and Cognitive
Meets “Proficient” criteria , and explanation demonstrates a
sophisticated awareness of the role of physical and cognitive components within the
developmental theory
Explains the physical and cognitive components of the
client’s case across the lifespan through the lens of the developmental theory
Explains the physical and cognitive components of the
client’s case, but explanation is missing phases across the lifespan or does not
incorporate the developmental theory
Does not explain the physical and cognitive components of
the client’s case
6.34
Assessment: Systemic
and Environmental
Meets “Proficient” criteria , and
explanation demonstrates a sophisticated awareness of the role of systemic and environmental components
within the developmental theory
Explains the systemic and
environmental components of the client’s case across the lifespan, through the lens of the developmental theory
Explains the systemic and
environmental components of the client’s case, but explanation is missing phases across the lifespan or does not
incorporate the developmental theory
Does not explain the systemic
and environmental components of the client’s case
6.34
Assessment: Career Development
Meets “Proficient” criteria , and explanation demonstrates a sophisticated awareness of the role of career within the
developmental theory
Explains the client’s career development across the lifespan, using the developmental theory as a
guide
Explains the client’s career development, but explanation is missing phases across the lifespan or does not
incorporate the developmental theory
Does not explain the client’s career development
6.34
Assessment: Work Environment
Meets “Proficient” criteria , and explanation demonstrates a sophisticated awareness of the role of the work environment
within the developmental theory
Explains the client’s work environment across the lifespan, using the developmental theory as a
guide
Explains the client’s work environment, but explanation is missing phases across the lifespan or does not
incorporate the developmental theory
Does not explain the client’s work environment
6.34
Assessment: Lifespan
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and description demonstrates the ability to make cogent connections between a client’s
work history and his or her current state
Describes how the client’s career and work history across his or her l ifespan relates to his or her current state
Describes how the client’s career and work history relates to his or her current state, but description lacks connections
or information across the lifespan
Does not describe how the client’s career and work history related to their current state
6.34
Assessment: Cultural
Meets “Proficient” criteria and explanation demonstrates a sophisticated awareness of the role of culture within the
developmental theory
Explains cultural components of the case that play a role in the development of the client, through the lens of the
developmental theory
Explains cultural components of the case that play a role in the development of the client, but explanation contains gaps in
logic, inaccuracies, or lacks supporting evidence from across the client’s l ifespan
Does not explain cultural components of the case that play a role in the development of the client
6.34
Assessment: Ethical
Meets “Proficient” criteria and explanation demonstrates a sophisticated awareness of the
role of ethics within the developmental theory
Explains ethical components of the case that play a role in the development of the client,
through the lens of the developmental theory
Explains ethical components of the case that play a role in the development of the client, but
explanation contains gaps in logic or inaccuracies or lacks supporting evidence from across the client’s l ifespan
Does not explain ethical components of the case that play a role in the development
of the client
6.34
Plan: Outcome of
Application
Meets “Proficient” criteria , and
description demonstrates an advanced ability to summarize accurate and relevant client case information
Describes the outcome of the
application of the developmental theory by summarizing the client’s case
Describes the outcome of the
application of the developmental theory, but description is cursory or contains inaccuracies
Does not describe the outcome
of the application of the developmental theory
4.75
Plan: Ethical and Cultural
Considerations
Meets “Proficient” criteria , and description demonstrates the
ability to make cogent connections between ethical and cultural considerations and a client’s needs
Describes specific ethical and cultural considerations to make
when working with the client
Describes ethical and cultural considerations to make when
working with the client, but description is vague or lacks connections to the client’s specific circumstances
Does not describe ethical and cultural considerations to make
when working with the client
6.34
Plan: Career and Work Considerations
Meets “Proficient” criteria , and description demonstrates the
ability to make cogent connections between career and work history considerations and a client’s
needs
Describes specific career and work history considerations to
make when working with the client
Describes specific career and work history considerations to
make when working with the client, but description is vague or lacks cogent connections to the client’s specific
circumstances
Does not describe career and work history considerations to
make when working with the client
6.34
Plan: Overall Status
Meets “Proficient” criteria , and
explanation demonstrates a keen awareness of the overall wellness and mental health status
Explains the client in terms of
his or her overall wellness and mental health status
Explains the client in terms of
his or her overall wellness and mental health status, but explanation is cursory or i l logical
Does not explain the client in
terms of his or her overall wellness and mental health status
4.75
Plan: Mental Wellness
Meets “Proficient” criteria , and description demonstrates the
ability to make cogent connections between client wellness and counseling needs
Describes what needs to be addressed to get the person to
a state of mental wellness based on his or her overall wellness and mental health status
Describes what needs to be addressed to get the person to
a state of mental wellness, but description is cursory or i l logical or lacks cogent connections to his or her
overall wellness and mental health status
Does not describe what needs to be addressed to get the
person to a state of mental wellness
4.75
Articulation of Response
Submission is free of errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, and organization and is presented
in a professional and easy-to- read format
Submission has no major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization
Submission has major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that negatively impact
readability and articulation of main ideas
Submission has critical errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that prevent understanding of
ideas
4.92
Total 100%
