Obesity A Growing Epidemic - 987 Words

Obesity in America: A Growing Epidemic Did you know that 31.6 % of South Carolina population is obese? Over the last few decades’ obesity has gotten out of control, more than 30.5% of adults and 17% of children are considered obese. What is Obesity? Obesity is a diseased connected to improper nutrition a way that the amount of the fatty tissue of the body stored from the food taken starts being completely unhealthy. I believe Americans aren’t getting sufficient exercise and are consuming too much unhealthy food. Obesity is a major health topic today, due to the rate of obesity it has turned into a rapid epidemic. The biggest possible reason for obesity in children and adults are poor eating habits and lack of physical exercise. I chose this topic on account of most people in my family are overweight or considered obese. The way that I see it, being obese has caused a lot of health issues with my family members over the years. It has caused strokes, heart attacks, and diabetes with these health issues one may die or end up in the hospital at a faster rate. I want to teach my family and others around the United States methods they could follow to prevent their inadequate eating habits and lower the rate of obesity. Seeing that fast food plays a beneficial part in obesity, it is essential that people are aware of the health risks and that they learn what they can do to change the situation. Overweight refers to a person with a weight that is high compared to others with theShow MoreRelatedThe Growing Epidemic Of Obesity787 Words   |  4 Pagesdiseases such as type II diabetes, coronary artery disease, and obesity. Currently, diseases such as obesity overwhelm the US healthcare system, which incurs major financial cost and negatively affects an individual’s quality of life. Particularly, the growing epidemic of obesity is affecting millions of people. Distressingly, the current generation of children is cited as the first generation that will not outlive their parents. Childhood obesity is defined as a child’s weight that is disproportionate toRead MoreObesity : A Growing Epidemic1779 Words   |  8 PagesObesity A Growing Epidemic. The number of obese adults now exceeds 25 percent in nearly two thirds of states. The rates of obesity in America have risen in the last thirty years, costing Americans, health, happiness, money, and productivity (Obesity is a serious problem 12). In this research paper I will be telling you about arguments and opposing viewpoints about a growing epidemic in teens and adults, obesity. Currently this topic is very controversial about who is to blame the kids, the parentsRead MoreObesity : A Growing Epidemic908 Words   |  4 PagesConsidered as a disease by society since 2013, obesity has become a growing epidemic. It results from consuming an overly excessive amount of calories than the approximated two thousand that are necessary for everyday use. The extra calories that are not burned for immediate energy are stored as fat. This eventually leads to an accumulation of fat and thus, generates a large weight gain. It was once believed that obesity was only an issue for the developed countries, but globalization has changedRead MoreObesity Is An Epidemic Of Growing Proportions1103 Words   |  5 PagesObesity in the United States is an epidemic of growing proportions. According to the Center for Disease Control more than one-third (34.9% or 78.6 million) of U.S. adults are obese. (Adult Obesity Facts, 2014). Obesity is defined as a body mass index or BMI, over 30. A person’s height and weight are used to determine BMI but does not measure how much body fat a person has. There are several factors that play into the lifestyle of obese patients. The Center for Disease Control have outlined importantRead MoreChildhood Obesity Is A Growing Epidemic1297 Words   |  6 PagesChildhood obesity is a growing epidemic. The UK has estimated through their schools’ National Child Measurement Program that one-third of the children there are overweight, and by 2050 that number could rise to an alarming two-thirds (Phillips 2). There are many uncontrollable factors in childhood obesity such as the environment, income and genetics. However, parents are the most overlooked factor. Our children’s futures, with regard to their eating habits, are in the hands of their parents. UltimatelyRead MoreObesity : A Growing Epidemic For Decades1396 Words   |  6 Pages Obesity has been a growing epidemic for decades. The United States is among the highest countries around the world to experience obesity. Nearly 78 million adults and 13 million children in the United States deal with obesity. (American Heart Association, 2017) Furthermore, death tolls for obesity range from 100,000 to 400,000 in the United States per year. This has caused an increase in health care use and expenditures an estimation of 147 billion dollars (Finkelstein, 2009). Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaRead MoreThe Growing Epidemic Of Childhood Obesity2178 Words   |  9 PagesIntroduction The United States has seen childhood obesity rates double in children and increase four times in adolescents since the 1980’s.1 The Center for Disease Control reports that in 2012, over one third of children and adolescents were considered obese or overweight.1 There is an urgent need to address the growing epidemic of childhood obesity, as obesity has been shown to have deteriorating immediate health effects and increase the risk of chronic disease such as diabetes, osteoarthritisRead MoreChildhood Obesity : A Growing Epidemic1099 Words   |  5 PagesFrom gym to honor roll There is a growing epidemic in our country, its called obesity. In fact, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), childhood obesity has doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years, and in 2012 more than one third of children were overweight and obese. There are countless reasons as to why this epidemic has gained so much weight over the recent decades, often people say; it is an inherited tendency to put on pounds, lack ofRead MoreChildhood Obesity : A Growing Epidemic1820 Words   |  8 PagesAbstract Childhood obesity is a growing epidemic in the United States. More than one third of children are overweight. This figure is increasing rapidly. This epidemic puts children at risk for various health problems such as type two diabetes and heart problems. Although they are several risk factors for obesity, parents play a significant role in this issue. This paper will look into how parents are influential to their children, how they contribute to this problem and how they may help fight theRead MoreChildhood Obesity : A Growing Epidemic1937 Words   |  8 PagesChildhood obesity is a growing epidemic this this county. Did you know that one in six school aged children (ages 6-19) are obese? Based on studies obesity is more common among boys than girls’ ages 6-11 years old. Childhood obesity is a disease that continues to increase around the world. North America has managed to triple childhood obesity rates over the past four decades. North America also falls within one of the highest obesity rates in the World. Childhood obesity can lead to major consequences

Industry Description Of The Retailing Industry - 1043 Words

Industry Description Book retailing is an industry where companies sell books and other reading media, including, audio books, e-books and e-readers. Some bookstores sell other products including DVDs, stationery and gifts. Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWCS) world network reports sales of sixty billion globally, including e-books (Hoovers Inc, 2016). Most Book retailers operate from storefronts, although some bookstores also operate online. Barnes Noble US, Fnac France, Page One China, Thalia Germany, and WH Smith UK are prominent companies in this industry. (Hoovers Inc, 2016). According to Yee, (n.d.). Dymocks is the largest bookstore chain in Australia; others include Collins Booksellers, Books and Gifts and department stores such as†¦show more content†¦Over the five year period until 2015-6, there was an annual decline in revenue of 10.6% (ibisworld, 2016). Numerous challenges have beset the industry, such as, lower book prices, strong competition from online retailers and a change in popular ity from printed books to e-books (ibisworld, 2016). Other issues that have a significant effect on bookstores are parallel import restrictions (IBISWorld, 2016), and online retailers being advantaged by low freight charges and often no requirement to pay (GST) Goods and Services Tax (ABC, 2016). Encouraging Signs However, there are encouraging signs according to Williams, (2015) who points to the icon of bookstores Dymocks, which claims to have had its best ever sales year. Sydney book retailer Jon Page noted an upward surge in sales in the final quarter leading up to Christmas, a period that accounts for around 70% of annual sales (Han, 2015). According to the Nielsen book scan data, there were 55.4 million in sales of printed books in Australia last year, a 2.2% increase over the previous year, the first sales increase since 2009. (Han, 2015). Some of the downturns in printed book sales may be as a result of economic conditions which have affected all retailers. According to Page, (n.d.) the global financial crisis has dramatically changed retailing regardless of your product (Han, 2015).The chief executive of the Australian Booksellers Association, Joel Becker commented, the

Louis XVI Free Essays

Louis XVI was born on August 23rd, 1754 in the Palace of Versailles. He was born Louis Auguste, duc de Berry to Louis, the Dauphin of France, and Marie-Joseph of Saxony. Louis was neglected as a child in favor of his older brother, Louis, duc de Bourgogne, until he died at age seven. We will write a custom essay sample on Louis XVI or any similar topic only for you Order Now He was a shy and overweight. After the death of his father in 1765, Louis became the new Dauphin of France. He received strict education from the Duc de La Vauguyon, which did not sufficiently prepare him to be king. On May 16th,1770, at the age of fifteen, Louis married 14 year old Archduchess Marie Antoinette, the youngest daughter of Holy Roman Emperor Francis I and Empress Maria Theresa. This marriage signified an alliance between France and Austria. The royal couple failed to produce an heir, later discovered to be due to Louis’s sexual dysfunction. In 1774, Louis inherited the throne at 20 years old and became King Louis XVI. Despite his title, he had no qualities of a ruler and was extremely unqualified for the job. Nonetheless, he was faced with a government in deep debt and a clamor for resentment against monarchy. Louis XVI began by reinstating the parlements to gain the trust of his people. He was determined to be a good monarch. France however was an in an economic crisis. To deal with this, Louis appointed Jacques Necker as his financial advisor. Louis convoked the Estates General, but eventually removed them, causing great anger in the public. This caused the creation of the Third Estate, the National Assembly, and the Tennis Court Oath on June 20th that sparked the French Revolution. The Storming of the Bastille on July 14th confirmed the radical change in the mind of the masses towards the monarchy. French involvement in the Seven Years War left France in a disastrous economic state. Louis XVI sought to seek revenge on Britain by aiding the Americans in the American Revolution. He was eventually convinced by American Ambassador Benjamin Franklin to secretly send supplies, ammunition, and weapons to the Americans. He personally sent Rochambeau and Admiral de Grasse to aid the cause, along with a large land and naval force. Louis XVI also wished to expel the British from India. In 1782, he sealed an alliance with the Peshwa Mandhu Rao Narayan. This begun the French struggle to eliminate British control in India. On October 5th, 1789, an angry mob of Parisian working women marched on the Palace of Versailles and attempted to kill the queen. Her wasteful and extravagant lifestyle represented all that was despised about the Ancien Regime. The King and his family was then moved from Versailles to the Tuileries Palace in Paris. In June of 1791, Louis attempted to secretly flee with his family from Paris to the royalist fortress town of Montemedy on the northeastern border of France. However, they were discovered in a small town in the country and immediately taken back to Paris and placed under house arrest in the Tuileries Palace. In August of 1792, Louis was officially arrested and sent to the Temple prison. On January 15th, 1793, the Convention, composed of 721 deputies, voted King Louis XVI guilty for colluding with the Austrian invaders whom France was at war with. On Monday, January 21st, 1793, Louis XVI was stripped of all titles and honorifics by the Republic Government. On the Place de la Revolution, Citoyen Louis Capet was executed by the â€Å"national razor,† the guillotine. On May 16th,1770, at the age of fifteen, Louis married 14 year old Archduchess Marie Antoinette, the youngest daughter of Holy Roman Emperor Francis I and Empress Maria Theresa. This marriage signified an alliance between France and Austria. The royal couple failed to produce an heir, later discovered to be due to Louis’s sexual dysfunction. In 1774, Louis inherited the throne at 20 years old and became King Louis XVI. Despite his title, he had no qualities of a ruler and was extremely unqualified for the job. Nonetheless, he was faced with a government in deep debt and a clamor for resentment against monarchy. Louis XVI began by reinstating the parlements to gain the trust of his people. He was determined to be a good monarch. France however was an in an economic crisis. To deal with this, Louis appointed Jacques Necker as his financial advisor. Louis convoked the Estates General, but eventually removed them, causing great anger in the public. This caused the creation of the Third Estate, the National Assembly, and the Tennis Court Oath on June 20th that sparked the French Revolution. The Storming of the Bastille on July 14th confirmed the radical change in the mind of the masses towards the monarchy. French involvement in the Seven Years War left France in a disastrous economic state. Louis XVI sought to seek revenge on Britain by aiding the Americans in the American Revolution. He was eventually convinced by American Ambassador Benjamin Franklin to secretly send supplies, ammunition, and weapons to the Americans. He personally sent Rochambeau and Admiral de Grasse to aid the cause, along with a large land and naval force. Louis XVI also wished to expel the British from India. In 1782, he sealed an alliance with the Peshwa Mandhu Rao Narayan. This begun the French struggle to eliminate British control in India. On October 5th, 1789, an angry mob of Parisian working women marched on the Palace of Versailles and attempted to kill the queen. Her wasteful and extravagant lifestyle represented all that was despised about the Ancien Regime. The King and his family was then moved from Versailles to the Tuileries Palace in Paris. In June of 1791, Louis attempted to secretly flee with his family from Paris to the royalist fortress town of Montemedy on the northeastern border of France. However, they were discovered in a small town in the country and immediately taken back to Paris and placed under house arrest in the Tuileries Palace. In August of 1792, Louis was officially arrested and sent to the Temple prison. On January 15th, 1793, the Convention, composed of 721 deputies, voted King Louis XVI guilty for colluding with the Austrian invaders whom France was at war with. On Monday, January 21st, 1793, Louis XVI was stripped of all titles and honorifics by the Republic Government. On the Place de la Revolution, Citoyen Louis Capet was executed by the â€Å"national razor,† the guillotine. How to cite Louis XVI, Essay examples

Charater of Sydney Carton in A Tale of Two Cities Essay Example For Students

Charater of Sydney Carton in A Tale of Two Cities Essay Tale Two Cities EssaysCharater of Sydney Carton in A Tale of Two Cities Sydney Carton, one of the main characters of the book, A Tale of Two Cities, is a drunken lawyer who works with Stryver on the trial of Charles Darnay.he doesnt care about anything. At first this man seems as if he is a lazy, good for nothing, alcoholic. he tells Lucie Manette he doesnt believe that his life is worth anything and feels as if it is pointless to even live anymore. When you first meet him during the court scene it looks as if he just rolled out of bed and was dragged to the courtroom. This one man sat leaning back, with his torn gown half off him, his untidy wig put on just sat it had happened to light on his head after its removal, his hands in his pockets, and his eyes on the ceiling as they had been all day. Something especially reckless in his demeanor not only gave him a disreputable look, but so diminished the strong resemblance he undoubtedly bore to the prisoner. However after he meets Luci e he falls madly in love for her. This marks a period of change for Sydney Carton. But he then knows that Charles Darnay is going to be married to her. He sill believes that his life is worthless but it seems as if hes a bit more willing to work and to do things for other people. Towards the middle of the book, A Tale of Two Cities, Carton professes his love for Lucie and he says For you, and for any dear to you, I would do anything. I would embrace any sacrifice for you and for those dear to you. And when you see your own bright beauty springing up anew at your feet, think now and then that there is a man who would give his life, to keep a life you love beside you.' He means that he would do anything for her, because he loves her so very much. He tells Josh Barsad that he is going to marry miss Manette, but then he backs out of it. At the very end of the novel you find out that Carton is about to go to the guillotine, but not for him. Charles Darnay was found guilty of treason an d was about to be executed. However, Darnay and Lucie are madly in love. Another thing, is that Sydney Carton and Charles Darnay look very similar to each other or doubles. This means that they could easily take each others place if they wanted to. Earlier in the novel Carton told Lucie that he would do anything for the man she loved. Well, Carton then dies in Darnays place. He wanted to do something that was important for other people, so he took his life instead of another. Lucie had succeeded in transforming him into a man of profound merit. It seems that Carton doesnt care about anything, but obviously he does. He cares for Lucie.

Analysis of Language Between Juliet and Lord Capulet Essay Example

Analysis of Language Between Juliet and Lord Capulet Essay This male domination is shown in the play through Lord Capulets relationships between his wife, daughter and other members of his family. This patriarchal domination makes him very powerful and makes other characters in the play weaker by comparison. This power is very important in determining the outcome of the play. The portrayal of Lord Capulets character, shows him as one who has the power to tell others what to do as well as having complete power over his household and what happens in his household. He expects his wife (Lady Capulet), daughter (Juliet) and his servants to do exactly as he tells them. Shakespeare wrote in the Elizabethan age, so naturally he based most of his plays on the morals and social standards of the time. During the Elizabethan period noble women were expected to be married off to rich, socially acceptable men. Fathers choose the men they considered â€Å"suitable† for their daughters, aiming to marry them off to higher social circles to levitate their own. Men were considered the bread winners of the family and women inferior to them. It was thought unconventional for women to make important decisions for themselves, they were incapable and therefore men where to make their decisions for them, not just regarding their marriage. Women could refuse to marry but would be disowned by their families; it was a silent threat that was hidden underneath every happy Elizabethan family. Just as Capulet’s behaviour so drastically contrasts from when Juliet was obeying him to when she spoke out. Women had either little or no work opportunities outside their family and without a male supporter they became penniless street vagrants. We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis of Language Between Juliet and Lord Capulet specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis of Language Between Juliet and Lord Capulet specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis of Language Between Juliet and Lord Capulet specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Elizabethan society wasn’t fair; if it was then women wouldn’t be working in high power jobs equally with men. The modern society we live in has changed so because of the prejudice against how women where controlled mercilessly by men. In my opinion that is unjust and wrong, I am very appreciative that I wasn’t born in such a limited society. At the beginning of Romeo and Juliet it is clear Capulet feels his daughter is â€Å"too young† to marry and â€Å"still a stranger to the world† as Capulet first tells Paris when he proposes, conventionally to Capulet not Juliet. Still a stranger to the world† further implies he does not see her as a valid person yet, the fact she is still â€Å"a stranger to him† displays a lack of trust in Juliet and maybe some hidden doubt about her loyalty to him as a father Lady Capulet reflects her husband’s views for Juliet to marry â€Å"The gallant young and noble gentlemen† Count Paris. Thi s shows a positive attitude towards their marriage; however this may be due to Lady Capulet’s conventional need to support her husband. Gallant† and â€Å"noble† was the ideal interpretation of the Elizabethan man, which Lady Capulet’s own marriage was decided upon. Yet in her statement she only refers to the class and elegance of Juliet’s husband to be, excluding any words of excitement or happiness for her daughter, almost only used to persuade her daughter to accept. This shows the familiarity between mother and daughter and how their relationship is based so similarly to that of Juliet’s and Capulet’s, on expectations. Juliet’s refusal to marry Paris affects her father is a variety of ways. On his first encounter with her Capulet asks why she is â€Å"evermore weeping†, showing compassion for his daughter. Yet when he hears of her refusal he becomes angry and insulting. â€Å"Disobedient Wretch† suggests he not only feels betrayed by his daughter but his compassion and love for his daughter was merely superficial and has evaporated along with the marriage proposal. Juliet still shows respect and submissiveness towards her father, â€Å"beseeching† him on her knees and â€Å"thankful even for hate†. This symbolises how dependent Juliet is on her father, and how she is emotionally forbidden from self-pity. In Act 3 scene 5 Capulet proceeds to call his daughter a â€Å"Tallow faced green sickness† implying she is a plague and therefore a burden on the Capulet family. Then he proclaims that â€Å"one is one too much, we have a curse in having her† and threatens to be â€Å"rid of her†. I believe Capulet’s and Juliet’s relationship was parley based on his expectations of her as his â€Å"Little Lady†. Now he accepts nothing of her, she is no use to him as a possession that has merely broken. Act 3 scene 5 contains a number of features of tragedy, not only as Capulet cruelly abandons his daughter, but when Juliet proclaims her future and therefore her death. She curses that â€Å"If all else fail, myself have the power to die† suggesting not only her willingness to die but personalizing the phrase with â€Å"myself†, indicating suicide. All of Shakespeare’s plays display some sense of tragedy, always involving the eponymous heroes, who repetitively perish after titling the play such as Hamlet, Macbeth, Antony and Cleopatra and King Lear.

Traits of an Abnormal Personality Disorder

Traits of an Abnormal Personality Disorder Free Online Research Papers Underlying Normal Traits within Abnormal Personality Disorders Abstract Scholars have argued for decades concerning the fact that there are normal personality traits underlying abnormal personality traits in people who exhibit dysfunctional personalities. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition is the determinative guide on the descriptions of these personality characteristics, and it determined that there were several models to be considered when looking for a universal clinical definition of abnormal personality. Researchers used either the Big Four, Big Five or other models to describe what an abnormal personality consisted of and how it related to a normal personality as studied. Researchers measured personality differences based on qualitative, quantitative and other key factor differences to determine normal or abnormal functioning personalities. It was difficult to determine one substantive definition, as the traits overlapped from normal to abnormal characteristics noted. Later, the definition of personality dysfunctions included life skills, personal tasks and life goals, and whether the individual was able to function as a member of his society, while meeting the expectations of that society. A person’s maladaptiveness and evolutionary sense were added as part of the definition of whether the personality was normal or abnormal, and whether a person had the skill to be able to manage personal relationships were considered as well in the general definition of abnormal personality. Today, treatment options are expanded from the traditional therapy treatments to include drug therapies, psychodynamic therapy, day hospital intervention, and dialectical behavior therapy. To date, day hospital interventions have proved very successful on non-schizophrenic patients suffering from abnormal personality traits. Introduction Scholars have argued for decades concerning the fact that there are normal personality traits underlying abnormal personality traits in people who exhibit dysfunctional personalities. Recently, scholars have begun to make an argument that current category systems of personality disorders (PDs) should be substituted by trait dimensional scheme designations in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV; American Psychiatric Association, 2000). Experts are leaning towards using a Big Four model, which are â€Å"essentially maladaptive variants of the Big Five traits of normal personality, minus Openness† (Watson, 1545). In a discussion of this issue by Watson, Clark and Chmielewski, they state that the newly comprised Big Four model excludes odd or eccentric Cluster A PDs, (Watson, 1545) and that their results noted from three studies show a relationship examining the factors of normal and abnormal personalities. Their results established th at the Oddity factor was considered more broad than the Cluster A traits and more distinct from Openness and other Big Five models, which suggested â€Å"an alternative five factor model of personality pathology (considering only abnormal traits) and an expanded, integrated Big Six taxonomy that subsumes both normal and abnormal personality characteristics† (Watson, 1545). Model Theories The Watson study explains that the Big Four structure was a result of developed hierarchical models that combined general models, like the Big Three and the Big Five models. These former models of personality reviews included multidimensional factors reminiscent of past personality inventories. When the Big Three and Big Five models were formally combined, it was apparent that â€Å"two higher order traits- Neuroticism/Negative Emotionality and Extraversion/Positive Emotionality- are included in both models† (Watson, 1547). Considering these changes, Watson proposes a â€Å"Big Four† theory which does not include Openness, but does include many of the traits of the other theories. Watson reports that their research on the Big Five theory also includes research on a Big Six taxonomy â€Å"that subsumes both normal and abnormal personality dimensions (Watson, 1551). Definitions of Abnormal Personalities Researchers have made recent discoveries that â€Å"abnormal personalities can be modeled as extremes of normal personality variation† (O’Connor Doyce, 2001) (Markon, p. 139). Even though researchers agree that it is possible to describe normal and abnormal personalities within the same frameworks, they disagree on the structure of what the framework will encompass. Even abnormal personality traits are seen now as a variant of the extremes that can happen when reviewing normal personalities. One way to make sense of the distinctions between normal and abnormal personalities is to describe personality disorders (PDs) and develop a working definition for them. By defining the traits for PDs, the researcher is able to develop a base for delineating personalities studied. Once normal traits are identified, abnormal traits need to be assessed. This can be done by reviewing the Big Five model of abnormal personalities. This is the juncture that normal and abnormal personalities overlap. Apparently, there are similar modeling structures that can be utilized to describe both normal and abnormal personalities. Some traits are very common between the two models, and others mimic similar personality descriptions. Meta-analytic Investigation Model One cohesive factor that applies to both normal and abnormal personalities is the meta-analytic investigation model. This model was proposed by O’Connor in 2002, and it stated that there were structural relationships between normal and abnormal personalities (Markon, p. 142). The O’Connor study in 2002 reviewed 37 personality and psychopathology inventories to determine if dimensional structure differences existed between clinical and nonclinical respondents (O’Connor B.P., 2002). O’Connor found similarity between normal and abnormal populations reviewed and measured similarities â€Å"both in the number of factors that exist in the data matrices and in the factor pattern† (O’Connor B.P., 2002). The ten abnormal behavior disorders listed by the DSM-IV are listed as: paranoid, schizoid, schizotypal, antisocial, borderline, histrionic, narcissistic, avoidant, dependent, and obsessive–compulsive† (Livesley Jang, p. 258). Each of these disorders shows traits, and it is the way that professional clinicians are able to make accurate diagnoses of abnormal personality traits of their patients. This listing of traits by the DSM, showed that the distinction between what was considered normal and what was considered abnormal was often defined by distinguishing the â€Å"qualitative distinction between the two† (Livesley Jang, p. 258). Unfortunately, in truth researchers have come to find out that there are no true separations between normal and abnormal disorders, and they are hard pressed to find the dividing lines between the two entities. O’Connor asked whether the distinction can be made using former models, and what exactly was normal or abnormal personality disorder. When the conceptual distinctions between the two were reviewed, there are several models to note. The most noteworthy working model being that there was â€Å"no evidence of discontinuity in the distributions of 100 traits selected to provide a systematic representation of personality disorder† (Livesley Jang, p. 259). In other words, there was no concrete evidence that the researchers would consistently find traits that were exclusively common or descriptive of a specific personality disorder. In fact, personality disorders were measured across normal and control groups. The findings were that there were similarities within the disorder traits and that some equaled normal and others disordered personality traits. In this way, the researchers queried whether disorder traits could be seen in normal personalities. The answer was that there were few solid frameworks to make the decision which would provide a definitive answer to the question. In effect, extreme ends of the traits seemed to be deemed disorders, while extreme variations alone may not have been considered enough to state that a personality disorder actually existed. Quantitative Differences in Normal and Abnormal Personalities Quantitative differences exist between the normal and abnormal personality. The differences often mix up and muddle the personality traits and the disorders apparent within them. With personality disorders, often â€Å"it is difficult to see how an extreme score on dimensions such as conscientiousness, extraversion, or agreeableness is necessarily pathological. Researchers agreed that there were to be other additional factors that needed be present to justify the diagnosis (Livesley Jang, p. 262). That additional trait is inflexibility and subjective distress (Livesley Jang, p. 259). The character trait of inflexibility is defined as one where the person has extreme traits, but not necessarily only an extreme position noted on any given trait. For example, a person who is extremely open and gregarious, but then is not able to tone down his personality when necessary would be an example of this trait. Continuing with this example, what would make the person who is considered otherwise outgoing and spontaneous a person who is suffering from a personality disorder? Maladaptive Personalities The answer may come from prior work done by researchers who were determining personality and abnormal personality disorders. Extreme actions alone were not enough to say the person operated outside of â€Å"normal† personality parameters. The researchers at the time believed that personality disorders were the result of someone suffering from an abnormal variation of a personality being studied. It was measured in how much the person suffered from the disorder. This is where the theory of maladaptation or dyscontrolled impairment came into play (Widiger Trull, 1991; Widiger Sankis, 2000). The reason the researchers sought a generalized definition is that without one, they â€Å"would have to catalogue the various maladaptive manifestations of each trait† (Livesley Jang, p. 263). This was a difficult proposition, since even â€Å"normal† people were prone to exhibit maladaptive traits at some time in their lives. Another problem came with the idea of traits as one certain set of behaviors that were noted on subjects clinically or otherwise. Extreme exhibitions of a trait may show some measureable amount of psychopathology, but were not exclusively indicative of being considered classically maladaptive. In this way, the researchers determined that the â€Å"definition of personality disorder needs to incorporate features of disorder that are separate from, although possibly correlated with, extreme trait variation† (Livesley Jang, p. 263). Harmful Dysfunctional Traits in Personalities These descriptions of personality were necessary because there were more than these factors to consider when determining a personality disorder. In fact, personality was considered to be â€Å"a system of interrelated structures and processes† (Costa McCrae, 1994; Mischel, 1999; Vernon, 1964) which included a person’ dispositional traits, motives, coping mechanisms, and ability to tame impulses are part of the process of determining normal or abnormal indications of personality. In other words, if these traits were considered â€Å"harmful dysfunctions,† (Wakefield, 1992; Livesley Jang, p. 263) they consisted of harmful traits that were underlying natural functions. So, the definition of a personality disorder can be considered a harmful dysfunction in the normally adaptive functions of a person’s personality system (Livesley Jang, p. 263) Another issue within the developing studies of personality disorders was that personality functions were considered to be seen as disturbed in individuals who exhibited personality disorders. Researcher Cantor described a person’s personality as the types of tasks a person sets as personal goals, and they way the person looks at his or her â€Å"self, and life situations, and the strategies used to achieve personal tasks† (Livesley Jang, p. 263). This delineation of personality traits offered a true to form definition of what a personality disorder consisted of for the individual suffering from it. It was considered of a higher order than simply a dysfunction of a personality trait. Here it was described as needing to concentrate on life tasks as the determining factor to determining if an individual had a personality disorder, and was therefore considered abnormal in terms of functioning personality. The researchers assumed that as a person lives his life, he orders his tasks as to what he sets as priorities for completing goals and meeting the needs of his immediate surrounding community and culture. This comes under the order of living in society and meeting the expectations of people who live near the individual, or a way of fitting in within his community. It also had to do with the person’s mean biology, or biological features characteristic of the individual. In fact, these tasks did vary depending on where the person lived and what the person had do to be able to survive in his culture. These may come under the umbrella of life skills, and they are definitely different considering where a person lived or had grown up. For example, a person who grew up in a small native Alaskan out island would have different life skills that would a person who grew up and lived in a borough of Manhattan, NY. The two personalities of these individuals might be similar, but their life skills would be developed in obviously different ways. The person living in the native island village would have an understanding of the elements and what is necessary for bare-bones survival in possibly extreme conditions. While, the person who grew up in the city would have to understand how to be â€Å"street smart† and may need to know how to survive in even a potentially violent atmosphere if the neighborhood suggested those skills were essential to survive on a daily basis. Each individual may otherwise be soft spoken, or be considered similarly warm-hearted or kind. But decidedly, their life skills would separate them and put them a world away from each other in what they knew and needed to depend on to survive in their environment on a daily basis. Universal Tasks Underlying Personality Traits The researchers then understood that there would need to be a set of universal tasks that needed to be identified. These universal tasks were considered of â€Å"evolutionary significance† and featured four universal challenges as set by Plutchik (1980). These were the four ways a person’s identity was developed and they included:the solution to the problems of dominance and submissiveness created by hierarchy that is characteristic of primate social hierarchies; development of a sense of territoriality or belongingness; and solution to the problems of temporality, that is, problems of loss and separation. This allowed the researchers studying personality disorders to come to the conclusion that personality disorders prevented an individual from managing the adaptive answers or solutions that were considered universally applicable to everyone, or a person’s life tasks. When an individual had a deficit in any of these areas, there was a noted â€Å"harmful dysfunction† and the person was unable to adapt to be able to function in his environment or society. The life tasks then seen as either being fulfilled or being abandoned by the individual, probably because of this identified deficit. Personality disorder was seen as different from other disorders by the fact that these failures â€Å"should be enduring and traceable to adolescence or at least early adulthood and they should be due to extreme personality variation rather than another pervasive and chronic mental disorder such as a cognitive or schizophrenic disorder† (Livesley Jang, p. 264). Evolutionary Sense Within Personality Traits There was talk of the individual not being able to adapt to his environment in an â€Å"evolutionary sense† which spoke to whether the person had garnered enough skills for ensuring adaptive social behavior to allow reproduction and survival (Livesley Jang, p. 264). This was explained as stating that the adaptive traits would contribute to the person adapting to his environment and society in general, and the person adapting to his family unit would move the person towards being able to rear children and eventually reproduce to pass down his traits to offspring later on. This is the general definition of people who have self confidence in their dealings with others, and are able to live in harmony in stable relationships, while becoming productive members within their society or community. These can be seen to be part of the ancestral or evolutionary needs of every individual, whether the person had an abnormal personality or normal personality. The more common description of an abnormal personality comes from what the common person observes when someone has problems dealing within a relationship. Rutter (1987) stated that personality disorders were characterized by â€Å"persistent, pervasive abnormality in social relationships and social functioning generally† (Rutter, p. 454). Also, Tyrer (2001) stated that â€Å"we do not necessarily need to know everything about someones personality to recognise the elements that make it disordered† (Tyrer, p. 83). Tyrer states quite honestly that psychiatrists view these descriptive axioms as something to be deferred, and says â€Å"personality disorder and mental retardation are stigmatic terms that psychiatrists like to avoid† (Tyrer, p. 83). So the question is, how can one determine the underlying normality within the abnormal personality? For this the clinician and the layperson need review the DSM-III, considered the premier source of personality disorder classification (American Psychiatric Association, 1980). The DSM classifies what is considered normal and abnormal in terms of personality. The professionals in the field disagree to the proposed stereotyping of this group of classifications, on the basis of the fact that such profiling is considered â€Å"quite inappropriate in such a complicated field† (Tyrer, p. 84). In fact, it appears that there are burgeoning alternative and substitute classifications being used for determining personality disorders in surveys, trials, studies and private practice. Most people would be surprised to find out that this topic has been heatedly debated over the past two decades. Many people most likely assume that there is one clinical definition of what is normal, and what is not normal when it comes to personality disorders. The media plays into this, as well as the television and movie plots. The person seen as abnormal is cloaked in symbolic black, speaks in a raspy voice or has otherwise obvious mentally deviant behaviors that even the least sophisticated person in the audience could confidently label as the â€Å"bad guy.† Personality Disorders Studied Abroad Even the study of personality disorders abroad have led researchers to agree to disagree in the area of determining how to describe profiles for patients with underlying normal traits within their abnormal personality profiles. In a study performed by McCrae (2001) in The People’s Republic of China, 1,909 psychiatric patients were examined to determine the accuracy of the hypotheses determined from the Interpretive Report of the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (McCrae, p. 155). The researchers determined that the PDs were not separate categories that could be determined in a vacuum. They realized that they needed to consider a more comprehensive and forgiving system of personality traits, to be considered an accurate measure of the patient’s personality issues and concerns. The researchers found that the personality traits of the patients did not fit into the DSM-IV defined traits. They did â€Å"draw on the same five underlying personality traits† (McCrae, p. 171), and were considered redundant, but there were several areas of overlap to be considered conclusive. In fact, over 60% of the patients that were being treated for maladaptive personalities were not meeting the criteria defined in the DSM-IV, as relating to any criteria for a PD (McCrae, p. 171). The maladaptive behaviors, the person’s habits and personal attitudes were all measured to find a comprehensive scale for measuring the personality traits of the patients. It was determined that the results were insignificant, and concluded that personality profiles were â€Å"modest predictors of categorical PDs, but they are immensely informative about people† (McCrae, p. 172). Treatment Options for Abnormal Personality Traits But clinicians and psychiatrists are still interested in treating and helping people who exhibit the traits of these personality disorders identified above. They are in disagreement whether there are normal traits that are underlying the abnormal personality traits that deserve to be treated in an effort to offer the patient an opportunity to live a full and productive life. This is a critical option for people who have normal personality traits, but also exhibit the identified borderline abnormal personality traits as well within their psyche. Over a half decade ago, the best treatments were heralded as therapeutic, and they seemed to promise the greatest success overall. But today, there are many alternate treatments available for individuals exhibiting abnormal personality disorders. They include drug therapies, psychodynamic therapy, day hospital intervention, and dialectical behavior therapy (Linehan, 1992, Tyrer, p. 84). Other methods of treatment that carry high success for the patients are the partial hospitalization of patients (Bateman Fonagy, 1999). Bateman Fonagy compared the effectiveness of treating patients exhibiting borderline personality disorders with partial hospitalization s a standard psychiatric care. They studied thirty-eight patients with borderline personality disorder and offered them individual and group psychoanalytic psychotherapy, for up to 18 months (Bateman Fonagy, 1999). The results were that the patients who had been partially hospitalized did exhibit less problems, with â€Å"An impr ovement in depressive symptoms, a decrease in suicidal and self-mutilatory acts, reduced inpatient days, and better social and interpersonal function began at 6 months and continued until the end of treatment at 18 months† (Bateman Fonagy, 1999). Their conclusion was that the partial hospitalization was determined as a far superior type of psychiatric care for those patients exhibiting borderline personality disorder. This treatment option was in opposition with the standard treatment options of the therapies listed above. These results were similar in the study by Piper, (1993) where a day treatment program at the University of Alberta Hospital in Edmonton, Alberta was studied. The patients were referred from the day treatment program and walk-in clinic, and utilized participants with â€Å"chronically disturbed non-schizophrenic patients, who usually have affective and personality disorders† (Piper, p. 757). The results of the study were that day treatment programs w ere considered effective for patients with long-term non schizophrenic disorders. The patients noted significant improvement in â€Å"four of the five areas studied- interpersonal functioning, symptomatology, life satisfaction, and self-esteem- as well as in several of disturbance associated with individual objectives (Piper, p. 762). Reference American Psychiatric Association (1980) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd edn) (DSM- III). Washington, DC: APA. Bateman, A. Fonagy, P. (1999). Effectiveness of partial hospitalization in the treatment of borderline personality disorder: a randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Psychiatry, 156, 1563-1569. Retrieved on April 9, 2010 from http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/156/10/1563?ijkey=bb19a5d116af525fe927da3b0a0c0250f3d61de3 Costa, P. T., McCrae, R. R. (1994). Can personality change? In T. F. Heatherton, J. L. Weinberger (Eds.), Can personality change? (pp. 21–40). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Linehan, M. M. (1992) Cognitive Therapy for Borderline Personality Disorder. New York: Guilford Press. Livesley, W. John Jang, Kerry L.. (2005). Differentiating normal, abnormal, and disordered personality, European Journal of Personality, 19(4), 257-268. Markon, K.E, Krueger, R. F., Watson, D. (2005). Delineating the structure of normal and abnormal personality: An integrative hierarchical approach. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 88, 139–157. EBSCO Database: Academic Search Premier. McCrae, Robert R., Jian, Yang, et al. (2001). Personality Profiles and the Prediction of Categorical Personality Disorders. Journal of Personality, 69(2), 155-174. Mischel, W. (1999). Personality coherence and dispositions in a Cognitive–Affective Personality System (CAPS) approach. In D. Cervone, Y. Shoda (Eds.), The coherence of personality (pp. 37–60). New York: Guilford. O’Connor B.P. (2002). The search for dimensional structure differences between normality and abnormality: A statistical review of published data on personality and psychopathology. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 83(4), 962–982. Retrieved on April 9, 2010 from ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12374447 O’Connor B.P. Dyce J.A. (2001) Rigid and extreme: A geometric representation of personality disorders in five-factor model space. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 81, 1119–1130. PubMed Database. Piper, W.E., Rosie, J.S., Azim, H.F.A, Joyce A.S. (1993). A randomized trial of psychiatric day treatment for patients with affective and personality disorders. Hosp Community Psychiatry, 44, 757–763. Plutchik, R. (1980). A general psychoevolutionary theory of emotion. In R. Plutchik, H. Kellerman (Eds.), Emotion: Theory, research, and experience (pp. 3–33). San Diego, CA: Academic. Rutter, M. (1987). Temperament, personality and personality disorder. British Journal of Psychiatry, 150, 443–458. Tyrer, Peter. (2001). Personality disorder. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 179, 81-84. Retrieved on April 9, 2010 from http://bjp.rcpsych.org/cgi/content/full/179/1/81 Watson, David, Clark, Lee Anna, Chmielewski, Michael. (2008). Structures of Personality and Their Relevance to Psychopathology: II. Further Articulation of a Comprehensive Unified Trait Structure. Journal of Personality, 76(6), 1545-1586. EBSCO Database: Academic Search Premier. Vernon, P. E. (1964). Personality assessment: A critical survey. London: Methuen. Wakefield, J. C. (1992). Disorder as harmful dysfunction: A conceptual critique of DSM-III-R’s definition of mental disorder. Psychological Review, 99, 232–247. Widiger, T. A., Sankis, L. M. (2000). Adult psychopathology: Issues and controversies. Annual Review of Psychology, 51, 377–404. Widiger, T. A., Trull, T. J. (1991). Diagnosis and clinical assessment. Annual Review of Psychology, 42, 109–133. Research Papers on Traits of an Abnormal Personality DisorderThree Concepts of PsychodynamicResearch Process Part OneIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenUnreasonable Searches and SeizuresInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesGenetic EngineeringThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseArguments for Physician-Assisted Suicide (PAS)

Creating of a Legally Binding Contract Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Creating of a Legally Binding Contract - Essay Example The formation of a legally binding contract requires an offer to be made properly which should be accepted properly. An offer once accepted becomes a promise and when it forms a consideration for the parties, it becomes an agreement. When the parties to an agreement have an intention to create legal relations, the agreement becomes a contract. A legally binding contract gives legal rights to a party to a contract in case of breach of a contract by the other party. Let us take a deeper look at the formation of a contract. The most important thing is the competence of the parties to enter into a contract. Every person is competent to contract unless he is a minor or of an unsound mind. A contract with a minor is not a valid contract. Also, it cannot be validated by ratification by a minor when he reaches the age of majority. Simon and Davina can be easily assumed to be of the ages of majority. A contract with a person of unsound mind is also not a valid contract. There are some people who are occasionally of sound mind and occasionally of an unsound mind. The contracts made with them at the time of their sanity are valid contracts. However, the burden of proof falls on the party which contracted with such a person that he was of a sound mind when he entered into the contract. The first ingredient of a legally binding contract is an offer. When a person signifies to another person, his intention to do something or refrain from doing something in return of a promise that the other person would do or refrain from doing something, the first person is said to have made an offer to the second person. The first person would be called an offeror or proposer and the second person would be called an offeree. An offer should be made properly. It should be communicated to the offeree. There should not be any ambiguity in the terms of the offer i.e. the terms should be definite, clear and easy to understand. In Guthing v Lynn [1831] 2 B & Ad 232, 9 LJOSKB 181, the buyer of a horse promised to pay extra  £5 â€Å"if the horse is lucky for me†. It was held that this promise was not enforceable as the statement was too vague to explain that in what way the horse was required to be lucky. An offer may be made generally to a variety of people or it may be made spe cifically to a particular person. It may contain a condition for acceptance which must be fulfilled for a valid acceptance. In this case, Simon is in the process of negotiation with Davina. It can be said that Simon’s offer to Davina is wide and open. He has made the offer of hiring Davina as a mentor to support the finalists of his TV program â€Å"Your Hired†. It is assumed here that Simon has offered Davina a definite sum of money for her services.