The complete instructions for the Final Paper can be below as well as in the “ Components of Course Evaluation” section of your Student Course Guide.  This assignment will be due on or before Saturday of the last day of class.

Step #1: Select a Disorder

For your Final paper, select one of the following disorders to investigate:

1. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

2. Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD)

3. Eating Disorders

4. Mood Disorders

5. Bipolar Disorder

6. Gender Identity Disorder

7. Para-phallic Disorders  

8. Childhood disorder

Step #2: Write a Research Paper

After you have selected the disorder you wish to investigate, present a thorough overview of the chosen disorder. Assume your audience has no prior knowledge of this disorder; therefore, be sure your explanations are relevant to your audience. When writing this paper, it is vital that you communicate all the necessary information in a straightforward manner using non-clinical jargon.  Support your analysis with at least five scholarly, peer-reviewed sources (not including the course text) that were published within the last five years. Your Final Paper must at least 8 pages in length, not including title page or references. Also, the paper must be in APA and have a a title page, page numbers, references in the body of your paper and a reference page. 

Your paper should include the following:

1. Define the disorder and its main symptoms.

2. Describe who is most likely to have this disorder with regard to age, gender, social class and ethnicity.

3. Summarize the risk factors (biological, psychological, and/or social) for this disorder.

4. Describe the relationship between this disorder and other disorders.

5. Evaluate recommended treatments for the disorder and the likelihood of success or possible outcomes for each treatment.

6. List five references (include both print and web-based sources) that would provide more information for individuals with this disorder. Give the citation for the source as well as a two to three sentence description for each resource. This list of support resources will not count toward the required resources for your paper.

7. Apply what you have learned throughout the course and from this assignment to your career (present and future). What information have you found to be the most useful or relevant?