Psyc 2101 Psychological Experience Project

Psyc 2101 Psychological Experience Project

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Psychological Experience Project

Psyc 2101, Spring 2025

To help meet the objectives of this course, students will be required to participate in 8 hours of psychological experience and produce a reflection paper on that experience as stated below. You can choose between the following seven options:

• Option 1: Mock Therapy
• Option 2: Mock Psychological Assessment (Spring Semester Only)
• Option 3: Interview a Professional
• Option 4: Participation in Psychological Research (must be at least 18 years old to participate)
• Option 5: Reading and Reviewing of Peer-Reviewed Research in Psychology
• Option 6: Reading and reviewing a selected psychology-related book
• Option 7: Complete Community Service and/or Volunteer Work

Each option is explained in detail below. All options require approval by the professor. It is recommended that you begin working on this assignment earlier to prepare for any unexpected changes.

Your paper should be typed with one-inch margins, 12-point font, double-spaced, and a cover page. APA format (including citations, third person, and reference page) will be required along with proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Do not use MLA format.

A cover page template is provided in the content section of D2L.

This paper is due at class time (1:00 pm) and must be uploaded to D2L either in Word format or PDF. Late papers will NOT be accepted.

Your project due date is April 15 at 1:00 pm (unless you are participating in mock therapy).

OPTION 1: Mock Therapy

What do I have to do? Clinical graduate students at Augusta University need to practice their therapy skills through mock therapy sessions. Currently there is a research study accompanying this training which examines how therapists’ personality characteristics impact therapy. Participating in this project as a mock client and writing a reaction paper about the experience will fulfill your enrichment requirement for this course. If you are interested in clinical or counseling psychology, this option is a wonderful way to learn about the therapy process. Please note that there are a limited number of spots for this option (7). Selection is determined by a combination of random factors as well as ensuring that the needs of the therapy class are met. If you choose and are selected for this option, you will need to participate as a client for four mock therapy sessions.  The sessions will occur in person in Allgood Hall. The first session will take approximately 1.5 hours and each of the remaining sessions will take approximately 45 minutes. Your therapist will work with you to find a time that is convenient for you, but the sessions MUST be completed during September through November.  Thus, if you have limited availability during these time periods, you should not select this option.

Session 1 (1/27 – 1/31)
Session 2 (2/17– 2/21)
Session 3 (3/19– 3/26)
Session 4 (4/14 – 4/18)

During your sessions, you may talk about something that has been on your mind that you would like help with and are comfortable sharing.  Topics that often work well include school or job-related worries, roommate issues, and concerns in family, friend, or romantic relationships etc.  You may also present fictional information (i.e., make things up) if that feels more comfortable.  You and your therapist will work together in the session in ways aimed at being helpful to you with whatever topic you bring.  However, because these are mock sessions with new trainee therapists, participating in this project should not be used as a substitute for seeking real mental health services.  Thus, if you are experiencing personal distress, you should seek help from a trained and qualified counselor or therapist for these concerns such as is available at the Augusta University Student Counseling and Psychological Services (SCAPS) free of charge. Likewise, you should NOT disclose any material related to harm or intention to harm self or others, physical, sexual, or emotional abuse.

Confidentiality: Mock sessions will be videotaped for training and supervisory purposes and parts of your sessions will be reviewed by Dr. Matthew Kridel (therapy course instructor) and a team of graduate trainees in the class. Dr. Kridel is a licensed psychologist. As with any interaction you have during your mock therapy sessions, information from your sessions will be kept strictly confidential.  This means that your information will NOT be shared with your instructor, your classmates, or anyone else outside of the therapy team.  The only exception to this is if you disclose information that would be required by law to report:

1. harm or intention to harm self or others
2. reasonable suspicion of current or previous abuse of children, older adults, or individuals with disabilities
3. court orders

Grade: Your grade will be based on (1) coming to all 4 sessions on time, and participating in the process. You will NOT receive any points for this assignment if you do not attend all 4 sessions (it is all or none) and you will lose points if you come to your appointments late, do not cooperate with your therapist in setting up meeting times during the times noted above, or fail to complete the surveys after your session. A portion of your grade will also be based on (2) writing a 2-3-page reflection paper about the experience. Students will NOT be asked to share what was discussed in therapy sessions in your reaction paper. Rather, students will discuss what it was like to participate in the process (what you learned about therapy, what surprised you etc.). Students’ grades will not be related to what you choose to share or not share during therapy (in fact your professor will never know). Your professor will only receive information regarding whether you attended all sessions on time and participated in the process.

What might I learn?  Although the objective of the project is to aid in the training of graduate students at Augusta University, participating in the study may provide you with greater insight about the therapy process and give you a space to discuss something that is on your mind.

OPTION 2: Mock Psychological Assessment (SPRING SEMESTER ONLY)

What do I have to do? Clinical graduate students at Augusta University also need to practice their psychological assessment skills through mock assessment sessions. Participating in this project as a mock client and writing a reaction paper about the experience will fulfill your enrichment requirement for this course. If you are interested in clinical or counseling psychology, this option is a wonderful way to learn about the assessment process. Please note that there are a limited number of spots for this option. Selection is determined by a combination of random factors as well as ensuring that the needs of the therapy class are met.

If you choose and are selected for this option, you will need to:

1. Participate as a client for 1 mock assessment session which will occur in-person in Allgood Hall,

-OR-

1. Bring a participant between the ages of 6 and 16 to participate in 1 mock assessment session which will occur in-person in Allgood Hall. This can be your own child, a sibling, a cousin, or someone else you have access to; however, the child’s parent/legal guardian must complete the informed consent documentation prior to the session and YOU must remain in the area while the assessment is completed. (You may or may not observe the session directly; we will determine whether this is plausible closer to time).

The sessions will range between approximately three and four hours per session. Your assessor will work with you to find a time that is convenient for you, but the sessions MUST be completed during the weeks listed below.  Thus, if you will have limited availability during these time periods, you should not elect this option.

• Session 1 (2/13 – 2/21) (three to four hours; participant must be the adult student [you])
• Session 2 (3/13 – 3/21) (three to four hours; participant must be between 6 and 16)
• Session 3 (4/14 – 4/23) (three to four hours; participant must be 12-85 [can be you or a child])

During your sessions, you will be asked to answer questions on topics such as vocabulary and to complete tasks such as puzzles. Some of the questions and tasks will be very easy, and others will be more difficult. Although the tests practiced by the students are used to measure things such as intelligence and achievement, these are mock sessions with training assessors; as a result, the results of the tests are not considered valid and neither the students nor the professor will be able to offer you feedback on your performance. If you feel as though you want or need to seek valid psychological assessment and receive feedback, you should seek assessment from a trained and qualified psychologist for these concerns such as is available at the Augusta University Student Counseling and Psychological Services (SCAPS) free of charge.

Confidentiality: Mock sessions will be videotaped for training and supervisory purposes and parts of your sessions will be reviewed by Dr. Drew Pierson (assessment course instructor) and a team of two to three trainee therapists. Dr. Pierson is a licensed psychologist. As with any interaction you have during your mock assessment sessions, information from your sessions will be kept strictly confidential.  This means that your information will NOT be shared with your instructor, your classmates, or anyone else outside of the small assessment team.  The only exception to this is if you disclose information that would be required by law to report:

1. harm or intention to harm self or others
2. reasonable suspicion of current or previous abuse of children, older adults, or individuals with disabilities
3. court orders

Grade: Your grade will be based on (1) coming to one session on time and participating in the process. You will NOT receive any points for this assignment if you do not attend the session (it is all or none) and you will lose points if you come to your appointments late or do not cooperate with your assessor in setting up meeting times during the times noted above. A portion of your grade will also be based on (2) writing a 2-3-page reflection paper about the experience. Students will NOT be asked to share what was discussed or how they performed in the reaction paper. Rather, students will discuss what it was like to participate in the process (what you learned about assessment, what surprised you etc.). Your professor will only receive information regarding whether you attended all sessions on time and participated in the process.

What might I learn? Although the objective of the project and the research is to aid in the training of graduate students at Augusta University, participating in the study may provide you with greater insight about the assessment process.

OPTION 3: Interview a Professional

What do I have to do? Students adjusting to adulthood are encouraged to research and explore different professional careers that interest them. For this assignment, students must research 4 potential careers and interview a professional in each of those 4 different careers (one professional per career). The four professionals can be in similar careers, but they cannot be the same. Students are encouraged to learn about the job duties and expectations, job requirements including education and licensure, and other professional information, such as the pay rate, competitiveness of the career, etc. Students are also encouraged to consider the more personal aspects of the career, such as the stress level, risk of burnout, emotional expectations, room for professional growth, etc.

Grade: Your grade will be based on (1) identifying and researching a career, (2) interviewing a professional in that career, (3) thoughtfully sharing the information you learned from your search and interview with the professional.

To fulfill this option, you must select and research 4 separate careers, interviewing a professional in each career selected. After completing the steps listed above, you will complete four, 1-page reflections (one page reflection for each career) with a cover page. Each reflection paper should include:

• The career you researched
• The job duties and expectations of that career
• The requirements of that career (education, licensure, etc.)
• Who you interviewed in that career
• What you learned from that interview
• A reflection on what surprised you (you didn’t know or expect) about the career

What might I learn? This option will provide insight into different professions students may be interested in pursuing, while encouraging them to speak to actual professionals in those careers. Interviews may provide students with useful information and insights into the careers they are interested in.

OPTION 4: Participation in Psychological Research (Must be at least 18 years old to participate)

What do I have to do? Psychological research is an important part of the work through which psychologists spend time. Each semester, there are a variety of research opportunities for which students can engage in. To complete a research study, you will first need to sign up for studies you will need to login to Sona, our online research management system. Sona is located at https://augusta.sona-systems.com/Default.aspx?ReturnUrl=/. You will receive an email from Sona with your Login ID and Password. You will note that your login ID is the same as your Augusta University email address. Your initial password is generated by Sona. If you wish to change your password, go to “My Profile” from within your account. If you forget your password, you may retrieve it by using the password recovery tool on the login page.

The first time you login, you will be asked to read and accept ethics and privacy agreements. You may then begin signing up for studies under the “Study Sign-Up” tab.  Review the brief descriptions of the studies and select the studies in which you wish to participate. For each study, select an available date and time. Sona will email you to remind you about the studies you sign up for.  Be sure to print out or write down the date, time, and room number. Sona keeps a record of all studies for which you have signed up. You can login at any time and review the studies in which you have participated. If you cannot attend a study, you must login to Sona and cancel at least 24 hours in advance! If this option is selected, students will need to (1) complete six hours of research time and (2) write a 2-3 page reflection paper about the studies in which you participated. *Please note, the amount of time the research will take is provided in SONA. Studies can take anywhere from 15 minutes to hours, depending on the study. The amount of time a student earns is based on how long the researcher indicates the study will take.

Grade: Your grade will be based on completing the studies and being on-time to complete the study. Once you have participated in a study, credit will be issued to you. This information will be reviewed at the end of the semester. If your research study was less than 6 hours, you will need to complete another study to fulfill this requirement. Please note, that if you completed multiple studies, you should combine all your experiences into one 2-3-page reflection paper. Your reflection paper should include the purpose of the study, what you did, why the researchers were conducting the study (i.e., why were they doing the study), what you learned through participating and a cover page. Students who select this option are encouraged to remember that six hours of research time may not be available this semester.

What might I learn? This option may provide insight into the types of research projects with which psychologists engage. It may also provide you with a greater understanding of the process of being a research participant.

OPTION 5: Reading and Reviewing of Peer-Reviewed Articles in Psychology

What do I have to do? Psychologists spend a significant amount of time conducting article reviews in order to be knowledgeable of research that has been conducted in the field. This process usually includes: (1) going online and searching for *empirical articles, (2) carefully reading the articles, (3) critically evaluating the information presented, and (4) incorporating recent research findings into designing studies and writing publications.

To fulfill this option, you must select 5 empirical articles using http://scholar.google.com or our library e-journals and databases (www.augusta.edu/library). After completing the first 3-steps listed above, you will complete five, 1-2 page reflections for each article. Each reflection paper should include:

• The topic or purpose of the research covered in the article
• The strategies were used in the research reported in the article (e.g., survey, experiment) including a description of the procedures the researchers used for data collection
• The results/conclusion of the investigation
• A criticism of the article
• What you learned from the article

*Empirical articles are articles in which the author has collected original data (look for a method section and a results section). Trade publications (e.g., Psychology Today) are not regarded as empirical articles. Empirical articles must have been published between 2000-present and be related to course content (Psychology related studies). For example, an empirical article examining the number of whales in the ocean would NOT be appropriate. You are provided with significant flexibility on the specific content of your empirical articles. However, you may find it helpful to consider your experiences in class and/or life experience.

Grade: Your grade will be based on (1) searching and locating empirical articles, (2) completing all five, 1-2 page articles, (3) responding to the items listed above and (4) appropriately citing your reference for each article and including a separate reference page for each article. (5) include a cover page for each article, (6) and writing in APA format. If you select this option, it will be YOUR responsibility to locate research articles. If you are having difficulty retrieving articles, please contact the librarian or TA prior to contacting your professor. Upload each article separately in D2L.

What might I learn? This option will provide insight into the process of conducting article reviews and responding to specific questions about empirical articles.

OPTION 6: Reading and Reviewing of Selected Psychology-Related Book

What do I have to do? There are also several empirical and journalistic texts (still informed by empirical science) in the field that cover important topics in psychology. For this option, there is a list of books from which students can choose; you will read the book and write a book review/reflection. It will involve (1) carefully reading the book, (2) critically evaluating the information presented, (3) integrating the information learned with information learned in class this semester, (4) writing the book report, and (5) summarizing your book report.

Books:

• Daring Greatly (Brené Brown)
• An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness (Kay Redfield Jamison)
• ADHD Nation (Alan Schwarz)
• Crazy Like Us (Ethan Watters)
• How to Be an Antiracist (Ibrim X. Kendi)
• So You Want to Talk About Race (Ijeoma Oluo)
• The Center Cannot Hold: My Journey Through Madness (Elyn R. Saks)

Grade: Your grade will be based on (1) a thorough reading and understanding of the book, (2) a thoughtful review considering strengths and weaknesses, (3) integrating information learned from class, (4) sharing your own reactions to the book, and (5) appropriate references.  Your book report should be at least 2-3 pages minimum.

The following links can be used to help students organize their book report: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/common_writing_assignments/book_reports.html and https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/common_writing_assignments/book_reviews.html

What might I learn? This option will allow for deeper learning on a particular topic in psychology from a contemporary perspective, as well as experience writing a book review on a psychological topic.

OPTION 7: Complete Community Service and/or Volunteer Work

What do I have to do? For students interested in volunteer work and community service, you may select different opportunities to participate for at least 8 hours. While not mandatory, it is strongly recommended that you find a way to connect your volunteer work to your professional interests. It is also recommended that you look for unique opportunities to complete your volunteer work and/or community service. Students can complete all 8 hours at one location, either completing one type of work or a variety of tasks. Students can also choose different locations and tasks to mix-and-match their community service to meet the 8-hour requirement.

Grade: Your grade will be based on completing at least 8 hours or more of volunteer work or community service. If your volunteer work was less than 8 hours, you will need to complete more volunteer work to fulfill this requirement. Please note that if you complete multiple volunteer assignments or community service, you should combine all your experiences into one 2-3-page reflection paper.

***You are to include documentation (upload to D2L) from your volunteer supervisor that you completed at least 8 hours of community service.

Your reflection paper should include:

1. The purpose of the volunteer work
2. What were your responsibilities
3. Why you chose that work
4. How it relates to your personal growth and professional interests
5. What you learned through the experience.

What might I learn? This option will allow students to create meaningful experiences, network with community organizations, and learn more about opportunities available for personal and professional growth.

There are hundreds of ways to participate in community service, depending on your skills and interests. Some common community service examples include but not limited to:

Working with schoolchildren: Tutoring children after school, collecting school supplies to donate, planting a school garden.

Working with senior citizens: Visiting residents of a retirement center, delivering meals to senior citizens, driving them to appointments.

Improving the environment: Holding a recycling contest, planting trees, creating a new trail at a nature center.

Helping low-income people: Passing out food at a soup kitchen, collecting used clothes to be donated, making first aid kits for homeless shelters.

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