Please read carefully before accepting this assignment and be sure you are a psychology major.

Thanks,

Arthur Cosner

For this Assignment, first select a character (I have chosen Mel Gibson, BiPolar disorder) or individual in the news, a movie, or television with a mental disorder. For Part 1, you will need to have a mental disorder in mind, but you will not be discussing the individual or character until Part 2.

In Part 1, you are to investigate the various approaches thought today to influence the development of the chosen mental disorder. In other words, you are to discuss certain aspects of some of the major etiologies.

In Part 2, you are to provide an overview of the chosen individual or character’s behavior. Next, select two of the approaches or theories you discussed prior and explain how they can be used to understand the development or cause of chosen individual or character’s mental disorder.

You are to use the course textbook and include at least four additional scholarly peer-reviewed articles from the library and/or the internet to help you develop and support your paper. Your information should come from acceptable psychological or medical societies, such as the National Institute of Health, Web MD, etc., and not from sites such as Wikipedia or other such internet sites where anyone can post information.

Part 1:

1. Biological approach or influences to the development of mental illness: In three separate paragraphs, discuss each of the three following theories from the biological approach.
   1. Explain (a) which of the neurotransmitter(s) researchers have correlated with the chosen mental disorder and (b) how the associated neurotransmitters are believed to influence changes in behavior in general. (At minimum 1 paragraph)
   2. Discuss what the research shows about genetic contributions to the development of the chosen disorder. (At minimum 1 paragraph)
   3. Discuss what the research shows about stress and its influence on the development of the mental disorder. You are to include a discussion of either the diathesis-stress model or the reciprocal gene-environmental model. (At minimum 1 paragraph)

2. Social and cultural and interpersonal approach or influences to the development of mental illness. Please review the following source: Maschio, J. (2014). Social and Cultural Factors and Shaping Thought and Behavior. [Video]. Unpublished.

   In a paragraph, explain the social and cultural approach to understanding the cause of the disorder. Include a discussion of the effects a lack of social support may play in the development of the chosen mental disorder. (At minimum 1 paragraph)

3. Psychological approach or influences to the development of mental illness:

   In a paragraph, discuss how experiences, the ways in which coping with them, and thinking one’s experiences or stressors are believed to influence psychological distress related to the chosen mental disorder. (At minimum 1 paragraph)

Part 2:

1. For the second part of your Assignment, briefly introduce and describe your chosen individual or character’s behavior and identify his or her mental disorder.
2. In a paragraph, explain how two of the approaches or theories discussed in your paper may explain the development of the chosen individual or character’s mental disorder. (Part 2 is a minimum 1 paragraph)