Dependent Variables Depression Anxiety Stress Psychology Essay

Dependent Variables Depression Anxiety Stress Psychology Essay Adolescence is a crucial phase in life, during which the teenagers can succumb to conditions like depression, anxiety and stress which can increase chance of mental illnesses. The present study aims at measuring the level of depression, Anxiety and Stress of the 10th std students between the age group of 14-15 years studying in rural and urban High Schools. The sample of the study obtained using purposive sampling consisted of 60 students (30 urban and 30 rural) drawn from two schools one from the metropolitan city of Hyderabad and the other from Nagarkurnool, Mahboobnagar district. In order to carry on the research, the investigator used DAS scale (Depression, Anxiety and Stress) developed by the  University of New South Wales (Australia) 1995 . Adolescence is a transitional stage of physical and psychological human development generally occurring between puberty and legal adulthood. The period of adolescence is most closely associated with the teenage years, although its physical, psychological and cultural expressions can begin earlier and end later. In adolescence, cognitive developments result in greater self awareness of others and their thoughts and judgments, the ability to think about abstract, future possibilities, and the ability to consider multiple possibilities at once. As a result, adolescents experience a significant shift from the simple, concrete, and global self descriptions typical of young children; as children, they defined themselves with physical traits whereas as adolescents, they define themselves based on their values, thoughts and opinions. The competitive nature of present day educational system has great influence on the youngsters. Every student is faced with a high demand to surpass oneself. Fa ilure to do so may often be considered as a mark of the failure of ones existence by the youngster, whose limited life experience does not permit him/her to seek an alternative. Home and school are the centers of these problems. Most of the conflicting issues arise because of the fear of loss of friends, parents. They become entangled in the grip of insecurity. Most of the time they have this fear that if they are not able to meet expectations of their near and dear ones then he or she will lose them. The additional burden of general expectations of parents, friends, teachers etc stresses the youngster and when confronted with failure hurts their self-esteem. Adolescents thus see themselves in highly conflicting situations, as they often expect to perform their best in the academic field. They often get frustrated, anxious and stressed that suicide becomes their only escape. It is important to realize that stress affects memory and the psychological well being of students. Academic stress particularly among students has been assessed as one of the most important causal factors for adolescents depression. The term depression is difficult to define because of the ambiguity inherent in it. Depression as a medical condition in which a person feels very sad and anxious and often has physical symptoms such as being unable to seep etc Inability to do so leads to stress and this begins to wear out people and the result is most often depression. Stress is the major factor influencing depression. Depression is a state of emotional dejection. Extreme feelings of hopelessness, sadness, isolation, worry, loss of interest or pleasure, feelings of guilt or low self worth, disturbed sleep or appetite, low energy and poor concentration are the signs of depression. According to salmons (1997), depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a persons thoughts, behavior, feelings and physical well-being. . The depressed person has negative thoughts, low self-esteem, the feeling of the hopelessness about the future, loss of motivation, change in aptitude, sleep disturbance, an d loss of energy. Depression is closely related to anxiety, most depressed individuals have high levels of anxiety (Mac Leod,Byrne,Valentine,1996) Anxiety is a subjective state of internal discomfort. . It is a normal emotion with adaptive value, in it that acts as a warning system to alert a person to impending danger. Anxiety is a mood -state characterized by negative effects, bodily symptoms of tensions and apprehension about the future (American Psychological Association,1995).psychologists believe that a small amount of anxiety helps to arouse individuals to perform better(Yerkes and Dodson,1908). However, a large amount of anxiety might hinder performance. Anxiety is considered to be a universal phenomenon existing across cultures, although its contexts and manifestations are influenced by cultural beliefs and practices (Good Kleinman, 1985; Guarnaccia, 1997). Generally, more girls than boys develop anxiety disorders and symptoms. Adolescent girls report a greater number of worries, more separation anxiety, and higher levels of generalized anxiety (Campbell Rapee, 1994; Costello, Egger Angold, 2003; Poulton, Milne, Cra ske Menzies, 2001; Weiss Last, 2001). Anxiety is known to affect both learning and performance (McDonald, 2001), no empirical research has explored the relationship between adolescent anxiety and school type, school choice, or mode of instruction. In India ,the main documented cause of anxiety among adolescents is parents high educational expectations and pressure for academic achievement. Stress is a state of mind involving demand on physical or mental energy, a state or circumstance that disturbs the normal, physical and mental health of a person. Stress is a consequence of or a general response to an action or situation that places special physical or psychological demands, or both, on a person. As such, stress involves an interaction of the person and the environment. According to Hans Selye (1974) stress is a response of the body to any stimulus that upset the individuals homeostasis. Any experience that affects ones homeostasis is considered to be stress (Rice, 1992). Hans Selye further defined stress as the nonspecific response of the body to demand made upon it. Stress is a condition and the stimuli causing it called stressors or triggers. Stress can be either positive or negative and can be further divided into two groups which are external and internal (Selye, 2009). Early in the 20th century, it was believed that children and adolescents could not suffer from depression. Later in the century, psychologists changed their minds and accepted that children can get depressed, however many agreed childhood depression is different from adult depression (Clarizio, 1989). A major cause or trigger of depression in the adolescents is thought to be stress. A predisposition to depression may also play a role; nonetheless, the additive stresses of every day adolescent life often appear to trigger depression (Clarizio 1989). There is a complex relationship between depression and suicide. Many depressed patients are suicidal and conversely most but not all suicidal individual manifest depressive mode and symptoms if not depressive illness (Pfeffer, 1989.) Adolescence can be a crucial phase in every ones life. There can be a lot emotional upheaval and stress. Adolescents can experience stress from family discord at home as well as having difficulties with peer relationships at school and academic performance. Adolescence during this period under goes with major changes body changes, change in thought pattern, and changes in feelings. Strong feelings of stress, confusion, fear and uncertainty, as well as pressure to succeed, and the ability to think about things in new ways influence a teenagers problem solve and decision making abilities. Majority of the adolescents undergo stress, whatever the sources may be internal or external it hampers the major functioning of the body. Most of the youngsters face multiple problems in their life. Each individual has to cope with different kinds of pressures laid down by the society and family. On the verge of coping those pressures, an individual himself or herself unconsciously frames a net and is caught in the same. Most of the students are pseudo they keep their own self in a rosy world and when they are confronted with the actual situation, they are unable to handle and thus it throws them to a stressful situation. The present study aim on the level of depression, anxiety, stress in the urban and the rural students. Contemporary views on the structure of negative emotion have largely arrived from the well documented observation that scores from various instruments designed to measure the levels of depression and anxiety tend to be highly correlated. (Clark and Watson 1991), and high rates of co morbidity exist among the anxiety and mood disorders (Andrew,1996). Clark and Watson (1991) proposed a tripartite model of anxiety and depression, which claims that both states are characterized by symptoms of elevated negative affect or general distress (example, distress, irritability),but that anhedonia (low levels of positive effect, eg. happiness, confidence, enthusiasm) is specific to depression and physiological hyper arousal ( autonomic symptoms, example trembling , sweating) is unique to anxiety. An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets. Urban areas are created and further developed by the process of urbanization. Measuring the extent of an urban area helps in analyzing population density and urban sprawl, and in determining urban and rural populations. Rural areas or the countryside are areas of land that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture and there may be less air and water pollution than in an urban area. About 80 percent of the Indian population lives in villages. When travelling through the length and breadth of this subcontinent, one can really visualize the difference between rural and urb an in India. There is a big difference between urban and rural India. One of the major differences that can be seen between rural India and urban India is their standards of living. People living in urban India have better living conditions than those living in the rural parts of India. There is a wide economic gap between rural urban India. Rural India is very poor when compared to urban India. Another difference that can be seen between urban and rural India, is their education. In rural India, the parents seldom educate their children, and instead, make their children work in the fields. Poverty, and lack of sufficient infrastructure, can be attributed to the lack of education in rural India. Methodology Design: The research design used in this study is ex-post facto research design,as it explores the already existing causal conditions between the considered sample groups. The hypothesized the level of depression anxiety stress is higher in the urban school student then the rural school student background.To choose the participants purposive sampling methods were employed Sample The participants consisted of 60 students belonging to the age group of 14-15 years studying in rural and urban high schools. The sample of the study drawn from two schools one from the metropolitan city of Hyderabad and the other from Nagarkurnool,Mahboobnagar district. The students were divided into two groups of 30 each, namely urban and rural. Instruments Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale: In the present study, DASS-42 versin of the perep pencil test was used on the 10th STD students studying in urban and rural high schools. The DASS is a 42- item self report instrument designed by Lovibond and Lovibond (1995), to measure the three related negative emotional states of depression, anxiety and stress. Each of the three DAS scales consists of 14 items divided into subscales of 2to 5 items having similar content to make up a total of 42 items which are placed in a random order in these scales. The depression scales assesses dysphoria, hopelessness, devaluation of life, self-deprecation, lack of interest or involvement, anhedonia and inertia (Lovibond, S.H.Lovibond,P.F.;1995). The anxiety scale contains autonomic arousal, skeletal muscle  effects, situational anxiety and subjective experience of anxious affect (Lovibond et al., 1995). The stress scale being sensitive to chronic non-specific arousal assesses difficulty in relaxing, ner vous arousal, and being easily upset or agitated, irritable or over-reactive and impatient(Lovibond et al.,1995). The items are to be rated on a 4 point Likert Scale of 0 to 3. the option 3 to 0 signify how the sentence applied to the individual with the response ranging in the past week. The rating scale is as follows: 0 Did not apply to me at all 1 Applied to me to some degree, or some of the time. 2 Applied to me a considerable degree, or a good part of the time. 3 Applied to me very much, or most of the time. The option the participant chooses for each item (ie.0,1,2or 3) is regarded as the score for that item and the sum of the relevant items belonging to each one of the three subscales gives the scores for that subscale. These scores are then interpreted to determine the DAS level of the participant. Crawford and Henry (2003) found the internal consistency of the DASS subscales to be high with Cronbachs alphas of 0.94, 0.88 and 0.93 for depression, anxiety and stress respectively. According to Lovibond et al.(1995) the reliability scores of the scales in terms of Cronbachs alpha scores rate the Depression scale at 0.91, the Anxiety scale at 0.84 and the Stress scale at 0.90 in the normative sample. The measns and standard deviations for each scale are 6.34 and 6.97 for depression, 4.7 and 4.91 for anxiety and 10.11 and 7.91 for stress respectively.(Lovibond et al.,1995) Procedure: The test was administered on a one to one basis. Each participant was approached and was briefed about the purpose of the study. The consent was taken before conducting the test and was allowed to withdraw from the study whenever the participant wanted. The questionnaire was given to the subject and was asked to answer the questionnaire carefully based on how many times their parents might have used it. Instructions on paper were read out by the researcher in order to clear all doubts. The participant was asked to work through the items as quickly and as accurately as possible, including a cross mark against the appropriate opinion. Every doubts and any kind of ambiguity that arose in the participants mind were clarified. After the test was accomplished, the researcher expressed her gratitude to the participant for the cooperation. Later the questionnaire was collected and was statistically analyzed by the researcher. The descriptive statistics, Mean and Standard Deviation and the in ferential statistics t-ratio and p-value are used for analysis of the data.

How to Motivate Fred Maiorino Essay

Fred Maiorino was employed by Schering-Plough for 35 years and on July 19, 1991 he was terminated. Fred was terminated because the lack of motivation he has once Jim Reed was hired. The factors that inhibit Jim Reed from motivated Fred Maiorino are lack of leadership, lack of goals, and lack of an effective employee performance review. Leadership Jim Reed fails to motivate Fred because of the unsuccessful role as leader. A successful leader has the ability to manage and supervise the performances of their employees. (Kacmar, Carlson, Harris 2013). These authors describe several leadership styles but the most effective in motivating employees is transformational leadership style. The transformational leadership style inspires employees by establishing a work environment that is motivating and invigorating (Kacmar, Carlson, Harris 2013). Motivating employees initiate them to believe in organizations ambitions. The transformation leadership technique encourages and motivates employees to be mindful of the significance of their role within the company. The authors explain a transformation leader that stimulates and motivates employees has the ability to achieve astonishing outcomes and improve their leadership capability. They also assist in developing and strengthening employees. They are effective in overcoming defiance among the employees by instilling passion, strength and cooperation between employees and establishing a set of standards to follow. Leaders must demonstrate ethics, honesty, beliefs and trust to establish a positive work atmosphere so employees will be motivated to do their best. (Pryor, Singleton, Taneja, & Humphreys, 2010) A leader that motivates allows an employee to feel confident and appreciated for their work. Employees want to believe that they are valued and respected by their managers. Transformational leadership significantly enhances the competence leaders have to impact an increase in collaboration among employees. According to Schuh, Zhang, & Tian (2013) the end result of transformational leadership is â€Å"uniformly positive†. Transformational leaders believe employees are a valued asset instead of, just an employee. Employees should be involved in making decisions. Transformational leaders should be able to listen and have the ability to communicate with employees. A transformational leader will allow employees to disprove of ideas and  offer new suggestions. Employee motivate and morale will increase with the continually use of the transformational leadership style. Jim Reed should have adopted a transformational leadership style to motivate Fred Mariono. Goal Setting Jim Reed’s lack of goals contributes to the failure of motivating Fred. Goal setting is a tool that can be used to motivate employees, allowing them to feel important and valued as an employee. (Latham 2004) Efficient goal setting is force of performance. According to Locke & Latham (2002), the goal setting theory emphasizes that employees given precise goals than being told â€Å"do your best† The more successful attempts an employee has a obtaining their goal, the higher their job satisfaction will be. Setting goals for employees instill purpose and meaning to their job and allows them to challenge each other. Achieving goals increase employee’s interest, enhanced sense of personal efficiency, and pride in job performance. (Latham 2004) The importance of goals to employees influences the commitment to the goal. Goals are regulated by aptitude, commitment, feedback, difficulty, and situational elements. (Barsky 2008) An employee’s success in accomplishing stimulating but obtainable goals is directly correlated with positive and valued results. The higher the significance of the expected results for the employee, the higher the goal commitment to achieve it (Latham 2004). Once the goal is set, it is the employee’s assessment that will govern the level of performance (Latham, 2004). Specific goals set for Fred would have challenged, motivated, and increased his level of performance Performance Evaluation The failure of implementing an effective performance evaluation contributed to not motivating Fred. Jim Reeds method could be described as unintended outcome.(Van De Mieroop, Vrolix 2014) that is obtained from unacceptable performance ratings. Performance evaluations should be comprised of principles that determine the level of performance and a valuation to determine the achievements of the employee. An effective performance evaluation will clearly state employee’s expectations and standards. A performance evaluation review should not be based on historical factors. The purpose of performance reviews should focus on the future. (Van DE  Mieroop, Vrolix 2014) The most effective way to increase performance is by direct feedback (Ahmed, Sultan, Paul, Azeen 2013). The key motives for lack of performance can be accredited to lack of managerial success due to the lack of manager’s direction and feedback to employees. .(Yadav, Sushil, Sagar 2014) Leaders need to make employees aware of their responsibilities, obligations to the company and their expectation and then offer continuous feedback. Employees need to be made aware of the progress of their performance levels. (Yadav, Sushil, Sagar 2014) Many studies have revealed that most performance appraisals do not meet the company’s expectations because it emphasis the weaknesses of the employees. This has a tendency to make employees very defensive about the negative focus on their weaknesses. Along with distrust, negative feedback can deter performance, making the performance review ineffective for developing an employee. Jim Reed’s lack of an effective performance evaluation played a role in the termination of Fred. Recommendations Jim Reed needs to adopt a transformational leadership style. Employee ‘s level of performance is positively impacted when transformational leadership is applied. There are four transformational leadership approaches to increase productivity, increase motivation, and decrease turnover. (Zhu, Akhtar 2014) The first approach is to for leaders to set a superior example. This gains the leader respect and trust from employees. They are able to motivate, create change and boost the interest of employees. Second approach is leaders that inspire and are motivated themselves have the ability to motivate employees to be dedicated to the company’s goals. Leaders will also have the ability to encourage their employees to work together and obtain goals and increase their level of performance. (Baca Walker 2013) The third approach is that challenging employees intellectually will stimulate and encourage creativity and originality. Doing this, will able employees to think decisively and develop problem solving skills to assist the company in becoming more effective. The last approach, transformation leadership technique promotes employee consideration. Transformation leaders care about each employee and are often viewed as advisors and teachers. Schuh, Zhang and Tian (2013)have determined that there is a positive correlation between the behavior of  managers and employee results. The success of an organization is directly correlated with an increase in level of performance, efficiency, and improvement. A transformational leadership technique applied would have assisted in motivating Fred. Jim Reed needs to set goals for employees based on the goal setting theory to motivate employees. Performance is indirectly affected by setting goals. According to Latham & Locke (2002), there are several key factors to ensure that the goals are effective. Employees must possess the skills and knowledge to achieve the goal g iven. A learning goal should be set when the employee lacks the knowledge to obtain the goal. The employee needs to be committed to the goal. To ensure that an employee is committed, the goal must be important and deemed as achievable to the employee. Its neccassary that an employee feels committed to achieving the goal for the level of performance to be affected. (Bateman, Barry, 2012) One important factor that facilitates goal commitment is the belief that the individual are able to attain the goal. (Locke, Latham, 2002). Managers need to give the employee feedback, to keep the current on their achievements. Employees that learn they are below their goal usually escalate their determination or adjust their strategy to ensure they achieve their goal. Locke and Latham (2002) suggest that when feedback allows performance to be tracked in relation to one’s goal, goal setting is more effective. When employees realize that they are not on track to accomplish their, they will work harder to increase level of performance. (Tamemag, OHora, Maglieri 2013) If employees are unaware of their progress, they have no way of knowing that change is needed in their performance. The manager is also responsible for ensuring that the employee has all necessary resources to achieve their goal. The implementation of the goal setting theory would have assisted Jim Reed in motivating Fred and could have prevented him from being terminated. Jim Reed needs to base his employee performance review off of the Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scale. Research has determined one of the most effective ways of evaluating employees is the Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scale. BARS is technique that evaluates employees based on their level of performance. This scale combines basics from critical incident and graphic rating scale methods.( Hauenstein, Brown, Sinclair, 2010) BARS will assist in managing changes for promotions and helps in addressing poor performance. It allows the ability to evaluate  other programs within the organization. References Ahmed, I., Sultana, I., Paul, S., & Azeem, A. (2013). Employee performance evaluation: a fuzzy approach. International Journal Of Productivity & Performance Management, 62(7), 718-734 Bacha, E., & Walker, S. (2013). The Relationship Between Transformational Leadership and Followers’ Perceptions of Fairness. Journal Of Business Ethics, 116(3), 667-680 Barsky, A. (2008). Understanding the Ethical Cost of Organizational Goal-Setting: A Review and Theory Development. Journal Of Business Ethics, 81(1), 63-81 Bateman, T. S., & Barry, B. (2012). Masters of the long haul: Pursuing long-term work goals. Journal Of Organizational Behavior, 33(7), 984-1006 Ganster, D. C., Kiersch, C. E., Marsh, R. E., & Bowen, A. (2011). Performance-Based Rewards and Work Stress. Journal Of Organizational Behavior Management, 31(4), 221-235. Hauenstein, N. A., Brown, R. D., & Sinclair, A. L. (2010). BARS and Those Mysterious, Missing Middle Anchors. Journal Of Business & Psychology, 25(4), 663-672. Kacma r, K., Carlson, D. S., & Harris, K. J. (2013). Interactive Effect of Leaders’ Influence Tactics and Ethical Leadership on Work Effort and Helping Behavior. Journal Of Social Psychology, 153(5), 577-597. Latham, G. P. (2004). The motivational benefits of goal-setting. Academy Of Management Executive, 18(4), 126-129 Locke, E.A.,&Latham, G.P. (2002). Building a practically useful theory of goal setting and task motivation: A 35-year odyssey. American Psychologist, 57, 705–717. Pryor, M. G., Singleton, L. P., Taneja, S., & Humphreys, J. H. (2010). Workplace fun and its correlates: A conceptual inquiry. International Journal of Management, 27(2), 294-302. Schuh, S., Zhang, X., & Tian, P. (2013). For the Good or the Bad? Interactive Effects of Transformational Leadership with Moral and Authoritarian Leadership Behaviors. Journal Of Business Ethics, 116(3), 629-640 Tammemagi, T., O’Hora, D., & Maglieri, K. A. (2013). The Effects of a Goal Setting Intervention on Produc tivity and Persistence in an Analogue Work Task. Journal Of Organizational Behavior Management, 33(1), 31-54 Van De Mieroop, D., & Vrolix, E. (2014). A Discourse Analytical Perspective on the Professionalization of the Performance Appraisal Interview. Journal Of Business -Communication, 51(2), 159-182 Whiting, H. J., Kline, T. B., & Sulsky, L. M. (2008). The performance appraisal congruency scale: An assessment of person-environment fit. International Journal Of Productivity And Performance Management, 57(3), 223-236 Yadav, N., Sushil, & Sagar, M. (2014). Revisiting performance measurement and management: deriving linkages with strategic management theories. International Journal Of Business Performance Management, 15(2), 87-105 Zhu, Y., & Akhtar, S. (2014). How transformational leadership influences follower helping behavior: The role of trust and prosocial motivation. Journal Of Organizational Behavior, 35

Prescription Drug Abuse in Teenagers Essay

Although prescription drugs are not harmful if used correctly, prescription drug abuse is high in teenagers. Most parents would never think their teenagers are helping themselves to prescription medicine sitting on ones counter. The truth is, prescription drug abuse in teenagers has become very common nowadays. The drugs are easily accessible at home, or cheap to buy at school. They are highly addictive and can even cause death. Putting one’s prescriptions in a safe place may save a childs life. Prescription drug addiction usually starts with experimentation. Teenagers may be trying prescription drugs because their friends are doing it or it may just be out of curiosity. Some teenagers will turn to prescription drugs to forget their problems. As the addiction progresses, it becomes harder and harder to stop using the prescription drugs (Smith, 2010). Experimentation rarely leads to a good outcome. If one’s child starts with a simple experiment of prescription drug use, odds are it will ultimately end with addiction. Smith (2010), states â€Å"Addiction is a complex disorder characterized by compulsive drug use. People who are addicted feel an overwhelming, uncontrollable need for drugs† (Drug abuse and addiction, para. 1). When one has repeated drug use it will permanently alter the brain. The long-lasting effect on the brain changes ones ability to think, use good judgment, control ones behavior, or feel normal without the drug. It is the drug cravings and compulsions to use that make the addiction so powerful. These cravings and compulsions to use are partly cause by the changes the drugs make to one’s brain (Smith, 2010). The average prescription drug abuser will start between the ages of 12 and 17. Every day about 2,500 teenagers in this age group abuse a prescription drug for the first time (Havens, 2009). â€Å"The number of high school students who are abusing prescription pain relievers such as oxycodone (OxyCotin), a potent and highly addictive opiate, or sedative is on the rise† (Freedman, (2006), para. 3). Stimulants are the most common used, next is opiates, followed by tranquilizers, and then sedatives (Parenting Teens, 2005). The pain relievers such as Vicoden or OxyCotin are used to achieve a high, whereas the sedatives such as Xanax and Valium are used to relax or calm. These drugs can lead to dependence and addiction. Stimulants such as Adderall, Ritalin, Dexedrine, or Provigil decrease ones appetite but increases ones alertness and attention. These are dangerous because they can cause addiction, seizures, or heart attacks. Stimulants are often used to lose weight of for studying. Steroids are used to built ones bodies or promote athletic performance. The dangers involved in consuming steroids are mental and physical health effects as well as serious sexual effects (Havens, 2009). Findings from a 2005 survey conducted by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health â€Å"indicates that approximately 21% of the U. S. population age 12 and older report using any type of prescription drug nonmedically in their lifetime, 16% report us of opiate-type pain killers, 8% report tranquilizer use, 8% report stimulant use, and 2% report sedative use† (Ford, 2008, para. 10). The study also found that substance abuse can cause users to offend the law as well as impair good judgment. However, it has been found that the violations of the law are followed by the abuse of prescription drugs, or other illegal substances. Therefore if one’s teenager is addicted to prescription drugs, legal difficulties will probably follow. The researchers believe substance abuse is a definite road to a delinquent lifestyle (Ford, 2008). Reported prescription drug abuse by high school seniors in 2005 Parenting Teens (2005). According to Freedman (2006), an 18-year-old who lives in San Francisco believes as long as the prescription medication is taken properly, it is much safer than any street drug. According to the findings of the Partnership for a Drug-Free America study, forty percent said prescription were much safer than illegal drugs; while 31 percent said that there was nothing wrong with using prescription drugs once in a while† (â€Å"Prescription-Drug Use by Teens,† (2006), para. 1). Teenagers think that because a medication has a prescription for an individual, it makes it safe for everyone. Several factors are involved in prescribing certain medications such as medical conditions, age, other prescriptions on may be taking and the diagnosis of the individual. Most teenagers do not consider these factors when helping themselves to medications prescribed to someone else. Prescription drugs are easy for a teenager to acquire either from their doctors or from their own medicine cabinets. Most parents are not aware of the risks involved in leaving a bottle of prescription medication lying on the counter for everyone to have access. It will start with taking one or two at a time and then the teenager ultimately proceeds to steeling the entire bottle, buying the prescription medications at school from classmates or even lying to their doctors to obtain their own prescriptions. The increasing popularity of nonmedical prescription drug use is based on the putative advantages of prescription drugs over â€Å"street† drugs: the drugs are easier to obtain, there is less likelihood of arrest, use is more socially accepted, and there is a perception the prescription drugs are safer† (Ford, (2008), para. 10). Prevention is the best tool concerning teenagers and prescription drug abuse. Havens, (2009), â€Å"Most teenagers say parents are not discussing the dangers of prescription drugs with them† (6 Steps to Prevent Prescription Drug Abuse in Teens, para. ). It is the parent’s responsibility to monitor closely the prescription medication in the home and purchase a lock box if necessary to keep one’s teenager safe. One needs to educate one’s teenagers in the dangers of prescription medication and the factors that go into prescribing those medications to each individual. Take it as far as asking the family physician to speak with one’s teenager if necessary. Sometimes they listen to strangers better than their own parents. Take the time to ensure there are no or out-of-date medications in the home. If these medications are no longer needed, dispose of them properly by flushing those (Havens, 2009). Parents are not always aware of how dangerous their own medication can be to their teenagers. MSNBC (2010). Parents also need to educate themselves in the signs associated with prescription drug abuse. Some of the thing one needs to watch for with their teenager behavior is neglecting responsibilities, getting into legal trouble, and even problems with the relationships with one’s friends. If ones teenager is starting to fall on school grades, not do chores at home, or even skipping school a pattern of neglecting responsibilities in beginning to develop. Behavior to watch for in relationships with friends would be losing longtime friends, and sometimes fist fighting with them. One may also be fighting more than usual with one’s siblings or ones boss at the job. The signs of legal trouble can be anywhere from simple disorderly conduct to any type of major crime. If ones teenager suddenly becomes involved with the law, something is wrong (Smith, 2010). The most noticeable physical signs of a prescription drug addiction is if ones pupils are bigger or smaller than normal, ones eyes are bloodshot, grooming habit deteriorate, unusual odor on breath or clothing, slurred speech, bad coordination, and tremors (Smith, 2010). Psychological warnings one can detect are (Smith, 2010), â€Å"Unexplained change in personality or attitude, sudden mood swings, irritability, or anger outbursts, periods of unusual hyperactivity, agitation, or giddiness, lack of motivation; appears lethargic or â€Å"spaced out†, appears fearful, anxious, or paranoid, with no reason† (Drug abuse and addiction, para. 9). Warning signs that tend to show more in teenagers are when one starts being secretive about their friends, one has a new interest in one’s clothing styles, and ones teenager is suddenly in need or more privacy then usual. If one has money, valuables, or prescription medication missing, one may need to consider the possibility of one’s teenager developing a prescription drug addiction. Other common signs are depression, withdrawing from the family, using incense to hide the smell, or eye drops to cover the dilated or bloodshot (Smith, 2010). Drug rehabilitation can be a costly, but necessary, adventure. According to ChooseHelp, (2010), â€Å"the professional staff involvement at any comprehensive and quality rehab facility disallows bargain treatment, and you need to be prepared to spend a significant amount of money to get a quality and effective treatment program (The Cost of Drug Rehab, para. 3). † Considering all cost involved in housing, feeding, drug therapies, and professional involvement, prices can range from a few thousand dollars a month all the way up to $30,000 per month (ChooseHelp, 2010). Several insurance companies will absorb most of the financial burden. One needs to contact one’s private insurance company and receive all details pertaining to this type of treatment. If one contacts one’s local State Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Council, there are programs available to those that cannot pay nor have any insurance. One needs to take into consideration the seriousness of this addiction. When it involves a prescription drug addiction, one cannot let the cost be a factor in the determination of the treatment. According to ChooseHelp (2010), â€Å"family programs can help to heal a family harmed by the destruction and heartache of abuse; and bring back a healthier dynamic to the family as a whole (Families Need to be a Part of the Process, para. 3). † One needs to decide how much family involvement will be in the rehab process. Family involvement is extremely important not only for the family but for the addict as well. When family member are learning about the addiction from trained professionals as well as other families facing the same situation, families are taught what is most beneficial for the teen and it assures the family that they are not esponsible for the addiction (ChooseHelp, 2010). When seeking a prescription drug treatment center for teenager one needs to consider a program involving patient education as well as family education. The program should offer counseling sessions with a therapist or psychologist as well as peer group session involving several families. One needs to choose a facility close to home to achieve adequate family involvement (ChooseHelp, 2010). When the rehabilitation program is successfully completed it is also important to continue care in an outside group such as Alcohol Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous. Information for these meetings can be obtained in one’s local phone book. If the teenager in the home has been acting differently and medication is running out sooner than usual, take the steps necessary to help him or her. Admitting he or she may be addicted to prescription drugs is not easy but the help one can receive for him or her may save his or her life. Pay attention to the warning signs, ask questions at the doctor appointments and try not to have addictive medication prescribed to one’s child, especially if the child has had a problem in the past with any type of addiction. Be careful where prescription medications are located and consider investing in a lock box. It may be a decision that saves ones teenagers’ life. If one discovers one’s teenager has a prescription drug addiction, or any other addiction, do not be afraid to seek help. Money does not need to be an issue in saving ones life. References http://www.choosehelp.com/drug-rehab/families-need-to-be-a-part-of-the-process http://www.choosehelp.com/drug-rehab/the-costs-of-drug-rehab http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/12803776/ns/health-addictions/

Uncovering the Archaeological Remains of Tipis

A tipi ring is the archaeological remains of a tipi, a dwelling type constructed by North American Plains people between at least as early as 500 BC up until the early 20th century. When Europeans arrived in the great plains of Canada and the United States in the early 19th century, they found thousands of clusters of stone circles, made of small boulders placed at close intervals. The rings ranged in size between seven to 30 feet or more in diameter, and in some cases were embedded into the sod. The Recognition of Tipi Rings The early European explorers in Montana and Alberta, the Dakotas and Wyoming were well aware of the meaning and use of the stone circles, because they saw them in use. The German explorer Prince Maximilian of Wied-Neuweid described a Blackfoot camp at Fort McHenry in 1833; later plains travelers reporting the practice included Joseph Nicollet in Minnesota, Cecil Denny at the Assiniboine camp at Fort Walsh in Saskatchewan, and George Bird Grinnell with the Cheyenne. What these explorers saw was the people of the Plains using stones to weigh down the edges of their tipis. When the camp moved, the tipis were taken down and moved with the camp. The rocks were left behind, resulting in a series of stone circles on the ground: and, because the Plains people left their tipi weights behind, we have one of the few ways that domestic life on the Plains can be archaeologically documented. In addition, the rings themselves had and have meaning to the descendants of the groups which created them, beyond the domestic functions: and history, ethnography, and archaeology together ensures that the rings are a source of cultural richness belied by their plainness. Tipi Ring Meaning To some plains groups, the tipi ring is symbolic of the circle, a core concept of the natural environment, the passage of time, and the gloriously endless view in all directions from the Plains. Tipi camps were also organized in a circle. Among Plains Crow traditions, the word for prehistory is Biiaakashissihipee, translated as when we used stones to weigh down our lodges. A Crow legend tells of a boy named Uuwatisee (Big Metal) who brought metal and wooden tipi stakes to the Crow people. Indeed, stone tipi rings dated later than the 19th century is rare. Scheiber and Finley point out that as such, stone circles act as mnemonic devices linking descendants to their ancestors across space and time. They represent the footprint of the lodge, the conceptual and symbolic home of the Crow people. Chambers and Blood (2010) note that tipi rings typically had a doorway facing east, marked by a break in the circle of stones. According to Canadian Blackfoot tradition, when everyone in the tipi died, the entrance was sewn shut and the stone circle was made complete. That happened all too often during the 1837 smallpox epidemic at the Akà ¡Ãƒ ­Ãƒ ­Ã¢â‚¬â„¢nisskoo or Many Dead Kà ¡Ãƒ ­nai (Blackfoot or Siksikà ¡Ãƒ ­tapiiksi) campsite near present-day Lethbridge, Alberta. Collections of stone circles without door openings such as those at Many Dead are thus memorials of the devastation of epidemics on Siksikà ¡Ãƒ ­tapiiksi people. Dating Tipi Rings Untold numbers of tipi ring sites have been destroyed by Euroamerican settlers moving into the Plains, purposefully or not: however, there are still 4,000 stone circle sites recorded in the state of Wyoming alone. Archaeologically, tipi rings have few artifacts associated with them, although there are generally hearths, which can be used to gather radiocarbon dates. The earliest of the tipis in Wyoming date to the Late Archaic period circa 2500 years ago. Dooley (cited in Schieber and Finley) identified increased numbers of tipi rings in the Wyoming site database between AD 700-1000 and AD 1300-1500. They interpret these higher numbers as representing an increased population, increased use of Wyoming trail system and the migrations of Crow from their Hidatsa homeland along the Missouri River in North Dakota. Recent Archaeological Studies Most archaeological studies of tipi rings are the results of large scale surveys with selected pit testing. One recent example was in the Bighorn Canyon of Wyoming, the historic home of several Plains groups, such as the Crow and Shoshone. Researchers Scheiber and Finley used  hand-held Personal Data Assistants (PDAs)  to input data on tipi rings, part of a developed mapping method combining remote sensing, excavation, hand-drawing, computer-assisted drawing, and Magellan Global Positioning System (GPS) equipment. Scheiber and Finley studied 143 oval tipi rings at eight sites, dated between 300 and 2500 years ago. The rings varied in diameter between 160-854 centimeters along their maximum axes, and 130-790 cm on the minimum, with averages of 577 cm maximum and 522 cm minimum. Tipi studied in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries were reported as 14-16 feet in diameter. The average doorway in their  dataset  faced north-east, pointing to the midsummer sunrise. The internal  architecture of the Bighorn Canyon group included fire hearths in 43% of the  tipis; external included stone alignments and  cairns thought to represent meat drying racks. Sources Chambers CM, and Blood NJ. 2009.  Love  they  neighbour: Repatriating precarious Blackfoot sites.  International Journal of Canadian Studies  39-40:253-279. Diehl MW. 1992.  Architecture as a Material Correlate of Mobility Strategies: Some Implications for Archeological Interpretation.  Cross-Cultural Research  26(1-4):1-35. doi: 10.1177/106939719202600101 Janes RR. 1989.  A Comment on Microdebitage Analyses and Cultural Site-Formation Processes among Tipi Dwellers.  American Antiquity  54(4):851-855. doi: 10.2307/280693 Orban N. 2011.  Keeping House: A Home for Saskatchewan First Nations Artifacts.  Ã‚  Halifax, Nova Scotia: Dalhousie University. Scheiber LL, and Finley JB. 2010.  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹Domestic campsites and cyber landscapes in the Rocky Mountains.  Antiquity  84(323):114-130. Scheiber LL, and Finley JB. 2012.  Situating (Proto) history on the Northwestern Plains and  Rocky Mountains. In: Pauketat TR, editor.  The Oxford Handbook of North American Archaeology. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p 347-358. doi: 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780195380118.013.0029 Seymour DJ. 2012.  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹Ã¢â‚¬â€¹When Data Speak Back: Resolving Source Conflict in Apache Residential and Fire-Making Behavior.  International Journal of Historical Archaeology  16(4):828-849. doi: 10.1007/s10761-012-0204-z