Reflection Journal

     

                Submit your journal entry in Canvas

 

During the semester, you should complete 5 reflection journal entries. You will get to choose which topics you write about, as long as you write two reflections during Module 2, two during Module 3, and one during Module 4. Each entry should be at least 150 words of your writing in which you reflect on how the material from that week applies to your life. Several prompts will be provided on the course website and Canvas. One example is: “Please reflect on whether you have encountered stigma towards the mental disorder covered this week. How was your/your family’s/the media’s understanding of the mental disorder different than the scientific understanding of the mental disorder?” You are NOT required to disclose any private, personal information.

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Journal entries are due by the end of the assigned module, meaning by midnight on the Exam day. You may submit your reflections any time during the module, for example, right after we cover the first topic of a new module, you're welcome to submit your first reflection for that module. Each journal entry is worth 10 points and it will earn full points as long as it: (1) is submitted by the deadline, (2) is at least 150 words in length, (3) it relates to a topic covered from that module, and (4) it discusses how the material relates to something in real life (personal or societal) using one of the provided prompts (you could also be creative and go beyond the prompts!). You will not receive points if the entry is plagiarized or written using generative AI, such as ChatGPT. Although grammar and spelling are not graded, you will receive partial points if your writing is very unclear or not written in full sentences.

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Prompt ideas

Below are some ideas of things that you could write about, but please feel free to be creative in reflecting on how the material from this topic applies to your life. You do not need to answer all or any of the questions below to earn the full points for the assignment.

 

Stigma

Please reflect on whether you have encountered stigma (a mark of disgrace) towards the topic you chose. How was your (or your family’s or the media’s) understanding of the topic different than the scientific understanding of the topic?

 

Influence of identity/culture

Do you think that any aspects of your individual identity (such as gender, race or ethnicity, sexual orientation) or your culture (such as religion, socioeconomic status, nationality) influence the way that you perceive the topic you chose to write about? Why or why not? 

 

Media

How do you think the media, such as television, movies, and social media, has influenced your (or your family’s or our society’s) understanding of the topic you chose to write about? Explain whether you think the media has been a mostly positive influence, a mostly negative influence, or somewhere in between.

 

Care/Treatment

What types of care or treatment would you want if you suffered from the mental disorder you chose to write about? Or, what types of care or treatment would you recommend to a loved one suffering from this mental disorder and why? What are the strengths and weaknesses of this care/treatment?