PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL GROWTH

Now that you are at the end of your program, it is time to reflect on and analyze the impact of the MS in Psychology program on your personal and professional growth. This is a great way to see what you have learned and accomplished in the past few years. Also, take a moment to appreciate those who have supported you in both big and small ways. For this Discussion assignment, you will also describe your next plans, professionally or academically.

• Reflect on your journey through this program.
• Evaluate what you have learned in this program.
• Think about the knowledge, skills, and competencies you have acquired from this program and how they have contributed to your personal and professional growth.
• Looking forward, think about what you will do now that your master’s degree is completed.
• Think about the support you have received from others around you and how you might reward them for supporting and "hanging in there" with you.
• Reflect on your journey through this program.
• Evaluate what you have learned in this program.
• Think about the knowledge, skills, and competencies you have acquired from this program and how they have contributed to your personal and professional growth.
• Looking forward, think about what you will do now that your master’s degree is completed.
• Think about the support you have received from others around you and how you might reward them for supporting and "hanging in there" with you.

BY DAY 4

Post a description of the impact of your MS in Psychology program as it relates to your personal and professional growth. How will you apply your knowledge and degree—what are your next steps or goals? Finally, share how you will acknowledge and reward one person who has been a support to you during your program.

Resources

Confabulation occurs when people fill in gaps in their memory with fabricated or distorted details that they mistakenly believe to be true (Clare & Gudjonsson, 1993). This behavior is often unintentional and can arise from various factors. For example, individuals may confabulate to meet perceived demands, answer questions, or satisfy expectations from others (Hanba & Zaragoza, 2007). Social pressure and the need to provide plausible answers can lead to false memories and confabulated responses. Additionally, those with poorer memory abilities or learning disabilities are more prone to confabulation, as they may struggle to accurately recall information (Clare & Gudjonsson, 1993). Overall, confabulation can result from the brain’s attempt to fill memory gaps with coherent but inaccurate details.

Instances of confabulation are elevated among criminal justice-involved populations due to several contributing factors. Individuals in this context often face intense social pressure and high-stakes questioning, which can lead to the creation of false memories or distorted details to meet perceived demands or expectations. The stress and coercion experienced during interrogations can exacerbate memory distortions, leading to confabulated responses. Additionally, those with poorer memory abilities or learning disabilities, who are more prevalent in criminal justice settings, are more susceptible to confabulation. The high-pressure environment and the need to provide plausible explanations can result in the frequent occurrence of confabulated accounts among these populations.

Some potential red flag indicators of confabulation include poor memory engagement and inconsistencies between the ability to recall information and cognitive function. Individuals who confabulate may exhibit a noticeable disconnect between their reported memories and their actual cognitive performance, revealing a lack of reliability in how they remember and process information. Additional indicators may include inaccurate responses, inconsistent levels of confidence (both high confidence in incorrect details and low confidence despite accurate information), and a tendency to fill gaps in memory with fabricated or distorted details.

In forensic settings, the implications of confabulation are significant due to the effects of confirmatory feedback on eyewitness testimony (Hanba & Zaragoza, 2007). When eyewitnesses are repeatedly interviewed, the feedback they receive can inflate their confidence in confabulated or inaccurate information (Hanba & Zaragoza, 2007). This inflated confidence can mislead evaluators, such as jurors, who often lack knowledge of the witness's interrogation history and may wrongly perceive the heightened confidence as a marker of accuracy (Hanba & Zaragoza, 2007). As a result, confabulated information, presented with high confidence due to positive reinforcement, can be mistakenly deemed credible (Hanba & Zaragoza, 2007), impacting the integrity of judicial outcomes and clinical assessments.

Hanba, J. M., & Zaragoza, M. S. (2007).Interviewer feedback in repeated interviews involving forced confabulation.Links to an external site. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 21(4), 433–455. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.1286 

Clare, I. C.H., & Gudjonsson, G. H. (1993). Interrogative suggestibility, confabulation, and acquiescence in people with mild learning disabilities (mental handicap): Implications for reliability during police interrogations.British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 32(3), 295–301. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2044-8260.1993.tb01059.x 

In 450–500 words, address the following:

Learning From Experiences

• Revisit the goals and objectives from your Practicum Experience Plan. Explain the degree to which you achieved each during the practicum experience.
• Reflect on the three (3) most challenging patients you encountered during the practicum experience. What was most challenging about each?
• What did you learn from this experience?
• What resources did you have available?
• What evidence-based practice did you use for the patients?
• What new skills are you learning?
• What would you do differently?
• How are you managing patient flow and volume? 

Communicating and Feedback

• Reflect on how you might improve your skills and knowledge and how to communicate those efforts to your Preceptor.
• Answer the questions: How am I doing? What is missing?
• Reflect on the formal and informal feedback you received from your Preceptor. 

 Presenting Problem: The patient is an 11-year-old male presents with symptoms consistent with a neurodevelopmental disorder. Parents report difficulties with attention, social interactions, and academic performance, along with repetitive behaviors.  History of Present Illness: The onset of symptoms began in early childhood. The patient has exhibited persistent difficulties in maintaining attention, following instructions, and completing tasks. Socially, she struggles with understanding social cues and forming peer relationships. Academic performance has been below expectations for her age, despite apparent effort. Repetitive behaviors and a preference for routines have also been noted. 

Presenting Problem: The patient is a 23-year-old female presents with symptoms consistent with an anxiety disorder. She reports experiencing excessive worry, restlessness, and physical symptoms such as palpitations and muscle tension over the past year.  History of Present Illness: The patient describes a gradual onset of symptoms beginning approximately one year ago. She reports persistent and excessive worry about various aspects of her life, including work, health, and personal relationships. She experiences difficulty controlling the worry, which often leads to restlessness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, muscle tension, and sleep disturbances. The symptoms have significantly impacted her daily functioning and quality of life.

 Chief Complaint: The patient presents with concerns about persistent anxiety affecting her daily life.  History of Present Illness: Patient is a 32-year-old female who reports experiencing persistent anxiety over the past 4 months She describes feelings of excessive worry, restlessness, and difficulty concentrating, which are impacting her work performance and social interactions. The patient reports that her anxiety is accompanied by physical symptoms such as muscle tension, headaches, and occasional palpitations. She denies any specific triggers but notes that the anxiety is generalized and occurs in various situations.