Foundation Year Psychology

1094 Words3 Pages

This essay describes the positive impact the foundation year has had on my understanding of careers in psychology through reference to research and lecture material. A critical discussion also reveals how the lectures have influenced and clarified my decision to pursue a career as a clinical psychologist. Lastly, the essay identifies a research question that I am interested in answering, and describes my chosen methodology for conducting the study. This foundation year has significantly strengthened my understanding of psychology related careers by introducing me to various psychological approaches, foundational theories, ethical considerations and how they are applied to everyday experiences and general world events. Whilst not every module …show more content…

However, despite this career offering many rewards, I realised it also comes with some challenges. The role requires significant emotional resilience to deal with distressing cases and criminal offenders who may not be receptive to support (Prospects, 2018). Furthermore, I came to understand that working in intense and emotionally demanding environments such as prisons and courtrooms can be intimidating and stressful. This realisation prompted me to reconsider my career aspirations and explore something that better aligns with my preferences. I was instead drawn to a career as a clinical psychologist. This is because clinical psychologists specialise in providing therapeutic interventions in a range of settings, offering a broader scope of services beyond the legal system (NHS, 2015). While this career suits my personal preferences more closely, it is important to consider the challenges I might face, such as emotional intensity, ethics and workload (Jenkins, 2020). Despite these challenges, I am interested in pursuing this career because of the diverse and rewarding nature of the work. In addition to the privilege of helping individuals overcome their mental health challenges. …show more content…

Alongside, my knowledge of the methodologies and theoretical frameworks has inspired me to explore a research question within this field. One area that I am particularly interested in is anxiety disorders among children and adolescents. Anxiety disorders are one of the most common psychiatric issues affecting children, and previous research reveals that 15% of children are diagnosed with an anxiety disorder at any given time. Furthermore, anxiety disorders in children and adolescents have serious long term negative influences on cognitive development, social interactions, academic performance and family life (Breinholst et al., 2012). Considering the significant negative impacts, it is important to enhance our understanding of the factors that contribute to the development and persistence of anxiety disorders. I am aware of the positive impact that a supportive home environment can have on an individual’s mental health and therefore believe that parental involvement can be a crucial factor in treatment success. As a result, the research question I have chosen is “How does parental involvement in adolescent therapy affect treatment outcomes for anxiety disorders?.” I find this question interesting as it addresses a gap in existing clinical practice. For instance, individual therapy interventions are well

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