INTRODUCTION:
Stress and trauma are often intensified when you are a member of a marginalized group. In fact, just being a member of a marginalized group can be stressful, especially in certain situations. This is why it is so important that outreach and programs be tailored to the specific needs of these groups and their wellness.
In your second assessment, you will focus on a particular marginalized group—this group may be marginalized by race, gender, ethnicity, ability, or something else. You will write a paper about how being a member of this marginalized group can both create and add stress to a person's life, as well as how common stressors may be impacted and intensified by being a member of a marginalized group. Finally, you will search for programs and services that are tailored to meet the needs of this group. You may find that services are lacking—please make recommendations for how services could be improved.
Remember that there are small things that we can do each day to reduce our feelings of stress and enhance wellness.
- You can make a list of everything that stresses you—which in itself can be stressful, but you can then take items from that list and start to brainstorm how you can potentially handle each stressor (Chunn, 2017). So, grab a pen and start a list today.
- Therapists will often recommend to their clients that they keep a journal. Because of how the act of writing accesses areas of the brain, the simple act of writing down your thoughts and feelings begins to help you work through them and make sense of them. Try it for yourself and see! Consider placing some blank paper or an empty journal by your bedside—next time you feel a rush of emotions, try jotting down some of them (Sutton, 2018).
References
Chunn, L. (2017). The psychology of the to-do list—why your brain loves ordered tasks. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/may/...
Sutton, J. (2018). 5 benefits of journaling for mental health. Positive Psychology. https://positivepsychology.com/benefits-of-journal...
PREPARATION:
To prepare for Assessment 1, take the following steps:
- Identify a marginalized population to focus on in your paper.
- Review this assessments readings as they relate to marginalized populations and their stress and trauma.
- Using the Capella University Library, locate 2–3 peer-reviewed journal articles related to your selected group and experiences of stress or trauma. You'll need at least four articles for your paper, but you can use a couple journal articles from your reading list if you feel they apply.
- Using the Internet, search for outreach organizations or programs that target your selected group. Be prepared to make recommendations for services that would be helpful in managing and addressing stress.
INSTRUCTIONS:
Download the APA Paper Template.
Write a 3–4 page paper that addresses the following. Remember that your supporting evidence should come from your textbook and at least four peer-reviewed journal articles.
- Identify a marginalized population. Explain why they are marginalized. Include supporting evidence.
- Explain how being a member of this population serves to create or add stress in a person's life in general. Include supporting evidence.
- Note: You may use a group that you identify as a member of, or a group that you have interest in learning more about.
- Describe how 2–3 common stressors may be impacted as a result of being a part of this marginalized population. Include supporting evidence.
- Feel free to refer back to the worksheet you completed for Assessment 1.
- Make recommendations for outreach organizations, potential services, or programs that would be helpful to your selected population. Include supporting evidence.
REQUIREMENT:
- Written communication: Written communication is professional, with correct grammar, usage, and mechanics.
- Resources: Use a minimum of five sources—your textbook and at least four peer-reviewed journal articles found in the Capella University Library and your reading list.
- APA formatting: References and citations are formatted according to APA style and formatting.
- Length: 3–4 pages.
- Font and font size: use a minimum of 12-point font.
SOURCES:
Sociology of Stress
Read about stress as it pertains to social groups. This chapter examines stress in modern life and the high amount of stress we are subjected to on a daily basis as the result of advances in technology.
- Seaward, B. (2022). Managing stress: Skills for self-care, personal resiliency and work-life balance in a rapidly changing world (10th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning. Available in the courseroom via the VitalSource Bookshelf link.
- Chapter 2, "Sociology of Stress."
Marginalized Populations
Use this section of your reading list to access scholarly articles that highlight how the experience of trauma is impacted by culture, race, gender, and disability:
- Marginalized Populations.
Trauma
Our culture informs how we experience trauma, and it should also inform how we treat trauma. Review these articles that all deal with trauma, with a particular focus on culturally informed trauma therapy.
- Assessment 2: Trauma.
Victimology
Trauma is a central topic of consideration in victimology. Learn more about this topic by visiting these interactive media pieces.
- Systems Thinking in Victimology.
- Victimology Timeline.
GRADING COMPETENCIES:
By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and scoring guide criteria:
- Competency 1: Apply current theory and research to specific topics in stress, trauma, and wellness.
- Explain why a specific population is considered to be marginalized.
- Competency 2: Analyze ways in which stress and trauma impact the lives of individuals.
- Explain how being a member of a marginalized population serves to create or add stress to an individual's life.
- Describe how 2–3 stressors are impacted as a result of being a member of a marginalized population.
- Competency 3: Recommend a variety of responses to stress and trauma to enhance wellness on personal, local, and global scales.
- Make recommendations for outreach organizations, services, or programs that provide support for individuals in a particular marginalized population.
- Competency 4: Communicate with appropriate purpose, organization, evidence, tone, and sentence structure.
- Use APA style paper formatting with only minor errors.
- Use APA style formatting for citations and reference list with only minor errors.
- Address assessment purpose in a well-organized text, incorporating appropriate evidence and tone in grammatically sound sentences.