Assignment: theoretical foundations

For Milestone Two, you will submit a draft of theoretical foundations (Section II of your final project) and a draft of your program selection (Section III of your final project), including all critical elements as listed below. For the draft of your theoretical foundations (Section II), you will apply contemporary developmental psychology research and classic and contemporary theories to the selected developmental issue. You will examine the selected developmental issue through the lens of each of the core themes of nature vs. nurture, continuity vs. discontinuity, and stability vs. change. This section of Milestone Two should be one to two pages in length. For the draft of your program selection (Section III), you will research and select a program that targets the developmental issue selected in Milestone One. It will be critical that you research the program at a high level to determine if there is enough research and data available to provide a full evaluation as required for the final project. It is highly advised that you review the program evaluation criteria in the rubric for the final project prior to completing this milestone. The nature of the program as a promotional, preventative, or prescriptive program should be clear and well supported by the information, and the selection criteria for an individual to become part of the program should be described in detail. A detailed review of the methods utilized by the program to meet its intended goals is required. The program selection includes an examination of which developmental theory provided the foundation for the development of the program and its methods. This should include a review of how well the program remains aligned or consistent with the foundational developmental theory, as well as the ways in which it may vary in its assessments and methods. In your response, consider which theory may better align with the elements that are inconsistent with the primary or stated developmental theory. This section of Milestone Two should be three pages in length. Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed in your milestone submission:

II. Research and Theoretical Foundations: Apply contemporary developmental psychology research and classic and contemporary theories to the selected developmental issue. A. Analyze contemporary developmental psychology research in explaining the selected developmental issue. In other words, what does research

have to say about the evolution of your selected developmental issue? Be sure to support your position with specific examples. B. Apply the three core themes of developmental psychology to the selected developmental issue.

i. Where does the selected issue fall on the continuum of nature versus nurture? Be sure to substantiate your claims with specific scholarly research.

ii. Where does the selected issue fall on the continuum of continuity versus discontinuity? Be sure to substantiate your claims with specific scholarly research.

iii. Where does the selected issue fall on the continuum of stability versus change? Be sure to substantiate your claims with specific scholarly research.

III. Program Selection: Identify an existing program that targets the selected developmental issue for prevention or treatment. A. Discuss the target of the program in terms of whether the program promotes healthy development, targets prevention of a developmental

issue, or provides actual treatment for an issue. In other words, is the program promotional, preventative, or prescriptive? B. Determine the extent to which the assessment and treatment methods employed by the program address the selected developmental issue

across diverse populations. 1. What is the process for an individual with the selected developmental issue to be admitted to the selected program? What admissions

policies or procedures might need to be considered in terms of cultural, ethnic, or socioeconomic standing? 2. What methods are utilized by the program to provide intervention, health promotion, or treatment for the developmental issue with

regard to cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic sensitivity? C. Analyze the selected program’s methods for the developmental theory and research that you feel were chosen to serve as its foundation.

1. Does the program clearly stick to the core concepts of the developmental theory in its approach to assessment? Be sure to substantiate your claims with specific examples and research.

2. Do the treatment or intervention methods vary from what the developmental theory would support or recommend? Be sure to explain your rationale.

3. How might the assessment, prevention, or treatment methods be aligned with a different developmental theory? Be sure to justify your position with research.

Rubric

Guidelines for Submission: Students should provide a five- to six-page essay as a Microsoft Word document that thoroughly addresses the critical elements outlined above in APA format. No abstract is necessary, and title and reference pages will not be credited as part of the page count.

Critical Elements Proficient (100%) Needs Improvement (70%) Not Evident (0%) Value

Theoretical Foundation: Contemporary Research

Comprehensively evaluates contemporary research of development for its applicability to the origin of the selected developmental issue and supports position with scholarly evidence

Evaluates contemporary research of development but evaluation lacks detail or evidence is not scholarly or is missing

Does not evaluate contemporary research of development

10

Theoretical Foundation: Nature vs. Nurture

Accurately applies the core theme of nature versus nurture to the selected developmental issue and explains rationale

Applies the core theme of nature versus nurture to the selected developmental issue but with gaps in accuracy, or does not explain rationale

Does not apply the core theme of nature versus nurture to the selected developmental issue

10

Theoretical Foundation: Continuity vs. Discontinuity

Accurately applies the core theme of continuity versus discontinuity to the selected developmental issue and explains rationale

Applies the core theme of continuity versus discontinuity to the selected developmental issue but with gaps in accuracy, or does not explain rationale

Does not apply the core theme of continuity versus discontinuity to the selected developmental issue

10

Theoretical Foundation: Stability vs. Change

Accurately applies the core theme of stability versus change to the selected developmental issue and explains rationale

Applies the core theme of stability versus change to the selected developmental issue but with gaps in accuracy, or does not explain rationale

Does not apply the core theme of stability versus change to the selected developmental issue

10

Program Selection: Target of Program

Comprehensively discusses the selected program and accurately identifies as preventative, promotional, or prescriptive

Discusses the selected program but discussion lacks detail or does not accurately identify as preventative, promotional, or prescriptive

Does not discuss the selected program

10

Program Selection: Assessment and Treatment

Methods

Comprehensively identifies the assessment and treatment methods utilized by the selected program to address the needs of diverse populations

Identifies the assessment and treatment methods utilized by the selected program, but with gaps in detail, or without regard to the needs of diverse populations

Does not identify the assessment and treatment methods utilized by the selected program

10

Program Selection: Approach

Explains whether the program’s approach to assessment aligns with core concepts of a developmental theory and substantiates claims with specific examples and research

Explains whether the program’s approach to assessment aligns with core concepts of a developmental theory, but does not substantiate claims with specific examples and research

Does not explain whether the program’s approach to assessment aligns with core concepts of a developmental theory

10

Program Selection: Vary Explains whether the program’s treatment or intervention methods vary from what the developmental theory supports or recommends, and explains rationale

Explains whether the program’s treatment or intervention methods vary from what the developmental theory supports or recommends, but does not explain rationale

Does not explain whether the program’s treatment or intervention methods vary from what the developmental theory supports or recommends

10

Program Selection: Different

Explains how the program’s assessment, prevention, or treatment methods could be aligned with a different developmental theory, and justifies position with research

Explains how the program’s assessment, prevention, or treatment methods could be aligned with a different developmental theory, but does not justify position with research

Does not explain how the program’s assessment, prevention, or treatment methods could be aligned with a different developmental theory

10

Articulation of Response Submission has no major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization

Submission has major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that negatively impact readability and articulation of main ideas

Submission has critical errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that prevent understanding of ideas

10

Earned Total 100%