For the signature assignment for this course, students will write a 12-14-page paper (including cover and reference pages) on a specific national or international group at risk of substance use. The paper must be based on a minimum of seven relevant peer-reviewed journal articles that are outside of course readings. Examples of at-risk groups include, but are not limited to: older adults, adolescents, LGBTQ population, survivors of trauma, ethnic minorities, immigrants, refugees, first responders, people with disabilities, people with PTSD, or persons who are transient/homeless. Students should provide expanded content on the following while integrating the seven or more references in APA format:
– Address cultural, risk, and protective factors for your population in a holistic manner that considers the biological, psychological, social, political, and spiritual implications from a historical and current perspective.
– Discuss prevalence rates of substance use in the population and the particular ways it manifests.
– Include unique considerations for diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of this population (such as if their symptoms present uniquely, if more attention should be focused on certain features in treatment, and/or if certain assessment tools are more culturally appropriate).
