The use of people-first language in destigmatization of mental illness and successful treatment
Reflection paper
The American Psychological Association defines “people-first language” as:
“Syntactical rules recommended for describing individuals who have a disability: that is, the arrangement of words in a sentence so that it identifies the individuals first and their disability second and describes what they have rather than equating them with their disability. Examples of the use of such language include “a child with a learning disability” (rather than “a learning-disabled child”), “a child with Down syndrome” (rather than “a Down child”), and “a person who uses a wheelchair” (rather than “a wheelchair-bound person”)” (APA, 2020 (Links to an external site.)).
Comment on how people-first language relates to the destigmatization of mental illness and successful treatment. For example, why is it important for a person to be described as “a person with schizophrenia” versus “a schizophrenic”? You response must be 300-500 words and follow the following format to receive full credit (10 points):
1) Claim – a one to two sentence thesis responding to the prompt.
2) Support – from an external source (i.e. not your textbook) defending your thesis. At least three discrete ideas or examples supporting your claim written in your own words.
3) Interpretation – 3-5 sentences drawing conclusions based on the support you provide.
Use in-text citations and a reference list that are APA formatted (use the APA Publication Manual or OWL Purdue (Links to an external site.)).
Rubric
Reflection Paper
| Reflection Paper | ||
| Criteria | Ratings | Pts |
| Claim
Student addresses prompt with a one to two sentence thesis (stated opinion). |
3.0 pts | |
| Support
Support from an external source defending the thesis. At least three discrete ideas or examples supporting your claim written in your own words. |
3.0 pts | |
| Interpretation
3-5 sentences drawing conclusions based on the support provided. |
3.0 pts | |
| APA Format
External sources are referenced in the text and included in a reference list. |
1.0 pts | |
| Total Points: 10.0 | ||
