5-2 Final Project Milestone Two: Draft of Theoretical Foundations and Draft of Program Selection
PSY 632 Final Project Guidelines and Rubric
Overview
The final project for this course is the creation of a program evaluation paper.
Developmental psychology is the scientific study of changes that occur in human beings over the course of their life. Originally concerned with infants and
children, the field has expanded to include adolescence, adult development, aging, and the entire life span. This field examines change across a broad range of
topics including motor skills and other psycho-physiological processes; cognitive development involving areas such as problem solving, moral understanding, and
conceptual understanding; language acquisition; social, personality, and emotional development; and self-concept and identity formation.
The development of the human mind is one of life’s great wonders. Everyone has experienced it firsthand and has seen it happen to family members, yet it still
holds many mysteries. For example, the parents of a toddler might show her a photo with her own image and say, “That’s you!” For some time the child might
point to it and say, “That’s you!” How and when does the child learn to say, “That’s me!”?
The most rapid development of the mind occurs early in life, and what goes right or wrong then can affect a person’s whole life thereafter. In this final project,
you will evaluate a program designed to promote healthy development, or address atypical development, in children.
The project is divided into three milestones, which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure quality final
submissions. These milestones will be submitted in Modules Three, Five, and Seven. The final submission will occur in Module Nine.
In this assignment, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following course outcomes:
PSY-632-01: Assess classic and contemporary developmental theories for their stance on core developmental psychology issues in forming a
foundational perspective on the field
PSY-632-02: Analyze contemporary developmental psychology research for key factors that impact child and adolescent development in recommending
prevention, assessment, and intervention strategies
PSY-632-03: Assess the impact of sociocultural influences on the field of psychology, as well as communities and organizations in which developmental
psychology is practiced in promoting the psychological well-being of individuals, communities, and organizations
PSY-632-04: Critique current assessment and intervention strategies for their applicability across diverse populations
PSY-632-05: Differentiate typical and atypical development in children and adolescents across physical, cognitive, affective, and social domains for
informing prevention, assessment, and intervention strategies
Prompt
The final project for this course is a program evaluation paper. You will select and research an existing program that is intended to promote healthy
development, or that addresses issues of atypical development. You will examine the theoretical foundations of the selected program, critique its ability or
consideration for meeting the needs of diverse populations, examine program effectiveness, and utilize concepts from the course to recommend potential
improvements to the program. You will place yourself in the role of a consultant who has been contracted to review the program to determine necessary
changes or make recommendations regarding future funding.
Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:
I. Select a Developmental Issue: Identify and research a developmental issue for children or adolescents. Developmental issues can be examined from the
perspective of the promotion of healthy development, or you may select a particular developmental issue in the form of an impairment or diagnosis.
A. Describe the developmental issue you are examining for the purpose of this program evaluation, including if the issue is considered typical
development or atypical development in nature. [PSY-632-05]
i. What distinguishes this issue in terms of criteria, if applicable? For example, are you promoting healthy cognitive development,
addressing developmental delays, or addressing an actual diagnostic mental health disorder? What are the criteria or key identifiers
for the selected issue?
ii. What is the primary area or areas of impact across physical, cognitive, affective, and social domains?
B. Describe the population who is affected by the selected developmental issue, at risk for the selected developmental issue, or who would best be
served by a program that promotes healthy development. In other words, is there a primary age range for successfully promoting health for the
selected developmental issue? Does this issue affect a particular socioeconomic group? Is the issue gender-specific? Are there cultural
considerations or groups that are primarily impacted by the issue? [PSY-632-04]
C. Determine the sociocultural impact that the selected developmental issue has on the field of psychology in general, as well as on communities
and organizations in which developmental psychology is practiced. [PSY-632-03]
i. How common is the developmental issue?
ii. What organizations, societies, or groups promote awareness of the developmental issue?
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. [PSY-632-02]
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. [PSY-632-01]
ii. Where does the selected issue fall on the continuum of continuity versus discontinuity? Be sure to substantiate your claims with
specific scholarly research. [PSY-632-01]
iii. Where does the selected issue fall on the continuum of stability versus change? Be sure to substantiate your claims with specific
scholarly research. [PSY-632-01]
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? [PSY-632-02]
B. Determine the extent to which the assessment and treatment methods employed by the program address the selected developmental issue
across diverse populations. [PSY-632-04]
i. 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?
ii. 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.
i. 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. [PSY-632-01]
ii. Do the treatment or intervention methods vary from what the developmental theory would support or recommend? Be sure to
explain your rationale. [PSY-632-02]
iii. How might the assessment, prevention, or treatment methods be aligned with a different developmental theory? Be sure to justify
your position with research. [PSY-632-01]
IV. Sociocultural Evaluation: Critique current assessment and intervention strategies utilized by the selected program for their applicability across diverse
populations for improving clinical sensitivity to the individual client context.
A. Identify the population that was originally utilized for program development in terms of cultural, ethnic, gender, and socioeconomic indicators.
[PSY-632-04]
i. Was the program developed to address a specific population or group with respect to cultural, ethnic, gender, and/or socioeconomic
indicators?
ii. In what geographic regions has the program been deployed and studied for data collection?
iii. What impact might the process of regional and sociocultural population have on the program?
B. Analyze the effectiveness of assessment and intervention strategies across different cultural or ethnic groups. [PSY-632-04]
i. What methods were utilized to examine the effectiveness of assessment or intervention strategies across different cultural or ethnic
groups?
ii. What strengths of the selected program are apparent regarding the effectiveness to provide assessment and intervention strategies
across sociocultural groups?
iii. What limitations or concerns of the selected program are apparent regarding the effective provision of assessment and intervention
strategies across sociocultural groups?
V. Program Evaluation
A. Analyze the selected program with regard to the core developmental psychology themes (nature vs. nurture, continuity vs. discontinuity, and
stability vs. change). [PSY-632-01]
i. Which of the core developmental themes in psychology are reflected in the selected program? Explain.
ii. Given the identified core developmental themes reflected in the program, where on the continuum of each would the current
program lie and why?
B. Evaluate the selected program for the use of contemporary theories of development for key factors that impact child and adolescent
development with regard to prevention, assessment, and intervention strategies. Be sure to provide justification for your reasoning. [PSY-632-
02]
i. How effectively does the program’s use of prevention, assessment, and/or intervention strategies align with the original theoretical
model that you feel was utilized to establish the program?
ii. Discuss the evidence that prevention, assessment, and/or intervention strategies utilized in the selected program may originate from
additional or different developmental theories or models.
iii. What alternatives to prevention, assessment, and/or intervention strategies for the selected program would improve alignment with
the original developmental theory?
C. Assess the impact of sociocultural influences on the communities and organizations in which developmental psychology is practiced. [PSY-632-
03]
i. What are the impacts of the selected program on the communities and organizations in which it is currently operating?
ii. How does this program contribute to knowledge in the field of developmental psychology?
iii. What are the sociocultural implications of the program with regard to the communities and organizations in which developmental
psychology is practiced?
D. Assess the ability of the selected program to address typical and atypical development in children and adolescents across physical, cognitive,
affective, and social domains for informing prevention, assessment, and intervention strategies. [PSY-632-05]
i. If the selected program targeted health promotion (typical development), what determines if it is effective at meeting this goal? What
statistics or measures exist to support it? If not, recommend an approach for assessing the program’s ability.
ii. If the selected program targeted a developmental issue or diagnosis (atypical development), what determines if it is effective at
meeting this goal? Do statistics or measures exist to support it? If not, recommend an approach for assessing the program’s ability.
Milestones
Milestone One: Draft of Developmental Issue
In Module Three, you will submit a draft of your developmental issue (Section I), including all critical elements listed above. You will utilize research to identify a
developmental issue relevant to this course. You are expected to use the library to locate two to three articles to provide additional information on the
developmental issue that you choose. Your submission will be one to two pages in length. This milestone is graded with the Milestone One Rubric.
Milestone Two: Draft of Theoretical Foundations and Draft of Program Selection
In Module Five, you will submit a draft of theoretical foundations (Section II) and a draft of your program selection (Section III), including all critical elements as
listed above. 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. 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. This section of Milestone Two
should be three pages in length. This milestone is graded with the Milestone Two Rubric.
Milestone Three: Draft of Sociocultural Evaluation and Draft of Program Evaluation
In Module Seven, you will submit a draft of your sociocultural evaluation (Section IV) and a draft of your program evaluation (Section V), including all critical
elements as listed above. The Sociocultural Evaluation (Section IV) requires you to examine the selected program’s ability to be utilized across a diverse
population. The goal is to collect information, present your findings, and receive feedback on how to improve each section for your final submission. The draft of
your sociocultural evaluation should be two to three pages in length. In the draft of your program evaluation (Section V), you will evaluate the program selected
in Milestone Two in four critical areas as listed above. The draft of your program evaluation should be two to three pages in length. This milestone is graded with
the Milestone Three Rubric.
Final Submission: Program Evaluation Paper
In Module Nine, you will submit your program evaluation paper. It should be a complete, polished artifact containing all of the critical elements of the final
product. It should reflect the incorporation of feedback gained from milestone assignments throughout the course. The final submission is graded with the Final
Product Rubric.
Deliverables
Milestone Deliverable Module Due Grading
One Draft of Developmental Issue Three Graded separately; Milestone One Rubric
Two Draft of Theoretical Foundations and Draft of
Program Selection
Five Graded separately; Milestone Two Rubric
Three Draft of Sociocultural Evaluation and Draft of
Program Evaluation
Seven Graded separately; Milestone Three Rubric
Final Submission: Program Evaluation Paper Nine Graded separately; Final Product Rubric
Final Product Rubric
Guidelines for Submission: You should submit a well-developed program evaluation report using 12-point Times New Roman font, one-inch margins, and APA
publication style.
Critical Elements Exemplary (100%) Proficient (90%) Needs Improvement (70%) Not Evident (0%) Value
Developmental Issue:
Issue
[PSY-632-05]
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
uses industry-specific language to
establish expertise
Comprehensively describes
selected developmental issue
and accurately identifies as
typical or atypical
Describes selected
developmental issue but
description lacks detail or does
not accurately identify as typical
or atypical
Does not describe selected
developmental issue
9.5
Developmental Issue:
Population
[PSY-632-04]
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
uses industry-specific language to
establish expertise
Comprehensively describes the
population affected by the
selected developmental issue
Describes the population
affected by the selected
developmental issue, but
description lacks detail
Does not describe the population
affected by the selected
developmental issue
5
Developmental Issue:
Impact
[PSY-632-03]
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
uses industry-specific language to
establish expertise
Comprehensively describes the
impact the selected
developmental issue has on the
field of psychology, as well as on
communities and organizations
Describes the impact the
selected developmental issue has
on the field of psychology,
communities, or organizations,
but not all, or description lacks
detail
Does not describe the impact the
selected developmental issue has
on psychology, as well as on
communities and organizations
9.5
Theoretical
Foundation:
Contemporary
Research
[PSY-632-02]
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
cites specific examples and
theories that establish a robust
context for the evaluation
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
5
Theoretical
Foundation: Nature
vs. Nurture
[PSY-632-01]
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
draws nuanced, well-informed
connections between concepts
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 core theme of
nature versus nurture to the
selected developmental issue
3
Theoretical
Foundation:
Continuity vs.
Discontinuity
[PSY-632-01]
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
draws nuanced, well-informed
connections between concepts
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 core theme of
continuity versus discontinuity to
the selected developmental issue
3
Theoretical
Foundation: Stability
vs. Change
[PSY-632-01]
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
draws nuanced, well-informed
connections between concepts
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 core theme of
stability versus change to the
selected developmental issue
3
Program Selection:
Target of Program
[PSY-632-02]
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
provides detailed examples of
how the program will support the
developmental issue
Comprehensively discusses
selected program and accurately
identifies as preventative,
promotional, or prescriptive
Discusses selected program but
discussion lacks detail or does
not accurately identify as
preventative, promotional, or
prescriptive
Does not discuss selected
program
5
Program Selection:
Assessment and
Treatment Methods
[PSY-632-04]
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
provides detailed examples of
how the assessment and
treatment methods evidence
sensitivity to the needs of a
diverse population
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
5
Program Selection:
Approach
[PSY-632-01]
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
demonstrates keen insight into
application of developmental
theories
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
3
Program Selection:
Vary
[PSY-632-02]
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
demonstrates keen insight into
application of developmental
theories
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
5
Program Selection:
Different
[PSY-632-01]
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
demonstrates keen insight into
application of developmental
theories
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
3
Sociocultural
Evaluation:
Indicators
[PSY-632-04]
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
provides detailed examples of
how the program evidences
sensitivity to the needs of a
diverse population
Comprehensively identifies the
selected program’s original
intended population in terms of
cultural, ethnic, gender, and
socioeconomic indicators
Identifies the selected program’s
original intended population, but
identification lacks specificity
with regard to cultural, ethnic,
gender, and socioeconomic
indicators
Does not identify the selected
program’s original intended
population
5
Sociocultural
Evaluation:
Effectiveness
[PSY-632-04]
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
analysis is well informed and
integrates relevant theories and
research
Comprehensively analyzes the
effectiveness of assessment and
intervention strategies across
diverse populations
Analyzes the effectiveness of
assessment and intervention
strategies, but analysis lacks
specificity with regard to diverse
populations
Does not analyze the
effectiveness of assessment and
intervention strategies
5
Program Evaluation:
Core Themes
[PSY-632-01]
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
draws nuanced, well-informed
connections between concepts
Comprehensively analyzes the
selected program with regard to
the core developmental
psychology themes
Analyzes the selected program
but analysis lacks specificity with
regard to the core
developmental psychology
themes
Does not analyze the selected
program with regard to the core
developmental psychology
themes
3
Program Evaluation:
Contemporary
Theories
[PSY-632-02]
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
draws nuanced, well-informed
connections between concepts
Comprehensively evaluates the
selected program for the use of
contemporary theories with
regard to prevention,
assessment, and intervention
strategies
Evaluates the selected program
but evaluation lacks specificity
with regard to contemporary
theories or does not connect
with prevention, assessment, and
intervention strategies
Does not evaluate the selected
program for the use of
contemporary theories
5
Program Evaluation:
Sociocultural
Influences
[PSY-632-03]
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
assessment is well informed and
integrates relevant theories and
research
Comprehensively assesses the
impact of sociocultural influences
on the field of psychology in
general, as well as on
communities and organizations
Assesses the impact of
sociocultural influences on the
field of psychology in general, or
on communities or organizations,
but not all three, or assessment
lacks detail
Does not assess the impact of
sociocultural influences
9.5
Program Evaluation:
Typical and Atypical
Development
[PSY-632-05]
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
assessment is well informed and
integrates relevant theories and
research
Comprehensively assesses the
ability of the selected program to
address typical and atypical
development across physical,
cognitive, affective, and social
domains for informing
prevention, assessment, and
intervention strategies
Assesses the ability of the
selected program to address
typical and atypical development,
but does not address physical,
cognitive, affective, and social
domains, or does not address
prevention, assessment, and
intervention strategies
Does not assess the ability of the
selected program to address
typical and atypical development
9.5
Articulation of
Response
Submission is free of errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, and organization
and is presented in a professional
and easy-to-read format
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
4
Earned Total 100%
Rubric Annotations
Term Context/Definition
Comprehensively Indicates all contextualizing questions (that is, those questions under the “parent” instruction) were answered
5-2 Final Project Milestone Two: Draft of Theoretical Foundations and Draft of Program Selection
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