Should Euthanasia Be Legalized - 1050 Words

Two years ago I watched my great grandfather slowly pass away from the debilitating effects of stage 4 cancer. He scarcely ate, was losing his sight and memory, and was unable to walk. I remember him saying he wished the pain could simply disappear. This memory imprinted a mental scar which would last the rest of my life. I wanted his pain to end quickly, but knew it was not going to happen. If euthanasia and/or assisted suicide was legalized, perhaps his wish could have been true. Unfortunately, euthanasia is only legal in the states of Oregon and Washington at the current time. Euthanasia is considered immoral and wrong for contradicting a doctor’s job. However, it saves families the horrible sight of their loved ones dying, safeguards being up to protect any abuse towards euthanasia, and ultimate choice of being euthanized is upon the patient. My great grandfather is not the only person who has hoped for the legalization of euthanasia. There is a substantial amount of peopl e who passed away and in the same excruciating manner. These individuals wish they could go in the way of their choosing, instead of gradually dying in a hospital. Moreover, they want to leave this world with dignity. The legalization of euthanasia or assisted suicide, with the proper safeguards, will help thousands of people who are pleading for their suffering to come to an end. That being said, these measures should be taken with certain precautions and requirements. After the requirements areShow MoreRelatedShould Euthanasia Be Legalized?1360 Words   |  6 PagesAbout 55% of terminally ill patients die in atrocious pain. Euthanasia is a practice that hasn’t been legalized in many places, and is usually performed by lethal injection. In the United States euthanasia is only legalized in Oregon, Washington, Montana, and certain areas of Texas. Some citizens feel that euthanasia should be legalized because they should have the sole right to their life. Others feel that God is the one that has the authority over a person’s life. There have been many cases whereRead MoreShould Euthanasia Be Legalized?864 Words   |  4 Pagescontroversy over euthanasia. Because there is a sharp conflict on the issue, some countries accept mercy killing lawful while others do not. The main arguments about the issue are whether the deliberate intervention on one’s life to the end is morally right or wrong. Some say euthanasia should be legalized because it is the only way to relieve harsh pain and meet ‘real happiness’ for the patients who are not expected to maintain their lives more. They also argue that people should respect the patients’Read MoreShould Euthanasia Be Legalized?971 Words   |  4 Pages Legalization of euthanasia in China Youyou Zhuang English Language Center, University of Victoria Youyou Zhuang, a student in English language center of University of Victoria. zhuangyoyo@gmail.com Legalization of euthanasia in China The hospital is a place where to cure the sickness and to save the patients. Have you ever thought a kind of â€Å"killing† could happen in the hospital? It is the â€Å"mercy killing†, also called euthanasia. Till now, euthanasia is legal in Netherlands, BelgiumRead MoreShould Euthanasia Be Legalized?1413 Words   |  6 Pagesstatement: euthanasia should be legalized. There exist numerous topics that are controversial within the criminal justice system. Euthanasia, the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relive pain and suffering, is one that has been around for a long time. Many people believe that it should continue being illegal due to certain moral values. However, some people argue that euthanasia should be decriminalized because people should have the right to die when they want to. Euthanasia hasRead MoreShould Euthanasia Be Legalized?907 Words   |  4 Pagesactive euthanasia, which is a highly contentious issue in the United States. Voluntary active euthanasia is currently illegal in the United States. However, I believe that patients with terminal illnesses experiencing a lot of pain and misery should have the right to die the way they choose, with dignity, instead of being subjected to agony. People should be able to choose voluntary active euthanasia, if ever need be, which is why I believe that despite current policy, voluntary active euthanasia shouldRead MoreShould Euthanasia Be Legalized?1272 Words   |  6 Pagesthe natural body is able to heal itself and grow. Not only is it human nature to survive and prosper, it is also instinct to be frightened of death and suffering. Euthanasia has been a topic of debate ever since the Roman and Greek physicians have started to poison terminally ill patients with their consent. Today’s definition of eut hanasia is â€Å"the act or practice of killing or permitting the death of hopelessly sick or injured individuals (as persons or domestic animals) in a relatively painless wayRead MoreShould Euthanasia Be Legalized?1220 Words   |  5 Pagesincurable patients, it is rarely known that Euthanasia, a termination of one’s life with his/her self-willingness, is a release of permanent pain. On the other hand, it is committed by the doctors. Among Voluntary, non-voluntary and involuntary Euthanasia, only is Voluntary Euthanasia being universally concerned by human beings. Various fascinating facts, Australia has already approved this act and many people from other countries have also committed Euthanasia. Regarding this topic, people have beenRead MoreShould Euthanasia Be Legalized?1210 Words   |  5 Pagesconcerns is dying with dignity and not left to suffer a long and drawn out death. Euthanasia, also known as mercy killing, is a sensitive and very controversial subject. Sever al people believe, doctors should not participate in any action that ends a person’s life due to the Hippocratic Oath stating that doctors are obligated to save lives. Although, euthanasia is considered to be immoral and even murder, it should be legalized when a person’s quality of life, due to an incurable illness, is gradually goingRead MoreShould Euthanasia Be Legalized?1490 Words   |  6 Pagesjust like you are in pain. What would you do? Euthanasia is and act where a person assist the death of other person and relieves him/her from pain. It is also called as mercy killing. It is controversial because, some may thing it is immoral and some may think it is against their religious values. But, the fact is, the person who suffers with pain knows the pain better than anybody. It is the person’s decision to make. Euthanasia should be legalized with the involvements of legal documents basedRead MoreShould Euthanasia Be Legalized?1970 Words   |  8 Pagespaper I’m going to prove to you why I think Euthanasia should be legalized. Euthanasia refers to taking a deliberate action with the express intention of ending a life to relieve suffering. Some interpret Euthanasia as the practice of ending a life in a painless manner. There are two forms of Euthanasia. Passive Euthanasia is when a patient gets an injection to put them to sleep and they never wake up. It’s a very fast and painless death. Active Euthanasia is when a patient does not get the medicine

Parental Responsibility Essay - 2398 Words

â€Å"Unlike the mother, the unmarried father has no automatic parental responsibility.† To what extent is this an accurate summary of the law on parental responsibility? Consider whether compulsory joint birth registration in the case of unmarried fathers would be a helpful reform. The Children’s Act defines parental responsibility as â€Å"all the rights, duties, powers, responsibilities and authority which by law a parent of a child has in relation to the child and his property†. The law does not tell us exactly what this means but in a broad sense it is fairly clear what is meant by this. ‘It is much easier to define a ‘normal’ family – a husband and wife and the children of their marriage – than it is to define the powers and†¦show more content†¦A case of a four year old that did not want contact with their father and was fearful of him this was taken into account and the order for parental responsibility was refused. Following from the two cases it shows that courts will take into account both the child and parents view but they will almost always decide what is best for the child. ‘The latter are usually described as social parents’. When it comes to parentage not all parents are genetically inclined with their parental responsibility. There are both genetic and non-genetic families; both will have the same parental responsibilities as each other - ‘both have distinctive contributions to make to the life of a child’. Whether the parents are genetic or adoptive they still care for a child in the same way and should not be judged any different from each other. Whether you are an adoptive parent or a genetic parent they all fit into the concept of a nuclear family. ‘Being a parent is not just a matter of language but something which confers a legal status’.Show MoreRelatedPersonal Responsibility At A Young Age By Environmental Or Parental Influence1905 Words   |  8 PagesPersonal responsibility starts at a young age by environmental or parental influence. You are either taught personal responsibility as you grow into an adult by being held accountable for your own actions or the responsibility is taken from you. As an adult, you are responsible for every action that you take, but before that action comes a series of thoughts that lead you to taking that action. Depending on how you were brought up, your transition into becoming an adult can either be an easy oneRead MoreThe Expression And Parental Responsibility1443 Words   |  6 Pages The expression â€Å"Parental Responsibility† (PR) marks a revolution in the Children Act 1989, aspiring to alter the parent-child relationship from rights to duties and responsibiliti es. This terminology justified the House of Lords’ decision in Gillick v West Norfolk and Wisbech AHA where Lord Fraser commented: â€Å"[Parental rights†¦ do not exist for the benefit of the parent†¦ rather to enable the parent to perform his duties towards the child†¦] . In accordance, s3 Children Act 1989 (CA 1989) definedRead MoreChild Law And Parental Responsibility2916 Words   |  12 Pagesconcept of parental responsibility. Part 2 discuss whether all fathers should get automatic parental responsibility. Part 3 looks at recommendations and reforms on addressing the issues of parental responsibility. Part 1: Parental Responsibility The recent developments in the law of parental responsibility is the wider range of individuals who can acquire it, and this has led some commentators to talk of a degradation in the meaning of parental responsibility. Parental responsibility was introducedRead MoreParental Responsibility, a Deterrent to Juvenile Crime821 Words   |  4 PagesParental Responsibility, a Deterrent to Juvenile Crime Growing up in a family where both parents have thirty years experience working in the juvenile justice system, I have learned to value and respect parental responsibility for their children and their childrens behavior. In 1995, a small community in the Willamette Valley, passed an ordinance which held parents responsible in just this way. The ordinance (No. 94-132) that was adopted in Silverton OR, in 1995 charged parents with the misdemeanorRead MoreParental Responsibility Laws : A Burden On Society1236 Words   |  5 PagesParental Responsibility Laws: A Burden on Society When a person enters the world of parenthood some real responsibilities are to be expected. A parent is responsible for their children’s life and wellbeing, as well as their own. Eventually there comes a time in every parent’s life when their little baby is no longer little, or a baby for that matter. That child will grow, learn, influence, and be influenced by many people on their journey from child to adult. Some of the decisions they make may actuallyRead MoreParental Responsibilities And Education : The Narrative Journey Of Paskowitz Family Essay938 Words   |  4 PagesParental Responsibilities and Education As the universes constantly grow and expand, the human curiosity to understand the mystery of nature grows incessantly. Human curiosity has led to the advancement in the field of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine. Every advancement making the lives of human being little easier. However, not all the people around the globe are in agreement with the advancements. Medical advancement, such as vaccine is the highly debated topic. EvenRead MoreNew Fathers Should Have A Paid Parental Leave Law Essay1359 Words   |  6 Pagesthem from taking parental leave to be with their newborn and wife. My own survey showed me that the majority of respondents, and perhaps of the population, is unaware that there is currently no paid parental leave law in the country. This came as a surprise since only one of them did not have kids. Expectant father Philip Holt said that he was also unaware of the lack of a paid parental leave law in the country. However, when asked if they think the country should have a paid parental leave law, mostRead More First Amendment And Music Censorship Essay1284 Words   |  6 Pagesexplicit lyrics be identified (RIAA; Background 1 of 2). The tool produced from this agreement was the Parental Advisory Label. The label is a notice to parents that recordings identified with the logo contain strong language or depictions of violence, sex or substance abuse (Walters 2 of 4). These labels allow parents to make informed decisions of their childs music purchases. The Parental Advisory Labels are a perfect balance of respecting the freedom of expression our recor ding artists deserveRead MoreMusic Censorship Essay625 Words   |  3 Pagescommitting suicide and doing drugs. Most parents agree with Walsh’s ideals towards modern day music. Parents have even gone to the extreme to get parental advisory labels placed on music with explicit lyrics. Children under the age of eighteen are not suppose to be able to purchase music with parental advisory label on them without a adult. I feel that the parental advisory sticker on record is a good idea, because it way for parents to know type of lyrics their children are listening. This way censorshipRead MoreEssay on Censorship of Music1406 Words   |  6 Pagesthe New York Times. Wall-Mart CD standards are Changing Pop Music, Wal-Mart and other large department stores sell CDs by your favorite artists which are not what your favorite artists originally created. Some retailers refuse to carry CDs with Parental Advisory Stickers, a few also go as far as to make it known to labels and artists t hat if the CD comes to their shelves with a dirty word, a controversial cover, or an explicit lyric it will not be allowed on the shelves. Some of the artists

Modeling the Determinants of Saudi GDP Growth Rate - samples

Question: Discuss about the Modeling the Determinants of Saudi GDP Growth Rate. Answer: Economic theory states that GDP growth rate of a country depends on some factor such as exchange rate (EXCHR), exports value (Exports), population of the country (POP), inflation level (INF) and government consumption expenditure (GCE) or spending. Saudi Minister of Economy is interested to see the relevance of this economic theory in Saudi Arabian context in particular due to the impact of Vision 2030 and related changes such as VAT, reduction in subsides, population and labor force, oil exports and value of currency, etc. You have been asked to advise the Minister on the impact of these factors on economic growth rate. The data on Saudi Arabia for these variables is collected and given to you (uploaded on LMS). Use the data and answer the following questions: Use these variables to model determinants of GDP growth rate (build a regression model). Gross Domestic Product of a country in question that is Saudi Arabia just like any other country from a global perspective is affected by some determinants. Basing on the available data in excel and the prior information it is clear that SA's GDP is profoundly affected by country's population, inflation levels (which on its own is contributed by many factors), the government consumption expenditure, the exports and import values to mention but a few. The elements work so tightly in control of the country's GDP and as a whole impacting on the economic stability of the nation regarding the exchange rate for the national currency as well as the international stock exchange rates. The global empirical model for regimes put the SA as the alternative currency that has gone through a series of reformation. Microeconomic as well as macroeconomic features in most cases played a downside role in the ensuring that SA linkages with the entire market on the global arena were interfered with Determine the effect of each variable (positive or negative) based on your intuition and economic theory Inflation; it is brought about by too many imports in the country and other factors for instance reduced rates of borrowing which encourage people to borrow. In the process, there is more money chasing fewer commodities in the country. The result of inflation is a reduction in the country exchange value on international markets as well as low pricing for the country exports ( Al-Torkistani et al Pg.23). In that regard there would be a reduction in the GDP unless the situation takes a reverse turn. Exports; they are the sources of the country's national income and as such an increase in exports improves the GDP as a reduction has the same effect on the GDP. Exchange rate; it is determined by some factors majorly by political and economic factors. Political factors derail economic activities and a reduction in operations in business reduce the national currency exchange value for money on the international exchange rate platform. The currency is devalued and as such fetches low in comparison to other currencies. A proper and peaceful political environment breeds business activities through the attraction of investors and hence an improvement in the national currency value that translates to an increase in the GDP of the nation. Government Consumption expenditure; government expenditure is a result of the acquisition of the items by the government to facilitate the routine and administrative running of the government projects. Meeting of population public needs for instance medication and education were some of the concerns (Alshehry, Atef andMounir Pg 45). An increase in the government spending reduces the GDP as a reduction increases the GDP. The population of the country; the higher the people of the country, the more the government spending on the facilities for the people and thus registering for a more senior amount regarding expenditure. The GDP of the country drops since the expenditure is a credit account on the national treasury. The lower the population, the less the spending by the government and as such a debit account to the national treasury. Build hypothesis (null and alternative) and explain. Null Hypothesis: The Saudi Arabian economy is profoundly affected by the movements in the country GDP Alternative Hypothesis: The Saudi Arabian economy is not dependent on the GDP Now draw scatter plot of each independent variable against dependent variable and make a commentary regarding relationships (draw a trend line alongside scatter plot to observe relations: positive/negative) Scatter Plot for independent Variables Now perform multiple regression and observe the statistical significance level and signs of the coefficients. Does the regression results confirm your earlier hypothesis or not? If not, what could be the reason? Provide detailed explanation. Interpretation of the regression results as done in excel confirms the validity of the null hypothesis in the following ways. The economy dis-aggregation about other stakeholders on the national stock exchange works contrary to the success of SAR currency as the nation had poor economic pillars for use in a bid to save the reputation of the SAR.The SAR fetched way below par on the foreign exchange market and as such that the country put in measures to oversee its improvement in the future. The attaining of the stable economy to the extent that SAR is used as a reserve currency has not come quickly (Darlington, Richard and Andrew Pg 33). It has taken some considerations for economic parameters both at the local level as well as the international outlook to bring the sanity of the initially unfamiliar currency in the global stock exchange arena. SA as a nation has recently put in place economic reforms over its policies in the business. The country reforms have been in line with the restructuring of the banking system of the country. The electricity sector had also been put in the limelight as well as transportation of materials. The state has cut down on the corporate tax rate. It is such that businesses the policies are flawless to allow entry of new businesses.Owing to the lowering of the corporate tax and introduction of incentives in the economy, the country has started experiencing a rise in the economic growth (Samargandi and Nahla Pg 101).The government of SA has taken initiatives in making sure that there is divest in the public companies through plans. The nation however is experiencing a break down in some other parts of its economy due to a weakening business environment thus affecting competitiveness in business. The exchange rates regime for the country have been proposed in many cases by the government and the head financial institutions for SA but a few worked in favor of the current stability that AS currency enjoys making it third in matters of the weight of the currency and price at which the yen fetch in comparison to the standard US dollar. The US dollar has been used and is still in use courtesy of its higher value. The section provide a preliminary evidence on the effects alternative regimes taken by the SA government have on the country foreign exchange as well as the impact the same have on the trade partners in the global arena. The global empirical model for regimes put the SA as the alternative currency that has gone through a series of reformation ( Fox and John Pg 40). Microeconomic as well as macroeconomic features in most cases played a down side role in the ensuring that SA linkages with the entire market on the global arena was interfered with. Look at the R2 and adjusted R2 values and comment on the explanatory power of your statistical model. The statistical model employed in the analysis of the data basing on the R2 and adjusted R2 indicate a collective influence of the economic contributors to the GDP as a whole. It is clear that the GDP of the country has other underlying factors. The analysis in excel has employed the test hypothesis as one tail test. The regression as such has taken that approach and as such compared the arithmetic mean averages to come up with the R2. The values of the R2 and R2 adjusted bear a smaller deviation unlike they should because of the effect of many variables in the dependent variables ( Al-Torkistani et al Pg.56). The basic linear model as a method used in the analysis of the data has exposed the GDP as a function of the determinants of the economic parameters resulting to the formation of the following regression equation: GDPG= -52.8303739148481+16.3500517091564*EXCHR+7.53863787504361E-03*Exports-0.306616502791003*POP+0.429397456046636*INF-8.48529061353034E-03*GCE The equation is derived from the common linear regression formula below as a continuous equation (n) tending to infinity Y= + 1X1 + 2X2 + n Xn + Now, look at the predicted and actual values of the dependent variable and comment on the predictive power of your model. Is there any message coming out of your model predictions. Suggest ways to improve the predictive power of your model. The model predictive power of the model from the findings and evidence shown cannot be overlooked. The model is evident in the showing proof that the GDP makes an essential element in the control of the country economy and as such, it cannot belittle in any form (Alshehry, Atef, and Mounir Pg 45). The GDP from the model has also been presented as a dependent on factors, for instance, the country's population, inflation levels (which on its own is contributed by many factors), the government consumption expenditure, the exports, and import values to mention but a few. It is clear at the same time that the model is a representation of an aggregate of factors of which a few have been highlighted for a description of the entire scenario. The message from the regression model is open in that it speaks majorly of the impact various factors have on the ability to determine the direction to which the economy of Saudi Arabia takes (Muthn and Muthn Pg 121).Any small deviation in any of the economic parameters either by a positive or negative improvement affects the aggregate GDP mostly. There are however ways that can be used for the improvement of the model. The first one should entail the use of more factors in the regression model (Chatterjee, Samprit, and Ali pg 89). That would mean that employment of multiple regression models would do better as it removes the spells of biases. The model in any respect would lower the degree of errors as the sum of squared errors would be reduced to the minimum depending on the longevity of the approach used and the factors acting in the place of the dependent variables take ( Al-Torkistani et al Pg.56). The beta values at the same time would impact less, and the conclusion on the model would bear a true meaning of the prediction at hand. References Alshehry, Atef Saad, and Mounir Belloumi. "Energy consumption, carbon dioxide emissions and economic growth: The case of Saudi Arabia."Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews41 (2015): 237-247. Al-Torkistani, Habiballah Mohammed, Mohammed Adaya Salisu, and Khalid A. Maimany. "Modeling a sustainable Saudi Arabian economy: the real issues."International Journal of Sustainable Development World Ecology23.2 (2016): 186-193. Chatterjee, Samprit, and Ali S. Hadi.Regression analysis by example. John Wiley Sons, 2015. Muthn, L. K., and B. Muthn. "Mplus."The comprehensive modelling program for applied researchers: users guide5 (2015). Darlington, Richard B., and Andrew F. Hayes.Regression analysis and linear models: Concepts, applications, and implementation. Guilford Publications, 2016. Fox, John.Applied regression analysis and generalized linear models. Sage Publications, 2015. Samargandi, Nahla. "Sector value addition, technology and CO2 emissions in Saudi Arabia."Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews78 (2017): 868-877.

Group proposal free essay sample

Group Proposal: Interpersonal Relationship Empowerment and Stress Management Group For Asian International Students at the Pennsylvania State University Moran He The Pennsylvania State University 1 Group Proposal 2 Abstract The following proposal outlines a counseling group program for Asian international students. The program is formed to address issues regarding interpersonal relationship difficulties and life stress among Asian international students. The group is open but is limited to no more than eight group members. The group meet once a week for thirteen sessions and will be offered during the fall semester of the academic year. The areas of counseling focus of the group include consciousness-raising, assertiveness training, and stress management. The proposed group program fills the gap in services available to Asian international students. This proposal describes the rationale, group format, group process, and evaluation criteria. Group Proposal 3 Group Proposal: Interpersonal Relationship Empowerment and Stress Management Group For Asian International Students at the Pennsylvania State University Purpose and Objectives Rationale The Pennsylvania State University (PSU) ranked the 14th nationally among institutions with the largest number of international students (Institute of International Education (IIE), 2005). The presence of approximately 3,700 international students on PSU campus has enriched the cultural experiences of the campus community and improved the chances for developing global understanding. At PSU, Asian enrollments accounted for sixty-nine percent of all international students (University Office of International Programs, 2003). In this proposal, I describe a culturally responsive counseling group for these Asian international students with a focus on interpersonal relationship empowerment and stress management. Issues regarding its implementation are discussed. Unique Sources of Stress. International students in the United States (U. S. ) face chronic strains of enduring separation, adjustment problems, and social isolation (Thomas Althen, 1989). Among these stressors, the loss of familiar and social support and the void of new interpersonal relationships with the host nationals are identified as the biggest problems for international students (Pedersen, 1991). Misra, Crist, and Burant (2003) proposed five indicators of life stress among international students: language difficulty, acculturization stress, academic pressure, financial crisis, and interpersonal stress. Consistent with Pederson’s contention, Misra and her colleagues also concluded that of these five indicators, interpersonal problems had the largest predictive power of life stress among international students. Group Proposal 4 Conflicts between the Asian and American concepts of friendship, the disapproval in Asian culture of interpersonal qualities such as outspokenness and assertiveness, ethnic discrimination, and language barrier are the main factors that discourage Asian international students from attempting to form deep, nurturing relationships with Americans (Hayes Lin, 1994; Mori, 2002. Consequently, these students are forced to develop intimacy solely with their fellow nationals in the campus community. Given such a small socializing circle, developing romantic relationships, a significant developmental task in adulthood, becomes particularly impossible for the seventy-eight percent of the international students at PSU who are single. Manifestations of Symptoms. Important differences in reactions to stressors were found between Asian international and American students. Asian international students typically display cognitive or physiological reactions when coping with stress whereas American students exhibit more behavioral and emotional reactions (Misra Castillo, 2004). In other words, Asian international students tend to deal with the somatic symptoms such as headaches, stomachaches, sleep problems, physical tension, and weight loss, but may fail to acknowledge the emotional or interpersonal problems that have caused such symptoms (Carr, et al. , 2002). Psychologically, at their arrival in the U. S. , Asian international students who held unrealistic expectations about the quality of their lives in the U. S. may experience profound feelings of loss and disappointment in the face of reality (Mori, 2000). Later on, as a result of prolonged endurance of interpersonal and social frustrations, Asian international students are likely to develop a sense of inferiority and a depreciative self-concept. Furthermore, difficulties in establishing nurturing interpersonal relationships and the lack of support to deal with life stress, coupled with family expectations and obligations, often lead to clinically significant Group Proposal 5 depressive symptoms, sense of hopelessness and helplessness, and suicidal ideation in the Asian student population (Yang Clum, 1994). Areas of Counseling Focus. Support groups and psycho-educational workshops for international students have typically revolved around issues regarding cultural orientation, cultural shock, academic transition, career planning, and resource location (Abe, et al. , 1998; Carr, et al. , 2002; Lacina, 2002). In discussing possible therapeutic interventions for international students, practitioners and scholars (e. g. , Hong Cooker, 1984; Mori, 2000) have long agreed upon three areas of counseling focus that are essential for the well-being of these students, namely, consciousness raising, assertiveness training, and stress management. However, in group therapy practice, rarely found are counseling groups which concentrate on empowering Asian students for more fulfilling relationships or alleviating their stress symptoms. Considering that the Center for Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at PSU only offers one psycho-educational group for all the international students at University Park, I believe that the proposed counseling group fills a gap in the service currently available for Asian international students at PSU. Objectives Given that Asian international students who experience emotional and interpersonal difficulties might not be aware of the sources of their struggles and that they might develop unfounded assumptions about themselves and others, the preliminary objectives of the group experience are to sensitize clients to their sensations, feelings, and opinions, to develop an understanding of oneself as an individual and in relation to others, and to provide a safe space for them to explore and modify their self-image in a bicultural context. Group Proposal 6 Secondly, because of Asian students’ needs to enhance their sense of power and level of function in interpersonal relationships, the assertiveness training component aims to identify the etiology of group clients’ lack of assertiveness, to validate and express feelings in an appropriate manner, to enable differentiation between assertive, passive, and aggressive behavior, and to practice assertive rights and responsibilities in order to increase self-respect and reduce social anxiety. Finally, because of the significant level of life stress among Asian students, a third component of the objectives of this group includes developing various stress management techniques and practical relaxation methods in order to alter their physiological responses, challenge any dysfunctional thinking, and change maladaptive life-style patterns. Group Structure and Setting Group Length, Meeting Time, and Size This group will be free to all Asian international students at University Park. It will be promoted through CAPS, the University Office of International Programs, and international student organizations. The group will meet thirteen weeks (over the fall semester) for an hour and a half each week. The time span of fourteen weeks is practical because it will allow approximately two weeks for recruiting and screening potential clients and end before the final examination week. A semester-long group experience will also allow for increased opportunity for group members to experiment with changing their behaviors and more solid integration of changes already accomplished (Corey Corey, 2006). The group will meet in the evening hours to  accommodate the hectic class schedule of undergraduate students and the assistantship obligations of graduate students during day time. Group Proposal 7 Size is an important consideration when forming any type of group. Since this group is a counseling group, the optimum number of members is no more than eight. A group of ten or more is likely to divide into two subgroups (Posthuma, 1999). Two group leaders will be a CAPS counselor and a doctoral trainee who have interest in and experience with international students. Desirably, one facilitator either came from an Asian cultural background or had studyabroad experiences. Membership and Screening An essential aspect of this counseling group is a pre-group interview. Each prospective member will meet with both group co-leaders during the first two weeks of the semester. In order to insure the maximum safety, functioning, and cohesion of group members, prospective clients will be screened for ethnicity, identified problems, level of functioning, and projected goals (Corey Corey, 2006). The two major goals of the pre-group interview are to assess the appropriateness of the individual for the group and to describe the nature of the group and its structure and guidelines. The co-leaders will shape the interview to obtain a general psychological and developmental history, an evaluation of their insight related to their interpersonal relationships and stress symptoms, and some understanding of the clients’ view of group counseling services. Particular attention will be given to students who are during their first and third year of stay in the U. S. because research indicated that stress level among Asian international students became higher during the first and third year of stay (Cho, 1988). Prospective clients who are assessed as unable to function autonomously in a group will be referred to individual therapy. During the interview, it is critical that the group co-leaders de-stigmatize clients’ participation in this counseling group. Group Proposal 8 The co-leaders will try to achieve some heterogeneity of age, gender, country of citizenship, and presenting concerns. The co-leaders will also receive referrals from the University Health Services and individual counseling services at CAPS. Considering the large number of Asian international students at PSU, the group will be open to new clients as long as the number of group members does not exceed eight. Toward the end of the screening interview, the co-leaders will review the group guidelines and ask the prospective group members if they can commit themselves to group confidentiality, consistent attendance and punctuality, participation, and practicing behavior changes outside the group weekly. Physical Setting Environmental factors can contribute to successful recruitment of group members and prevention of premature termination. Asian international students, even when they do experience psychological difficulties, are less likely to walk into counseling centers because of the cultural stigma against emotional expression in public and seeking counseling (Yoon Portman, 2004). An emphasis on family fame and face often prevents Asian students from accessing professional services. Poyrazlie and his colleagues (2004) recommended that when offering group counseling, counseling centers could work in conjunction with international student office to lessen any stigma related to the use of counseling services among international students, especially among Asians. The University Office of International Programs at PSU has always been a favorite social location for many international students. Therefore, the two group co-leaders will work with the international student office and to secure a meeting room in that office. Desirably, the office will also help decorating the meeting room with Asian artwork or symbols to create a safe and culturally friendly environment. Group Proposal 9 Group Process This counseling group is formed in light of the interpersonal problems and life stress experienced by Asian international students. Therefore, this group is interventive and remedial in nature and focuses on problem-solving. In the following section, I describe in detail the counseling theories the co-leaders will used in the group process, themes and techniques to be used in each session, and the roles of co-leaders and group members. I also provide a list of ethical considerations for working with Asian international students. Group Approach According to Trotzer (2006), the counseling group approach is used to address the task of â€Å"helping group participants resolve the usual, yet often difficult, problems of living through interpersonal support and group problem solving† (p. 41). Groups of this type are usually conducted in nonmedical settings to serve clients who have not been diagnosed with a mental disorder. Because of the emphasis on personal and interpersonal problems, the co-leaders need to work together with the clients to determine the focus of the group and its sessions. In the proposed counseling group, clients will be invited to discuss interpersonal problems or life stress with which they can identify, at least to some extent, and to work toward â€Å"dissolving the group by resolving their problems† (p. 44). Throughout the process, clients will be encouraged to take responsibilities for their own growth in the group experience. The two coleaders will be primarily facilitators who use verbal techniques and leadership skills to keep the group oriented to member concerns and the here-and-now group interaction. However, from time to time, there will be educational moments when the co-leaders need to teach and model for the group social or conversational skills and stress management skills. Group Proposal 10 The group co-leaders will draw on the integration of theoretical approaches to group therapy in developing and implementing this counseling group (Corey and Corey, 2006). Specifically, the co-leaders will refer to the Relational therapy when dealing with awarenessenhancement issues (Enns, 1992), Cognitive-Behavioral theories as applied to assertiveness training and stress management (Romano, J. 1992; Ulman, 2000), and the multicultural counseling meta-theory as applied to working with Asian students. Advantages and Limitations The literature on consciousness-raising, interpersonal problem-solving and stress management counseling groups reveals that clients join these groups to realize that they are not alone and to gain validation for their experience (Corey Corey, 2006; Trotzer, 2006). The opportunities for Asian international students to share similar concerns in the group can be empowering. The counseling group in itself will serve as a form of social support to the Asian international students who struggle with social isolation at different levels. In addition, through their group participation, these clients will learn that their stress and interpersonal problems are rooted more in the culture and the environment surrounding them than in their personality. Furthermore, this counseling group will provide them with a safe space to observe, compare, model, and gain insight into thoughts and behaviors of others’ and their own in relationships and in stressful situations. Most importantly, the challenges of engaging themselves in self- disclosure and feedback in the group process can increase the Asian clients’ capacity to engage in mutually empowering relationships outside of the group. This group counseling approach is not without limitations. Devan (2001) pointed out that Asian international students’ difficulty in expressing intimacy in public could be enhanced in a group situation. Such defense against intimacy is often manifested as group silence, prolonged Group Proposal 11 silence from individuals, somatization, gender bound groupism (i. e. , same sex members group together), and avoidance of cultural taboos such as sexual topics. In addition, Asian clients might be threatened by the consequences of another member in the group breaching confidentiality to their acquaintances in the close Asian community. Also, because of the male gender role expectations in Asian culture, it will be extremely challenging for Asian male clients to admit their struggles or weaknesses in front of women clients. Client resistance, if left unattended, can very likely lead to early termination. Thus, this group requires on the coleaders’ part a high sensitivity to the hidden agendas in the clients and the capability to assess clients’ behaviors in the group. Co-Leadership and Methods The use of co-leaders in counseling groups is common practice. Given the multicultural nature of this group, the use of co-leaders from different ethnic backgrounds is even more appropriate. The challenges of working with Asian international students over one semester can be stressful for one counselor. The co-leadership helps prevent the co-leaders from burning out. It also provides the co-leaders with the opportunity to process, conceptualize, offer and receive feedback, and brainstorm (Corey Corey, 2006). Given the complexity of the integrative theoretical approach used in this group, the two co-leaders need to discuss and share a common view of the basic structural issues of the group. It is also crucial for them to be aware of each other’s leadership style and any possible biases they hold towards the client group. As I have mentioned earlier, the co-leaders in this group will take up a primary role of facilitators, and occasionally that of educators. In addition to these two major roles, the coleaders will seek to create healthy group norms such as acceptance, validation, sense of hope, and balance between self and the group. At the initial stage of the group work, the co-leaders Group Proposal 12 will work together to create a sense of group cohesion by stimulating the sharing of similar experiences and pointing to the commonalities of struggles and symptoms of members. It is important for the co-leaders to normalize clients’ experiences of difficulties in order to prevent them from labeling their symptoms as signs of â€Å"mental illness. † In each weekly meeting, the co-leaders will encourage curiosity about individual resistance and difficulties in implementing desired changes. Co-leaders might use projective techniques to deal with cultural resistance toward self-disclosure (Devan, 2001). The co-leaders will also be responsible for inviting the clients to think of effective and ineffective ways they have responded to stressful life situations. In doing so, the co-leaders help the clients develop insights into the psychological and contextual factors that influence their current difficulties. Another responsibility of the co-leaders will be creating a therapeutic â€Å"experimenting space† for members to try out new behaviors and experience new options. During the counseling process, co-leaders may also encourage clients to express their feelings in their first language and have other members help them express their feelings in English. Group Format and Learning Activities The co-leaders will utilize a semi-structured approach to introduce specific activities related to certain topics of discussion while at the same time allowing the flexibility to address clients’ presenting problems in each session. In the pre-group interview, co-leaders will help the prospective clients identify problem areas in their lives and ask them to specify particular problems they want to work on in the group. Based on the content of the pre-group interview, the co-leaders will adjust the preliminary group format described below: Sessions 1 and 2. Group rules such as confidentiality and limits, safety issues, voluntary membership, commitment to the group, voluntary self-disclosure and so on will be reiterated. Group Proposal 13 Formal informed consent will be obtained from each client. Co-leaders will also hand out the Goal Attainment Scale (Trotzer, 2006, p. 430) to clients for weekly self-assessment. These two sessions will be primarily devoted to getting acquainted with each other and sharing individual goals. Session 3. This session will be focused on identifying specific problem areas in clients’ lives. The group will start to build cohesiveness and acceptance and engage in active listening. Session 4 and 5. The focus of these sessions will be on consciousness-raising. Clients will use creative ways to express their thoughts and feelings about their presenting problems. The coleaders will facilitate the discussion of specific personal, interpersonal and sociocultural influences on the clients’ experience of these problems. Session 6 and 7. In session 6, co-leaders will provide Asian snacks and tea to celebrate clients’ perseverance through half of the group experience. Communication skills and assertion skills will be integrated into these sessions, using role play and behavioral rehearsal as well as out-of-group assignments. The clients will focus on their here-and-now feelings about trying out these skills. Clients will also differentiate assertion, manipulation, and aggression. Cultural barriers regarding assertiveness will be addressed. Permission will be obtained from clients to videotape part of one session so as to evaluate members’ participation and group interaction. Session 8 and 9. The focus of these sessions will be on stress management and corrective self-care cognition and behaviors. Clients will learn to attend to their physiological responses to stress. They will also identify how they typically cope with common stressors in their lives. Clients will pay attention to their cognitive distortions which can lead to emotional stress. The co-leaders will facilitate the clients with developing a repertoire of stress management techniques as well as enhancing their self-esteem. Group Proposal 14 Session 10 and 13. These sessions will be devoted to problems on which clients want to work. Clients will also begin to assess their progress and the progress of the group. More reflection, self-adjustment, and feedback will be initiated by the clients in these sessions. The primary purpose will be for the clients to internalize what they have learned and report on their changes outside the group. The co-leaders will shape the discussion by reminding the clients often of the upcoming ending. In the final session, clients will deal with separation, recognize, and celebrating individual and group gains. Information of future services and useful resources will be given to clients. Exit Interview. An exit interview will be arranged with individual client to discuss the Goal Attainment Scale that has been distributed in the first session. Materials and Resources Lazarus and Folkman (1984), Posthuma (1999), and Trotzer (2006) gave examples of best practices in group counseling for consciousness-raising, assertiveness training, and stress management. In this counseling group, discussion topics, journaling, videotaping, drawing, structured exercises, and homework are the major types of learning activities. Materials such as videotape recorder, CD player, printed handouts and manuals, posters, flip chart or whiteboard, colored pencils, magazines, and paper bags will be needed. Most of the activities involve acting and drawing. Most of the required materials are readily available at the university. Ethics and Multiculturalism It is essential for any group leaders to be professionally trained and have a solid understanding of the Ethical Guidelines for Group Counselors (Association for Specialists in Group Work, 1990). The co-leaders should be aware of personal styles and biases. At the recruitment and screening stage, co-leaders need to provide prospective clients with a statement Group Proposal 15  of their professional qualifications (Corey Corey, 2006). It is critical for the clients to feel that participation in learning activities is voluntary. In addition, co-leaders need to review with the clients the importance of confidentiality from time to time throughout the length of the group. Carr and her colleagues (2002) contended that when working with Asian students from abroad, counselors must reevaluate the Eurocentric ethical guidelines for conducti ng group therapy in the context of Asian culture. They suggested that counselors consider boundary issues, helping roles, worldviews, cultural competence, and confidentiality when applying ethical standards. For example, the western concept of confidentiality must be carefully explained to group members if they are already acquainted with each other in the small community of students from their home countries. Another issue for the co-leaders to consider is the devaluing of assertiveness in the Asian culture. According to Wood and Mallinchrodt (1990), Asian clients may feel uncomfortable role-playing assertive behaviors. Asking them to apply assertion skills outside the counseling session may cause considerable anxiety or even carry social costs. Therefore, the co-leaders need to be culturally more sensitive as they address the passivity and indirectness of Asian clients’ communication behaviors. The co-leaders also need to understand that filial piety and respect for authority are fundamental values in Asian culture. Asian international students may expect a hierarchical order in the therapeutic relationship. In other words, they may expect the counselor to be more directive and authoritarian. Therefore, the co-leaders need to negate the â€Å"cultural fear of authority† by allowing a fairly directive and supportive leadership style in the beginning (Devan, 2001, p. 574; Zhang Dixon, 2003). Group Proposal 16 Finally, co-leaders need to attend to the gender difference in the counseling group (Misra and Castillo, 2004). Female international students have higher reactions to stressors than their male counterparts. In Asian culture particularly, they struggle more to free themselves from role expectations than male students in general (Misra, Crist, Burant, 2003). Thus, stress management and assertiveness training, in the presence of Asian male clients, might be more challenging to Asian female clients. Group Evaluation I consider the evaluation of group counseling to be pivotal to both the individual group experience and the ongoing development of this group program. According to Trotzer (2006), the effectiveness of individual sessions and the overall effectiveness of the group experience can be assessed through member evaluation, group process evaluation, self and other reports of outcome, and co-leader evaluation. In the first session, the co-leaders will distribute a weekly self-report in the form of Goal Attainment Scale (Trotzer, 2006). These self-assessment forms will be collected and evaluated when the co-leaders meet with individual clients in the exit interview. Clients will be asked to identify specific and measurable problem-solving goals they want to attain and rate their performance each week on a 5-point scale. The combining Goal Attainment Scale score across all group members demonstrates the overall effectiveness of the group counseling process. Meanwhile, the co-leaders will ask the members to keep logs of their honest reactions to each group meeting as well as suggestions for improvement on 3 x 5 index cards. Halfway through the group process, an evaluation of video replays of a group session will be carried out. Clients will be asked to analyze their actions and the interaction of the group. At the end of the group experience, clients will give each other feedback on the visibility and positivity of their