| Course | PS375 Psychology of Addiction |
|---|---|
| Unit | Unit 9 |
| Paper type | Discussion board post |
| Length | About 400 words, 2 pages double-spaced |
| Format | APA 7 discussion post |
| School | Purdue University Global |
| Program | BS in Psychology |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for PS375 Unit 9
The Waiting Room Had No Toys: A PS375 Unit 9 Discussion Board Post on Diverse Populations
PS375 · Unit 9 Discussion Board Post
Posted by [Student Name]
The writer, the program, the clients and the classmates are composite; the sources cited are real.
Initial Post
This fall, our Tulsa outpatient program reviewed a year of discharge records. Two patterns stood out. Women with children under five left treatment earlier than other clients, and Black clients completed treatment less often than white clients. The program had never looked at its data this way before, and the staff meeting where the numbers were shared was quiet for a long minute.
Greenfield et al. (2007) reviewed research on substance use treatment for women. They found that women face particular barriers to entering and staying in treatment, including childcare responsibilities, fear of losing custody, stigma and histories of trauma, and that services addressing these needs, such as childcare and family-focused care, were associated with better retention. Kayla, a client of ours with a four-year-old son, nearly missed her second appointment because her grandmother was sick. When she arrived with her son, our waiting room had no toys, no changing table and a sign that said children were not allowed in group rooms.
The program's rules assumed every client had someone to watch the kids.
Mennis and Stahler (2016) analyzed national treatment discharge data and found lower outpatient completion rates for Black and Hispanic clients than for white clients across several substances, with socioeconomic factors such as employment and housing explaining part, but not all, of the gap. At our program, several Black clients told me that transportation and inflexible appointment times made attendance hard, and two said they rarely saw staff who looked like them.
Three changes are now under discussion: a supervised play corner and childcare vouchers for appointments, evening and telehealth options, and recruiting peer recovery staff who reflect the clients we serve.
What barrier have you seen keep a group of clients from finishing treatment?
Reply to Jasmine
Jasmine, your point about Spanish-speaking clients is important. A bilingual intake form is a start, but group sessions in Spanish may matter more for retention.
Reply to Paul
Paul, I agree that rural clients face distance barriers. Greenfield et al. (2007) found transportation among the barriers for women too, so telehealth might help several groups at once.
References
Greenfield, S. F., Brooks, A. J., Gordon, S. M., Green, C. A., Kropp, F., McHugh, R. K., Lincoln, M., Hien, D., & Miele, G. M. (2007). Substance abuse treatment entry, retention, and outcome in women: A review of the literature. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 86(1), 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2006.05.012
Mennis, J., & Stahler, G. J. (2016). Racial and ethnic disparities in outpatient substance use disorder treatment episode completion for different substances. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 63, 25-33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsat.2015.12.007
What the PS375 Unit 9 assignment asks for
The Unit 9 board in PS375 asks you to discuss substance use disorders and treatment among diverse populations. Choose at least one group, and describe a pattern in access, retention or outcomes from research and, if possible, from a setting you know. Explain the barriers that research identifies and connect them to concrete details of a program, such as rooms, schedules or staff. Propose specific changes. Avoid generalizing about any group; describe barriers rather than traits. Finish by asking classmates which barriers they have watched clients run into. Keep the first post near 400 words, then reply twice, adding a barrier or a support each time. Keep clients composite. Say how change will be measured.
How the PS 375 Unit 9 example is put together
The post opens with program discharge data and a waiting room detail. A paragraph summarizes Greenfield and colleagues on barriers for women and describes Kayla nearly missing an appointment, under a highlighted line that the rules assumed someone else watched the kids. A paragraph summarizes Mennis and Stahler on racial and ethnic differences in completion and reports what Black clients said about transportation, hours and staff. A paragraph names three proposed changes: a play corner and childcare vouchers, evening and telehealth options, and peer staff who reflect clients. The closing question asks about barriers. Replies suggest Spanish-language groups and telehealth for rural clients. Each proposed change answers one barrier that research or clients named.
Where the points sit in the PS375 Unit 9 rubric
Graders of this post look for disparities described with evidence and connected to specific features of a program, not to traits of a group. Accurate summaries of research on women's treatment and on racial and ethnic differences earn credit. Including clients' own accounts of barriers adds depth. Proposed changes should be concrete and tied to the barriers named. Replies should add a barrier or support rather than agree. Respectful, precise language about groups is expected. Both the review and the national analysis need APA citations. A note on how the program will check whether changes help, such as tracking completion, strengthens the post. Precise language matters.
Common PS375 Unit 9 mistakes, and how to avoid them
Diversity posts often describe a group in general terms without examining any program's practices. Others list barriers without proposing changes. Students frequently attribute disparities to culture or motivation rather than access and program design. Clients' own explanations are commonly missing. Replies tend to share opinions without evidence. Before posting, look at one concrete feature of a program, such as hours, rooms or staffing, and ask who it works for. Add one client's account. Propose a change and a way to measure it. In replies, name a barrier the classmate did not mention. Keep clients composite and language precise and respectful throughout. Then reread for any phrase that blames a group.
Get a PS375 Unit 9 example written to your instructions
Send the prompt and the rubric. A custom post discusses treatment access and outcomes in a diverse population. It comes back within 24-48h, first one free. The paper above is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Purdue University Global document.
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PS375 Unit 9 questions, answered
Why do treatment outcomes differ across groups?
Access, cost, stigma, culture and program fit all play a part.
What barriers do women face in treatment?
Childcare, stigma, trauma histories and fewer gender-responsive programs.
What should replies add?
A barrier or support the classmate's post did not mention.
Where can I find a free PS375 Unit 9 sample paper?
This page holds the complete PS375 Unit 9 post on treatment barriers for mothers and Black clients at a composite program, with replies.
What changes does the PS375 Unit 9 sample propose?
A play corner and childcare vouchers, evening and telehealth options, and peer staff who reflect the clients served.