Autism Is Classified As A Developmental Disorder - 1281 Words

According to Simmons et al. (2009), autism is classified as a developmental disorder characterized by difficulties with social interaction, social communication, and an unusually restricted range of behaviors and interests. Along with behavioral and social impairments, a diagnosis of autism also requires a clinically significant delay in language development before the age of three. Asperger Syndrome has similar signs and symptoms to autism without the language delay. Together with Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS), these disorders form the category of Autism Spectrum Disorders (Simmons et al., 2009). Because the signs and symptoms of ASDs are almost entirely behavioral, a variety of tests, interviews, and direct or indirect observations are used in different combinations based on age and/or language level to receive the most reliable diagnosis. Although there is controversy regarding the increased prevalence of ASDs, it is obvious that there is highe r regard for understanding the nature of these disorders, causing an increase of research related to this field of study. It is to be noted, however, that there are a handful of general issues to be addressed when running experiments with afflicted individuals. These issues include: which part of the autism spectrum to target, how to convey instructions and maintain attention in severely affected individuals, difficulty recruiting volunteers due to social reticence, and a change ofShow MoreRelatedAutism Spectrum Disorder And Autism1492 Words   |  6 Pageslife there are several different disorders that have been well known from many years ago. There is one disorder that was diagnosed in the early 1800’s but it wasn’t until a few years ago that it gained lots of attention. What used to be known as Autism was later renamed in the DSM to Autism Spectrum Disorder meaning, a neurodevelopmental disorder rather than a pervasive developmental disorder (Gargiulo, 2015). Au tism spectrum disorder is a developmental disorder characterized by abnormal or impairedRead MoreMason was not unlike many children in that according to the most recent Center for Disease Control800 Words   |  4 Pagessixty-eight children is on the autism spectrum. This is a 30% increase from the findings reported two years ago of one in every eight-eight children. The current study also reports that the proportion of boys with autism (1 in 42) is significantly higher that girls (1 in 189) (10 Things to Know About New Autism Data. 2014). Changes in the DSM-V that incorporated Asperger syndrome (AS), autistic disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder, and pervasive developmental disorders not otherwise specified intoRead MoreThe Neurodevelopmental Disorders ( Asd )1693 Words   |  7 PagesThe neurodevelopmental disorders, according to the DSM 5, are a group of conditions with onset in the developmental period. The disorders typically manifest early in development, often befor e the child enters grade school, and are characterized by developmental deficits that produce impairments of personal, social, academic, or occupational functioning. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is newly classified as such; it was once classified as â€Å"Asperger’s Syndrome.† ASD is a severe neurodevelopmental impairmentRead MoreA Research Study On Autistic Spectrum Disorder802 Words   |  4 PagesAutistic spectrum disorder, also known as ASD can be defined as a group of complex developmental disorders characterized by impairment in verbal and nonverbal communication, behavioral challenges, impaired cognitive abilities, and impaired social interactions. Nurse practitioners providing primary health care to children should be familiar with ASD for early identification, evaluation, and management as this is significantly important to the well-being of children and their families. The purposeRead MoreAutism Spectrum Disorder Paper866 Words   |  4 PagesAutism spect rum disorder first became a diagnosed disorder when it was described by a psychiatrist named, Leo Kanner in 1943. As a result of a study he conducted involving 11 children, he developed a diagnostic criteria based on observations of repetitive, stereotyped behavior with consistent impairment in social interactions (Volden, 2017). Over time however, autism became synonymous with Asperger’s disorder and pervasive developmental disorder that included similar, but widely different diagnosticRead MoreAsperger s Syndrome Among Other Autistic Spectrum Disorders818 Words   |  4 PagesAutistic Spectrum Disorders The autism spectrum disorder is neurobehavioral deterioration that involve language developmental disorder a combined with low social interaction skills and repetitive behaviors. The severity of the disorder varies from mild, moderate, and sever, and the diagnosis tend to be changeable according to several factors such as the severity and the kind of therapy that the child received during early years. There is an increased prevalence of the disorder among children withinRead MoreAsperger s Syndrome Among Other Autistic Spectrum Disorders1282 Words   |  6 PagesAutistic Spectrum Disorders The autism spectrum disorder is neurobehavioral deterioration that involves language developmental disorder combined with low social interaction skills and repetitive behaviors. The severity of the disorder varies from mild, moderate, and severe, and the diagnosis tends to be changeable according to several factors such as the severity and the kind of therapy that the child received during early years. There is an increased prevalence of the disorder among children withinRead MoreAutism Spectrum Disorder ( Asd ) Essay1651 Words   |  7 PagesAutism Spectrum Disorder Neurodevelopmental Disorders are conditions that become evident in early developmental stages before children are introduced to elementary school (APA, 2013). These disorders have developmental deficiencies that restrict children from â€Å"personal, social, academic, or occupational functioning† (APA, 2013, pp. 31). Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a neurodevelopmental disorder, has been represented as a complex brain abnormality that effects children’s cognitive, behavioralRead MorePrevalence Of Depression And Autism Spectrum Disorder1334 Words   |  6 PagesFunctioning Autism Spectrum Disorder Kelvin Davis PSY 1022 Monday, October 14, 2013 Wednesday 8:00 am Word Countâ€Æ' Abstract Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are quite vulnerable to anxiety and depression, especially in late adolescence and early adult life (Tantum Prestwood, 1999). In accordance with a study sampling children between 7 and 13 years of age (Vickerstaff, Heriot, Wong, Lopes Dossetor, 2006), it is hypothesized that adolescents on the autism spectrumRead MorePervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) Essay1651 Words   |  7 Pages The term Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) refers a group of disorders that pertain to one’s communication, social, and developmental skills. Symptoms can be detected as early as infancy, as some cases are identified before the age of three. Children or toddlers with PDD may show difficulty relating to others and often have trouble using and understanding language. In addition, they may have unusual behavior patterns and demonstrate resistance during a change in their routine. PDD is a general

Child and Adolescent Psychology Essay - 1348 Words

This essay will focus on the understanding of depression among children during the ages of early childhood (2-6) and adolescent (12-18) through the Brofenbrenner Ecological Systems theory. This theory looks at a child’s development within the perspective of the system of relationships that form their environment. Here you will find a description on the impact of family, school, community and other systems, according to Brofenbrenner, have on their lives. This will also show the influence of the attachment theory and how it interacts with the causes of depression which can occur amongst early childhood and adolescents. Urie Brofenbrenner has uniqueness to his theory, â€Å"stressing the need to understand development in terms of the everyday†¦show more content†¦Examples are expectations within the family, the child’s teacher and parent connection, or a child with divorced parents living in separate neighborhoods may have an impact on the types of relationships established amongst peers (Bukatlo, D. 2008). The Exosystem is the layer which defines the larger social system in which the child does not function directly. The structures in this layer impact the child’s development by interacting with some structure in their microsystem (Berk, 2000 as cited in Paquette Ryan, 2001). For example a parent’s workplace, although the child does not have direct involvement within this structure they may however, feel a positive or negative impact from it. The Macrosystem is the layer which is considered the farthest removed in the child environment however; it is comprised of cultural values, customs, and laws. There is a cascading influence throughout all of the other layers as a result of these personal, ethical, and moral beliefs. And finally the Chronosystem, this layer encompasses the dimension of time as it relates to a child’s environments. Elements within this system can be either external, such as the timing of a parentà ¢â‚¬â„¢s death, or internal, such as the physiological changes that occur with the aging of a child (Paquette Ryan, 2001). As a child develops they have a stronger capability to determine how environmental changes will directly influence them. Depression involves the mind and the bodyShow MoreRelatedChild And Adolescent Psychology And Psychiatry1417 Words   |  6 Pagesmany different professional disciplines and they work together to inform others and ensure that the professionals are all well informed. The council is multi-disciplinary team that exists to further the interdisciplinary field of both child and adolescent psychology and psychiatry. The article focuses on how over-responsivity affects toddlers with autism in their daily lives and how it contributes to the life styles of the parents or caregivers. People who suffer from this illness often have aRead MoreThe Journal Of Clinical Child Adolescent Psychology932 Words   |  4 PagesThe Journal of Clinical Child Adolescent Psychology has released a study in which researchers observed the impact of behavioral therapy on children with A.D.H.D. In this case, scientists used an experimental approach which is the only research method that can accurately establish cause and effect relationships. (Okami, 2014, p. 40). The objective of the research was to evaluate the effects of behavior therapy and if it can be substituted, or partially take the place of medication in the treatmentRead MoreChildhood Development : Child And Adolescent Psychology1265 Words   |  6 PagesChild and Adolescent Psychology Early Childhood Development Unit 9 Assignment Kenneth Peter Smith PS220 December 18, 2014 Professor Linda Smith So what goes on during Early Childhood - ages 3 to 6. Development is very crucial in every aspect of childhood but why is it important during early childhood? What goes on during this time frame in a child’s life that’s going to dictate every aspect of the child’s life for now and evermore? Is this stage of a child’s development even importantRead MoreSingle Parent Child And Adolescent Psychology1832 Words   |  8 PagesUniversity: Child Adolescent Psychology Single Parent Children In today’s society it is not uncommon for children to grow up in a single parent household. There are multiple reasons behind this factor, such as, one parent could have passed away, the parents where never married to begin with, or divorce. Being a single parent can be a challenge at times, however people manage to make it work if they find themselves in that situation. If a person finds themselves having to raise a child or childrenRead MoreChild Observation: Child and Adolescent Psychology Essay1319 Words   |  6 PagesLaura Taylor Paul Kincs Child and Adolescent Psych 26 April 2010 Child Observation This time, I decided to observe children between the ages of five and six in a kindergarten class room at Maddock Public School. Maddock is a smaller school and there were only five children in the class, all of them were boys. I knew this would be an interesting day, because we learned in class that boys tend to be a little bit more active and disobedient, but I was definitely looking forward to it. I wentRead MoreClinical And Biological Components Can Cause A Child s Social, Emotional, And Cognitive Roles981 Words   |  4 PagesClinical Child Psychology is defined as a specialty in professional psychology that develops and applies scientific knowledge to the delivery of psychological services to infants, toddlers, children and adolescents within their social context (Clinical Child Psychology, 2015). They study how experimental and biological components can cause a child’s social, emotional, and cognitive roles to change as a child grows older. In order to become a clinical child psychologist, it can be quite difficultRead MoreThe Development Of An Individual And The Aspects Within Psychology1566 Words   |  7 PagesPrior to Developmental Psychology, the summarized articles will indicate the development of an individual and the aspects within psychology. Developmental Psychology is the study of the way a human change over time throughout their life. Individuals face many issues and problems throughout their life that could possible affect their physically, emotionally, and mentally growth. As a parent and child develop individually, many skills and behaviors increase and decrease. In this case, communicationRead MorePsychology : Psychology And Psychology1198 Words   |  5 PagesOne of the many amazing things about psychology is that it can be used in a lot of different situations, which makes it one of the most interesting and in depth subjects I have studied. I’m shocked at the amount of theories and concepts there are, all about how the mind works and how it forms them into what makes them. After reading and learning about the large amount of ideas that have come about through psychology, is the specific reason of what has kept me curious and kept me keen to continueRead MorePsychology At The University Of Southern Mississippi939 Words   |  4 PagesWhile studying psychology at the University of Southern Mississippi, I developed an interest in youth psychological health and social well-being. As an avid learner, I subsequently became interested in clinica l child research and joined Dr. Christopher T. Barry’s Youth Personality and Behavior (YPB) laboratory as a volunteer research assistant during my sophomore year of college. After learning the dynamics of working in a research laboratory, and taking courses such as adolescent, social, developmentalRead MoreJean Piaget s Morality And Its Many Stages1437 Words   |  6 PagesIn 1950, Lawrence Kohlberg graduated from the University of Chicago planning to go into clinical psychology. However after reading some of the articles that Jean Piaget published on morality in children and adolescents, Kohlberg begins researching morality and its many stages. Over the next 30 years he researches morality and publishes two volumes critical to his work, leaving his legacy in psychology. Lawrence Kohlberg was born to a wealthy Jewish family in Bronxville, NY in 1927. At a young age

Evidence and Values in Person Centered Care

Questions: 1.Using practice examples explain what is professionalism? 2. What is teamwork and why is this important? 3. Demonstrate your understanding of compassionate care? 4. Explain giving practice examples what is non - verbal communication? 5. Why is it important to maintain the dignity of the patient and how is this achieved? 6. Why is it important to check that a patient has understood information/instruction given to them? 7. What does safeguarding the public mean to you? 8. What is evidence-based practice? 9. Why is record keeping important? 10. Why is it important to undertake professional development? Answers: 1. It has been difficult for the academicians to define and track professionalism as its definition is highly contextual. What does one understand by professionalism may vary with the organization, external environment as well as personal beliefs. There are various sources of professionalism which shape the definition of professionalism (Carlson Lewis, 2015). These can be personal experiences around time keeping, observing other professionals in another work context, experience of meeting and being part of a team, role models in placements or tutors in classroom, models encountered in media, personal experience at work, experience of interaction with clients, documentation such as student handbook and policies such as manual handling policies, peers, etc. Hence, there is no single definition of professionalism rather it can be seen differently in different contexts. When one sees in a holistic manner, professionalism is in the way from the time one starts for work and till the time that work is over. While professionalism can be understood by the skill and knowledge, one has of his or her work. Professionalism can also be seen as an expression of self. So it is the way a professional behaves with his clients. Professionalism is also seen in the attitude and behavior of the professional. A doctor can be good at his work but if he is not disciplined, can we call him or her a professional? In this way, one sees that there are ways to define professionalism in a holistic manner as well as some specific skill. This area can be explored more for better understanding, and training. 2. Teamwork is one of the most important factors needed for an organization success. Take the example of hockey, basketball, football, volleyball, every player has some unique quality, and everyone completes the team together and wins the match. Same applies for teamwork in the organization. When employers recruit the employees, they dont look only for the work-related knowledge and skill but for the ability to work in the team too. In a team, everyone works and achieves more than the sum of everyones contribution. A lot of researches show that there are various qualities that team members must possess for making a good team. These qualities are common purpose and clear goals, a common approach to work, they trust and support each other, everyone has the willingness to take responsibility of the team actions, they have necessary skills and resources, they are willing to share information with each other and they have ability to work through conflict (Valentine, Nembhard, and Edmondso n, 2015). When all these qualities are there, employees work cooperatively, everyone contribute their ideas, suggestions and efforts in the group, they develop a sense of responsibility. Although they will face a difficult time in reaching to consensus but it will lead to a good discussion and compel everyone to think from all sides. There has been a lot of research work in this area, and there are various ways to develop the team spirit in the employees. 3. There has been so many incidences of insensitivity of service providers towards patients or clients worldwide that care has again become a burning topic of discussion. Care provided by a person and a society or organization is different in many ways. It is mainly the person-centric care that faces more ethical and moral dilemmas about care as compared to society care (Winch, Henderson Jones, 2015). In personal care, people are more intimate and hence become more sensitive. The compassionate care is linked with the exhaustive care for patients. The objective of compassionate care is to provide 360-degree health care services to patients. One of the important components of compassionate care is community care. It is important that involvement of community members should be high for effective levels of compassionate care. Another important component of compassionate care includes empathy for patients. It is important that patients should be respected and patients should be given due care and attention. With the daily routine of service providers, every action just becomes mechanical and systematic and compassion starts getting reduced in the employees behavior. There is need to encourage colleagues so that they observe each other and appreciate positive behaviors of each other and point out the negative behaviors in a supportive way. Teams should also consider other factors that can get in the way of compassionate care like stress of workload etc. 4. Communication is the exchange of messages between two people. Non-verbal communication is when exchange of messages takes place without words or without speaking. It includes apparent behaviors such as eyes, tone of voice, posture, facial expressions, touching, dress and spatial distance between people. Non-verbal messages are very useful at workplace. Non-verbal messages allow people to modify the message. For example, saying yes might mean yes but saying yes with a shrug of shoulders and a sad expression will easily communicate that one is reluctant in saying yes. Non-verbal communication sometimes proves much better and convenient as compared to verbal communication. When one has to convey their emotions, their body language and facial expressions convey their emotions much more efficiently than their words. Non-verbal communication between people reinforces the relationship between them. People communicate their reaction and feedback by simple body parts movements. It also hel ps in regulating the flow of communication, for example by signaling to others that they have finished speaking or wish to say something. Unfortunately, understanding non-verbal messages is not that simple. People might get misunderstood while communicating. It needs a lot of trust among people for the non-verbal communication (Little, White, Kelly, Everitt Mercer, 2015). The non-verbal communication is an important means of communication in a group setting. For example a nod of head in a meeting and a nod of head when two people are talking can mean different. The gestures are also an important part of non-verbal communication. The leaders and managers should focus to learn the communication from gestures so that they can make meaningful inferences from the non-verbal communication of patients and employees. 5. There are so many definitions of dignity in literature. One of that definition is patients feel their dignity is restored when they have physical and psychosocial wherewithal to behave and respond properly where their capabilities are actually threatened. Many times it is seen that clients feel dignified when they are manage to function as independently as possible and also have a genuine role to play in the decision making related to their health or care. This is very easy to do. Nurses and doctors just need to ask older patients about their preferences and likes, dislikes, etc. However, this asking also need some creative strategies to ask so that they can feel empowered and dignified. There is need of circumstances also to highlight the dignity. Such circumstances can be classified as external factors influencing dignity (Jacelon, 2015). What health professionals can do is either they can expand the patients capabilities or they can make the circumstances favorable to their dig nity. When circumstances and capabilities will match, it will eventually lead to improvement in the dignity they feel. Patients want themselves to be understood as an able adult and not to be treated as a child. It would be correct to say that patients are an important part of the health care ecosystem. The interaction of patients with other players in the health care system is also important to maintain the dignity of patients. 6. It is very important to check whether the patient has clearly understood the information and instructions provided my doctor. As it can prove very dangerous in case-patient did not understand it properly. It can also be dangerous for the doctor as it can result in various legal issues. It is very important for the patients to understand the instructions as this will enable them to get the maximum output of the doctors advice. They also experience higher quality of medical care. Those patients who understand the instructions properly are more probable to adhere to medical instructions and hence improvement in treatment outcomes occur (Lim, Jarvenpaa, Lanham, 2015). It has been various times that communications gaps in the field pf healthcare often get unnoticed and this can have serious effects on the patients. One of the reasons for this is the poor literacy of patients. Communication quality is really important, as if patient did not take the doctor seriously, he or she will not be able to take the preventive measures. It is important to mention that patient should be informed about all the treatments being done on him. This is known as informed consent. The informed consent can be taken from patient only when he has understood all the information and instruction given to him. Moreover, it is the moral right of patient to understand the treatment that is being given to him. Therefore, it is the moral responsibility of doctors and nurses to explain everything to patients. 7. In recent times, a new concept of safeguarding has evolved. Safeguarding has different meaning for different people. Safeguarding children include so many things. It means to protect children from maltreatment or anything that is bad for the health or development of kids. It also includes that children should grow up in circumstances that will provide them safe and effective care. When one talks about safeguarding adults, it includes a whole set of different needs (Mercurio, 2015). Safeguarding for adults tells about the need of the right that people can live safely and they are also free from abuse and neglect. It also means that people and organizations should work together to prevent the risk of abuse and neglect and to stop such incidences from happening. The system also needs to ensure that wellbeing of people gets promoted; their views, wishes, feelings and beliefs are taken into consideration. 8. Evidence-based practice is a contemporary health care practice that focuses to use the best available research work. This field was first introduced in health care field in the year 1992. Since then, this practice has evolved a lot. The use of evidence-based practice is evident in large hospitals and mid-size clinics. When a doctor or nurse talks with a patient, he or she comes to know about the patients preferences, expectations, concerns and values. Evidence only is not sufficient to make the decision. Evidence supports the patient care process. The integration of these three features improves the probability of optimal clinical outcomes and also the quality of life of patients (Royse, Thyer Padgett, 2015). Evidence based practices are initiated with the patient encounters. Such encounters lead to generation of questions about the utility of diagnostic tests, the effects of therapy, the etiology of disorders and the prognosis of diseases. Although there is need of new skills of clinicians including the application of formal rules of evidence and efficient literature searching in evaluation the clinical literature. Steps involved in EBP process are assess the patient, ask questions, acquire the evidences, appraise the evidences and talk with the patient and self-evaluation. 9. Recently it has been noticed that nurses can be scrutinized for their record keeping. Various legislations such as the data protection act and human rights act has increased the profile of and access to health records. It has been done in the situation when patients complains about their care are increasing day by day. It does not matter much whether these complaints are sorted out in court or settled by healthcare providers, having comprehensive records are very much essential. All these things make it highly important that nurses fulfill all the legal requirements and follow best practices in record keeping. Professionalisms code of conduct always suggests that good note taking is very crucial for nurses. As everyone is aware of that these notes become the way of communication between doctors, nurses and between a doctor and a nurse. The code of conduct also states that nurses and other health professionals must ensure that health care records for the clients and patients are ac curate, they are according to account of treatment, and proper care planning and delivery should also be ensured (Chamanga Ward, 2015). There are various other things too that should be taken care of. All these records should be made in the presence of patients and with their active participation. Also, an event should be recoded as soon as it occurred. Also, records should clearly mention all the plans, all the decisions made and the treatment delivered and all the information and instructions shared. 10. Many times people talk about continuing professional development. Continuing professional development is a very significant process to develop and nurture the professionalism in the employees or service providers. It is a process through which standards of healthcare practice are maintained and improved. This improvement is maintained through development of knowledge, attitudes, skills and behavior in individual healthcare professionals. Many types of educational experiences are also referred by professional development. Doctors, educators, engineers, lawyers, accountants and people in a wide variety of professions and businesses become a part in professional development to learn and apply this new skill and knowledge that will help in improving their performance at job (Harris, Graham Adkins, 2015). Researches in education sector has shown that school leadership and teaching quality are the most significant factors which help in such raising of student that will help him or her achieve success. Everybody needs to continuously increase their knowledge and skills to maintain their effectiveness and success. Be it teachers, school and district leaders, all need to continuously improve themselves for their continuous effectiveness. Educators learn to help students learn at the highest levels. Generally, when people use the term professional development, they generally mean formal and traditional processes such as seminar, conferences and workshops; collaborative learning among people of team; or a well-structured course at some college or university. It can be said that the area of professional development does not only help to develop professionally, but it also helps individuals to develop at personal level. References Carlson, M., Lewis, S. C. (Eds.). (2015).Boundaries of Journalism: Professionalism, Practices and Participation. Routledge. Chamanga, E., Ward, R. (2015). Documentation and record-keeping in pressure ulcer management.Nursing Standard,29(36), 56-63. Harris, K. R., Graham, S., Adkins, M. (2015). Practice-based professional development and Self-Regulated Strategy Development for Tier 2, at-risk writers in second grade.Contemporary Educational Psychology,40, 5-16. Jacelon, C. S. (2015, July). Personal Strategies for Managing Dignity in the Course of Human Interaction. InSigma Theta Tau International's 26th International Nursing Research Congress. STTI. Lim, S. Y., Jarvenpaa, S. L., Lanham, H. J. (2015, January). Review of Research on Knowledge Transfer in Care Transitions: Trust-Enhancing Principles for Information Systems Design. InSystem Sciences (HICSS), 2015 48th Hawaii International Conference on(pp. 3148-3157). IEEE. Little, P., White, P., Kelly, J., Everitt, H., Mercer, S. (2015). Randomised controlled trial of a brief intervention targeting predominantly non-verbal communication in general practice consultations.British Journal of General Practice,65(635), e351-e356. Mercurio, B. (2015). Safeguarding Public Welfare?Intellectual Property Rights, Health and the Evolution of Treaty Drafting in International Investment Agreements.Journal of International Dispute Settlement,6(2), 252-276. Royse, D., Thyer, B., Padgett, D. (2015).Program Evaluation: An Introduction to an Evidence-Based Approach. Cengage Learning. Valentine, M. A., Nembhard, I. M., Edmondson, A. C. (2015). Measuring teamwork in health care settings: A review of survey instruments.Medical care,53(4), e16-e30. Winch, S., Henderson, A., Jones, J. (2015). Recognizing the dialectic of compassionate care in the workplace: feedback from nurse educators.Journal of continuing education in nursing,46(5), 228-232.

Njals Saga A Fictional Account Of Early Iceland Essays - Europe

Njal's Saga: A Fictional Account Of Early Iceland Njals Saga: A Fictional Account of Early Iceland The origin and evolution of saga writing in Iceland are largely matters for speculation. A common pastime on Icelandic farms, from the 12th century down to modern times, was the reading aloud of stories to entertain the household, known as sagnaskemmtun (saga entertainment). It seems to have replaced the traditional art of storytelling (Hermann Palsson, pg. 1). Njals Saga uses Old Icelandic writing convention and historical data to give a fictional account of a generations lifestyle and struggles. Icelandic literature has become very valuable because historians have realized the great amount of truth that can be found in each saga. According to one historian, the sagas have proven to be of valuable insight into the fabric of a unique medieval community (Gary Martin, pg.1). During the twelfth and fourteenth centuries, there were about forty sagas written by various anonymous Icelanders (Gary Martin, pg.1). Each used a combination of historical facts and drama to create Nowell, 2 sagas that tracked generations of people. Historically, the first people to travel to Iceland were from Norway. According to Gary Martin, they were surprised to find such a plentiful land (pg.1). Not only did they farm, but they also collected food and supplies from the nearby ocean. There are quite a few sagas that reveal the true historical society of Iceland. Egils Saga records how, on arrival, the settler Skallagrim and his companions went out fishing and seal-hunting, and collecting the eggs of wild foul, for there was plenty of everything (Gary Martin, pg.1). In Iceland, the immigrants held to the farming traditions that they had in Norway, so not much changed in the transition. One historian noted, Iceland, like much of Norway, was essentially country for pastoralists. Short growing seasons made the cultivation of grains marginal (Gary Martin, pg. 1). Animal products provided the mainstay of the Icelandic diet. An emphasis on dairy cattle and sheep meant that lamb and beef and dairy products such as cheese and whey were relatively plentiful, especially following good seasons (Gary Martin, pg. 2) Despite the abundance of food, as more settlers came, the resources were slowly depleted: The following episode from Grettirs Saga is likely to have been typical: as soon as Eirik knew that Onund had arrived he offered to give him anything he wanted, and added that there was not much land still unclaimed. Onund said he would like first to see Nowell, 3 what land was available. So they went south across the fjords, and when they reached Ofaera, Eirik said, Now you can have a look at it. From here on the land is unclaimed up to Bjorns settlement. (Gary Martin, p.2). Clearly this famine was a historical, recorded event since there are also reports of a shortage of foodstuffs in Njals Saga. This was a time of great famine in Iceland, and all over the country people were going short of hay and food (Njals Saga, Ch. 47). So it is clear that Njals Saga includes some factual information, yet still remains a fictional narrative. Instead of creating a form of law enforcement, the Icelanders usually took matters into their own hands. This is can be seen in the many killings that occur in Njals Saga. The Icelandic people had developed a feud system, which was largely based on family and relationships. Being friends or related to someone meant that you stood up for him and defended him at all costs. The importance was not necessarily the individual, but the family name. Lars Lonnroth saw this and commented, The Feud Pattern emerges from a previous state of balance in the relationship between two families. A cause for conflict is presented, and the feud breaks out as members of one family commit a punitive act against members of another family (Lars Lonnroth, pg. 69). This is also clearly seen and recorded in Njals Saga when Njal is burned for the sake of his family. Nowell, 4 Another interesting aspect of this story is that midway through the saga, Christianity is introduced. The values and morals upheld by Christianity are very different from those of the Icelandic culture. The Christian value system is based on love, specifically the