Indicate the possible etiologies in a general way and the steps you would take to diagnose, treat, and manage these cases, with consideration of pharmacological intervention
psychology
Description
Considering the indicated symptoms for all three cases
below you are required to:
- Indicate the possible etiologies in a general way and the steps you
would take to diagnose, treat, and manage these cases, with consideration
of pharmacological intervention
- You don’t need to discuss every detail of your treatment – just
write from the standpoint of a clinical psychotherapist who does not
prescribe medication, but coordinates care with physicians who do.
Case Studies: Respond to all three (3):
1. Bob is a 47-year-old Native-American man who comes to you with his wife of
15 years. He appears agitated and complains that he feels anxious. His wife
reports that Bob has had a lot of trouble sitting still, frequently jumping up
and pacing. While he has been this way throughout their marriage, it is getting
increasingly worse. Bob tells you that he is a lot like his abusive father, who
died of alcoholism. Bob feels that if he drank, he’d be able to relax,
but swore he would never be like his father. The wife tells you that
the children are frightened when Bob gets agitated as he has punched holes
in walls. You notice the wife looks frightened when you ask her if she
feels the children are safe in the home.
2. Steven is a 7-year-old Asian-American first grade student brought to
treatment by his mother. He has been disruptive in class. His teacher and the
school counselor are strongly urging that Steven be put on medication for ADHD,
but his mother is reluctant to do so. Steven is described as exceptionally
gifted and appears bored in the classroom. His mother tells you that
Steven is impatient and rageful to his younger sisters at home. She is
afraid Steven is taking after his abusive father, who no longer lives in the
home due to domestic violence. She tells you that their father is
allowed to visit the children in the home under her supervision.
3. Melinda is an exceptionally bright, 17-year-old African-American young
woman, in her first year at a state college. Both parents accompany her to your
office. When she came home for spring break, she started talking nonsense,
saying that the college’s biology department is using a high-powered laser to
alter the DNA in her brain. She has always been an “A” student and has never
shown any sign of psychiatric disturbance prior to this.
