Assignment 3: Diagnostic Case Reports

Access the Faces of Abnormal Psychology website  (http://www.mhhe.com/socscience/psychology/faces/lowSpeed.html) There, you will see twelve different disorders listed. For this module, view the following disorders:

•Major Depression

•Bipolar Disorder

•Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia)

After clicking a disorder, click the Diagnostic Overview tab in the left column. This will cover the major diagnostic features of the disorder. After that, click the DSM-5 Features tab. You can then go though the Case History, Interview, and Treatment sections on the website. Finally, in the Assessment section, you can complete an optional multiple-choice quiz. You have to write a case report for each case study. You should use the format provided on the web page. There is a sample report that you can also view by clicking the link in the upper-right corner.

The format for the sample report is as follows:

Your Name

Instructor’s Name

Class/Section Number

Background

•Outline the major symptoms of this disorder.

•Briefly outline the client’s background (age, race, occupations, etc.).

•Describe any factors in the client’s background that might predispose him or her to this disorder.

Observations

•Describe any symptoms that you have observed that support the diagnosis. You can include direct quotes or behaviors that you may have observed.

•Describe any symptoms or behaviors that are inconsistent with the diagnosis.

•Provide any information that you have about the development of this disorder.

Diagnosis

•Did you observe any evidence of general medical conditions that might contribute to the development of this disorder?

•Did you observe any evidence of psychosocial and environmental problems that might contribute to this disorder?

•As per your observations, what is the client’s overall level of safety regarding potential harm to self or others (suicidality or homicidality)?

•What cross-cultural issues, if any, affect the differential diagnosis?

Therapeutic Intervention

•In your opinion, what are the appropriate short-term goals of this intervention?

•In your opinion, what are the appropriate long-term goals of this intervention?

•Which therapeutic strategy seems the most appropriate in this case? Why?

•Which therapeutic modality seems the most appropriate in this case? Why?

Writing

•Write in a clear, concise, and organized manner; demonstrate ethical scholarship in the accurate representation and attribution of sources; and display accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Include citations in the text and references at the end of the document in APA format.

Submission Details:

•By Wednesday, March 15, 2017, save your report as M1_A3_Lastname_Firstname.doc and submit it to the M1 Assignment 3 Dropbox.

Assignment 3 Grading Criteria

Maximum Points

Described the major symptoms of each disorder, outlined each person’s background, and described any factors in the person’s background that might predispose him or her to their disorder.

20

Described any symptoms that were observed that support each diagnosis and any symptoms or behaviors that are inconsistent with each diagnosis and provided relevant information from the case history about the development of each disorder.

20

Described any evidence of psychosocial or medical issues that might have contributed to each disorder, identified any safety concerns regarding suicidality or homicidality, and discussed any cross-cultural issues affecting the differential diagnosis.

20

Discussed appropriate short-term and long-term goals of each intervention, discussed the most appropriate therapeutic strategy and therapeutic modality for each case, and presented appropriate reasoning for your selection.

20

Wrote in a clear, concise, and organized manner; demonstrated ethical scholarship in the accurate representation and attribution of sources; and displayed accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

20

Total:

100

Discussion: Over-Treatment and Under-Treatment of Addiction

The term levels of treatment refers to a continuum arranged by intensity of treatment. The levels of treatment range from the least to the most intense and aggressive approaches. The American Society of Addiction Medicine’s Patient Placement Criteria (PPC), the most frequently used and studied treatment levels classification system, divides the intensity continuum into four levels (Mee-Lee & Gastfriend, 2008). The PPC starts with Level I, outpatient treatment, which includes the least aggressive approaches. The system increases incrementally in intensity ending with Level IV, intensive inpatient treatment.

The appropriate level of treatment is determined by many factors, including the severity of addiction, prior treatment history, and the unique needs of the individual receiving the services. It is often desirable to try the least intrusive and restrictive level of treatment appropriate, as long as the individual’s safety is not jeopardized. Other important factors must also be considered when determining the appropriate level of treatment, such as the need to continue earning a living or raising a family and the individual’s stage of readiness for treatment (Prochaska, DiClemente, & Norcross, 1992). Knowledge of the levels of treatment may help an addiction professional determine the most appropriate levels of care based on the unique needs of each individual. Over-treatment and under-treatment of addiction can interfere with a client’s progress on the path toward recovery and result in adverse consequences.

For this Discussion, review this week’s readings. Then review the media and reflect on how the counselor employed the continuum of levels of treatment in the counseling session with Marge (PDF attached). Consider potential consequences of over-treating or under-treating Marge.

·      Post an example of potential over-treatment and an example of potential under-treatment for Marge.
 
·      Explain the possible consequences of your chosen example.
 
·      As a helping professional, explain how you would mitigate the potential for over-treating or under-treating clients.
 
·      Support your response using the resources and the current and seminal literature regarding such factors as levels of treatment, patient placement criteria, and client’s stage of readiness.

• Needs to be 1 page in length or more

References (use 3 or more)

Doweiko, H. E. (2015). Concepts of chemical dependency (9th ed.). Stamford, CT: Cengage.

Mee-Lee, D., & Gastfriend, D. R. (2015). Patient placement criteria. In M. Galanter, & H. D. Kleber (Eds.), The American psychiatric publishing textbook of substance abuse treatment (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing.

Prochaska, J. O., DiClemente, C. C., & Norcross, J. C. (1992). In search of how people change: Applications to addictive behaviors. American Psychologist, 47(9), 1102–1114

Laureate Education (Producer). (2012c). Counseling session 2. [Multimedia file].