diagnosis

This assignment focuses on vignette analysis and direct application of course concepts to the persons and situations presented in the vignette for each question.   All discussions must take into account the legal and ethical considerations, as well as issues of culture and human diversity that may pertain to the situation presented below.  Cultural information is in both the course text and DSM 5. You may use alternative cultural resources to enhance your work. Legal/Ethical information is in Chapter 16 (Kring, et al 2014). You are also encouraged to familiarize yourself with and apply the laws and ethics of mental health professionals in your state or country.

 

Use the reading assignments thoroughly in an integrative discussion. Remember to reference all work cited or quoted by the text author. You should be doing this often in your responses

You are encouraged to use the DSM-5 Level I Assessment Measure(s) to formulate your diagnosis: 

http://www.psychiatry.org/practice/dsm/dsm5/online-assessment-measures#Level1

 

Please keep your responses focused on what is presented in the vignette. Do not add information but use your creativity to support what you see in the vignette as written.  Avoid elaborations and assumptions. This assignment MUST be typed, double-spaced, in APA style, and must be written at graduate-level English.

 

Assignment should be 5-6 pages total plus a title and reference page

An example of how to approach these vignettes can be found under Additional Resources

Vignette Two

Frank is a 28 year old African-American man, accompanied by Sarah, his 24 year old wife of Asian descent.  They have been married for 3 years and have no children. Sarah tells you that Frank is not the man she married. In the last year, she has come home from work and has found Frank staring out the window with a terrified look on his face. “He’s so out of it! I don’t know what’s wrong with him. He’s not the man I married. This started when he lost his job. He’s always been a bit eccentric, but I liked that about him. Now he seems lost in his own world. I’ve found empty whiskey bottles around the house, but Frank gets angry when I ask him about them.” Frank was raised in a tumultuous home. His father was an alcoholic, his mother a quiet, passive woman. Both of his brother’s are recovering drug addicts. Frank is hesitant to talk to you. He tells you that, “people are out to get me and if I give you information, you will be in danger.” Sarah tells you that this is not true, and starts to cry. “I can’t eat, don’t sleep and I’ve been getting terrible migraines. I don’t know how much longer I can take this.”

 

Consider Dissociative, Somatic, Psychotic and Substance Use Disorders

 

  1. Taking into account the genetic, neurobiological, sociocultural, familial and environmental factors of assessment and diagnosis, what are your diagnostic thoughts for Frank? What about Sarah? Use the DSM-5 criteria to formulate your diagnostic impressions for Frank and Sarah, supporting what you see in the vignette that supports your diagnostic impressions.
  2. Using the psychotherapeutic and pharmacological interventions discussed in the text, describe an initial treatment plan for Frank and Sarah. Remember to treat the persons in the vignette, and not the diagnosis. Also remember to consider culture and legal/ethical issues.

 

Assignment Outcomes
Assess the major diagnostic categories of the DSM 5
Evaluate legal and ethical issues related to psychopathology
Consider the impact of culture and human diversity issues
Examine current research on the theory treatment and prevention of mental illness
Explore the existing etiologic theories of psychopathology and the supportive research

when such exists