Counseling Case Study Diagnosis and Treatment
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Ariana is a 21 year old woman of African American heritage. She tells you, "my parents made me come. The only reason I'm here is because they threatened to cut off my college tuition fund. They're the ones that should be here anyway as they are paying for this. You won't get a cent out of me. I think this is all a waste of my time. I've taken psychology classes and know myself better than you people ever will." Though resistant and sarcastic, you manage to get some disclosure from Ariana. She tells you that she loves to "test the limits of life" and believes she has the right to do what she wants to do when she wants to do it. She admits to the occasional use of drugs and alcohol. "What's the big deal, I'm young and want to have fun. That stuff should be legal anyway. As long as I can get away with it, I'll use drugs whenever I can." Ariana admits to having several brief relationships with men, "I love the attention and just move on when I get bored." You notice some initials carved in her arm. She tells you, "Back off. It's my body and none of your business. Sessions over, this is so lame." She gets up and walks out.
1. The Cluster B Personality Disorders often overlap in symptomology. Taking this into consideration, formulate a differential diagnosis for Ariana. What are your diagnostic considerations and why? Support your ideas by discussing what you see in the vignette utilizing all course readings thus far. What information would you need to look for to confirm your diagnostic impression and why?
2. Ariana's parents call for a family session. What issues arise given this request? Assuming you agree to treat Ariana in individual and family sessions, create a treatment plan integrating the etiological theories and recommended treatment modalities discussed in Comer (2007). Discuss the role of pharmacological interventions and if you believe it would be helpful for Ariana and why.
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This solution analyses a case study and discusses the diagnosis and treatment. The text contains 513 words and references.
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Taking the Cluster B Personality Disorder into consideration and an overlapping of symptomology my differential diagnosis for this client would be :
Axis I & Axis II
1. Antisocial Personality Disorder, and
2. Bipolar Disorder-association with cutting.
3. Borderline Personality Disorder
4. Substance Abuse
If I decided to treat Ariana, I would first move on with individual therapy for her. I might consider recommending a separate family counselor for her parents to visit on their own since Ariana seemed adamant against therapy and is likely to resist family therapy at the onset of initial treatment. I would only recommend she join her parents in family therapy as progress in individual sessions is made. I would not pressure her to go to family therapy initially. I believe in Ariana's case medication is a ...
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