A Case Study Considering Child Therapy
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Ray's Case Study
Ray is an 11-year-old Hispanic male who recently ran into trouble. A neighbor saw Ray ignite gasoline in a brick barbecue in the neighbor's backyard. The neighbor notified Ray's parents about the incident. The parents, uncertain about what to do, called the local fire department and asked that someone speak with Ray. The parents explained to the youth officer that Ray is often "a handful." He frequently refuses to follow rules and engages in activities that they feel are unsafe.
Ray also has difficulty in school. He is classified as learning disabled and is taking special classes to assist with his reading. The youth officer interviewed Ray and felt counseling would be appropriate. The officer told the family that he would refer them to a therapist who works with families of children who use fire.
Ray's parents have been married for 14 years and have two children, Ray, age 11, and Roberto, age 9. Both parents are college graduates and hold full-time managerial positions at a large corporation. The mother has arranged flextime at work so that she can be at home with the boys after school. The father works long hours and travels regularly. Both Ray and his mother discuss the long hours and travel with obvious annoyance.
The family lives in a single-family home in a middle-class suburban neighborhood. Ray and Roberto attend the public school nearby. Both parents grew up in the area. Their extended families live nearby and see each other regularly. Visits to grandparents and uncles are common.
After reading Ray's case study, apply two of the following approaches with this family: REBT, reality therapy, or structural family therapy. For each approach can you identify and describe:
- Treatment outcomes or goals that are consistent with each approach.
- Several techniques and methods you would use to achieve these goals that would be consistent with each approach, while considering the individual, family, community, societal, and multicultural factors.
- Evaluate the potential effectiveness of the techniques and methods you identified from each approach you have chosen
300 word or more with scholarly references
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Solution Summary
This solution describes a specific case study within the context of Child Therapy.
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Reality therapy is explained as underlying problems associated with an unsatisfying relationship, or lack or relationship (Glasser, 1998 as cited in Corey, 2005). The therapy is not focused on a diagnosis, but an understanding of the problem that is causing the person to behave the way he or she does. Reality therapists view diagnoses and/or descriptions as part of the problem. For example, according to Glaser, descriptions of the behaviors people choose in their attempts to deal with the pain and frustration is "endemic" to unsatisfying present relationships. Therefore, a labeling of maladaptive behavior as mental illness is considered as misguided.
Structural Family is focused on structural change to modify family rules and develop appropriate boundaries (Munchin, 1974 as cited in Archer & McCarthy. 2007). The term family therapy is related to a number of interventions including group counseling therapy. Thus there is ample evidence as to its effectiveness. According to Marandola & Imber (2012) there is some research as to the use of Family therapy for the treatment of Conduct Disorders, substance abuse, eating disorders, depression and chronic illness.
• Treatment outcomes or goals that are consistent with each approach.
Cottrell and Boston (2002) utilized a methodology based on William Glasser' (1974) model or Reality therapy with inner-city learning disabled children. The method involved classroom focused on argumentative behavior to note the effects of combining humanistic and ...
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