Case Conceptualization Process

Case conceptualization refers to the process in which one makes sense of a client’s presenting concerns in the context of a theoretical framework. In other words, it refers to how one explains or understands the pseudo-client’s symptoms, personality characteristics, cognitions, feelings, and behaviors in the light of a particular theory or integration of theories. Such understanding should lead to the formulation of counseling goals and intervention strategies.

At this stage, you will conceptualize the client’s case from 1 theoretical orientation at a time. The content of the conceptualization of the same case will differ according to the various theories depending on the aspect of human experiencing that each theory emphasizes.

In general, however, the case conceptualization process (as with the counseling process itself) starts with an understanding of the client’s presenting concerns (as presented in the case summary) from the perspective of the client.

Use the outline below to assist you in developing your Case Conceptualization according to the theory you choose to discuss.

Client’s Presenting Concerns:

This is derived from your Case Summary.

Case Conceptualization:

Present information used to generate hypothesis regarding the origins of the client’s current problems. Use outside sources and the Jones and Butman textbook to explain the concepts utilized in this section. Below offers an outline of how to discuss these issues.

Psychoanalysis or Object Relations Theory:

1. Explore      current and early relationships as they relate to issues of attachment and      autonomy. This includes gaining an understanding of how the client      understands the world and his/her relationships with others (e.g., the client’s      mental representations based on internalized objects). Understanding the client’s      internal frame of reference will help the counselor understand the client’s      behaviors.
2. Describe the      ideas and feelings about self that the client might have developed in the      context of these early relations (internalized objects).
3. Establish a      relationship between the client’s sense of self and current problems, identify      conflictive patterns that the client may be repeating in current life, and      explore to what extent current experiences trigger the client’s emotional      reactions elicited by past experiences (reliving the trauma).
4. Uncover      defense mechanisms embedded in the client’s presenting concerns and other      symptoms, and explain how they relate to the client’s current difficulties      and past experiences.
5. Help the      client become aware of issues described above, and help the client process      and resolve early conflicts.

Individual Psychology: 

1. Identify how presenting concerns relate to client’s ability to successfully meet specific life tasks.

2. Explore family constellation to discover experiences that might have led the client to develop his/her specific faulty logic. Describe the content of this faulty logic and the sense of self the client developed in the context of these experiences.

3. Establish a connection between the content of the client’s faulty logic and (1) experiences in the family of origin, (2) problems in current life, and (3) the sense-of-self in relation to the world that the client developed.

4. Identify the underlining purpose of the client’s problematic behavior, and describe how it prevents the client from successfully meeting the life tasks.

Person-Centered: 

1. While exploring the client’s presenting concerns, the counselor will assume that internalized conditions of worth have led the client to disconnect from parts of himself/herself. This disconnect, in turn, has resulted in feelings of incongruency and anxiety, which has impaired his/her internal locus of control as well as thwarted his/her self-actualizing tendency.

2. Examine the discrepancy between the client’s self-concept and ideal self-concept. Since the theory proposes that given the adequate facilitative conditions (empathy, positive regard, and congruence) in the counseling relation, clients will be able to reconnect with themselves and find their own way, the theory does not offer much in terms of a framework to explain the particular issues of each client. This is more a theory of the change process itself than a theory of personality development.

Existential:

1. Identify how presenting concerns (problem behaviors/cognitions) relate to specific givens of existence.

2. Elucidate how these difficulties represent (as mechanisms of defense) or are the consequences of the client’s efforts to avoid facing the normal anxiety generated by specific givens of existence.

3. Describe how these defensive behaviors have led the client to experience of neurotic anxiety and/or neurotic guilt and further problems.

Behavioral/Cognitive/REBT:

1. Relate the presenting concerns to faulty learning, irrational thoughts, and/or faulty cognitions.

2. Identify the client’s irrational thoughts (Ellis) and/or specific faulty cognitions or maladaptive thought patterns (Beck), and illustrate how these lead to the problematic behaviors.

3. Describe the antecedent behaviors and cognitions that trigger the client’s maladaptive behaviors and thoughts (this is called behavioral assessment).

Goal Setting and Interventions:

The information provided in the conceptualization process leads to specific counseling goals. Again, use outside sources to support your discussion of Goals and Interventions.

In the psychodynamic approaches (Object Relations and Individual Psychology), these will likely include:

· Resolving earlier conflicts

· Modifying negative aspects of the self

· Facilitating the development of positive aspects of the self in the context of the therapeutic relation

 preparation for this assignment, read the “Maladaptive Perfectionism as a Mediator and Moderator Between Adult Attachment and Depressive Mood” article located in the Topic 3 readings.

Write a 750-word paper about your selected article. Be sure to include the following in your paper:

A discussion about the key variables in the selected article

Identify the validity and reliability reported statistics for the article

The particular threats to internal validity that were found in the study

The strengths and limitations of the multivariate models used in the selected article

A reference and in-text citations for the selected article as well as one additional reference

Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to Turnitin. Refer to the directions in the Student Success Center.

This assignment meets the following CACREP Standard: 2.F.8.i. Analysis and use of data in counseling.

Please Note: Assignment will not be submitted to the faculty member until the “Submit” button under “Final Submission” is clic

Answers must be paraphrased (restated in your own words with no quoting permitted), properly source credited, using APA formatting requirements – including within-answer citations and a list of references included at the end of each answer – and at least 600 words each, not counting source citations and references. Answers should be succinct, thorough, articulated in well-organized paragraphs (lists, sentence fragments and bulleted items are not permitted), and more substantive than just definitions of terms, procedures, or issues.

To complete this exam, save a copy of it on your hard drive, construct your answers below each question on a separate page per question, attach a cover page to the front and a reference list to the end .

Questions:

1. Psychological abnormality may include deviance,      distress, dysfunction, and danger. First, briefly explain what each term means in this context. Then, for each term, provide a      specific example of when it (e.g., distress) would be considered “normal”      and, separately, an example of when it would be considered      “abnormal”. Last, explain why is it      important to understand this distinction.
2. Your nephew is taking Intro to Psych as a high school      senior and is confused about which of the models is “best” at explaining      abnormality. Describe for him, in no      more than 100 words per model and using terms he (as a layperson) can      understand, the six major theoretical models of abnormality AND the  biopsychosocial model. Then, briefly      answer his question – which model do you think is best and why? Be sure to support your answer.
3. Answer both parts of this question. Imagine you are an intake clinician at a      community mental health clinic:
   1. If you had 30 minutes to conduct a preliminary       clinical interview, what information would you be sure to try to get, and       why? Be sure to support your       answer using the text.
   2. You’ve been tasked to give a lecture to new clients       explaining the format and major characteristics of DSM-5. What are the main points you want to be       sure to cover?
4. For EACH of the following disorders, characterize three      specific factors you believe are most important for a basic      understanding of them. Be sure to      justify your choices using only about 100-150 words for each:
   1. Generalized Anxiety Disorder
   2. Panic Disorder
   3. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
   4. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
   5. Somatic Symptom Disorder
   6. Dissociative Identity Disorder
   7. Major Depressive Disorder
   8. Bipolar Disorder
5. Compare and contrast each of Shneidman’s categories      of suicide and discuss their implications for prevention and post-vention      efforts.

Revisit the Module One Areas of Interest and Practical Applications in Cognitive Psychology discussion topic, where you examined your interests, potential problems, and applied settings related to cognitive psychology. Building on those conversations, draft a topic suggestion by identifying your particular area of interest in cognitive psychology (attention, learning, memory, language, or decision making), select an applied setting (education, law, mental health, or technology), and describe the contemporary problem as it relates to your topic and setting. Last, draft three potential research questions that explore potential improvements related to your topic and the applied setting.
For example, if you suggested the topic of attention and online students, the applied setting would be education, and you might develop the following research questions:

• How does multitasking while studying (e.g., listening to music while reading, or texting while reading) influence attention to course material?
• How do individuals with ADHD perform in an online learning environment, and what strategies can help them succeed?
• What strategies can teachers and students use to increase attention to relevant material in an online course?

Memory and technology