Unit 8 Discussion 1
Diagnosing and Treating Child Mental Health Problems
Consider a child who was mentioned and described as an example in one of the videos you watched on child or adolescent mental health problems. Imagine that child or teen has been referred to you for counseling. Devise a diagnosis and treatment plan for this child or adolescent, using Chapter 19 in your Henderson & Thompson textbook, the First textbook, and the additional article you selected. Use the following format for your treatment plan (see the Treatment Planner books in your Optional Materials, for examples).
1. Problem: There may be many problems evident, but choose one for the initial focus of treatment.
2. Problem Definition: Describe how the problem is specifically evidenced by the client, using terms from the Diagnostic criteria in the DSM.
3. Goals: Set broad goals, based on your preferred theoretical orientation, that will result in the resolution of the target problem. Provide a brief rationale for these goals, with references.
4. Objectives: State objectives in specific language that can be measured (and meet demands for accountability).
5. Interventions: Design actions that the counselor will take to help the client complete the objectives, based on the clients’ needs and strengths and your own skills and knowledge.
6. Diagnosis: This may be preliminary. Compare the behavioral, cognitive, emotional and interpersonal symptoms of the client to those in the DSM and the Handbook of Differential Diagnosis, to decide on the most appropriate diagnosis.
Resources
· Discussion Participation Scoring Guide.
· DSM-5 Handbook of Differential Diagnosis.
Readings
Complete the following:
· Read Chapter 19,”Counseling Children With Special Concerns,” in Counseling Children, on pages 618–676. This chapter discusses counseling children who have been abused; children in chemically dependent families; counseling for death, bereavement, and divorce; and depression and suicide in children and adolescents.
Choose one article from the following on a topic that interests you:
· Read Choate’s 2012 article, “Counseling Adolescents Who Engage in Nonsuicidal Self-Injury: A Dialectical Behavior Therapy Approach,” from Journal of Mental Health Counseling, volume 34, issue 1, pages 56–71. This article provides a model for explaining the onset and maintenance of non-suicidal self-injury and describes an individual and family treatment approach that is effective in teaching coping and relational skills that reduce this behavior.
· Read Richardson, Surmitis, and Hyldahl’s 2012 article, “Minimizing Social Contagion in Adolescents Who Self-Injure: Considerations for Group Work, Residential Treatment, and the Internet,” from Journal of Mental Health Counseling, volume 34, issue 2, pages 121–132. This article describes the challenges that counselors face in treating youth who self-injure due to the influence of social contagion (imitation of others). The authors describe how social contagion can influence clients through school groups, internet groups, and the confinement of residential treatment, and what counselors can do to prevent it.
· Read Swank, Shin, Cabrita, and Cheung’s 2015 article, “Initial Investigation of Nature-Based, Child-Centered Play Therapy: A Single Case Design,” from Journal of Counseling and Development, volume 93, issue 4, pages 440–450. This article describes the results of a counseling intervention using child-centered play therapy with four school-aged children.
Audiovisual Media
These videos present illustrations and information on some common mental health problems that children and adults may develop. Viewing these videos will prepare you for your posts and responses in this unit’s discussion.
Choose two of the following Alexander Street videos about mental health problems some children experience:
· ADHD: What It Is, What It Isn’t.
· Clinical Depression in Children.
· Recognizing Borderline Personality Disorder in Children.
· Self-Injury in Children.
Choose two of the following Alexander Street videos about mental health problems some adolescents experience:
· Depression & Antidepressants in Teens.
· Adolescent Onset Schizophrenia: 1 in 100 young people.
· Teen Suicide, Part 2.
· Teen Anxiety Disorder.
Watch the videos related to Chapter 17 of your text:
· Play Therapy: Ruth Lee Interview, Clip 1: Access this video from the textbook’s companion Web site. In the drop-down menu, select Chapter 17, “Play Therapy,” and choose Video Activity 1 to get started. Transcript.
· Play Therapy: Ruth Lee Interview, Clip 2: Access this video from the textbook’s companion Web site. In the drop-down menu, select Chapter 17, “Play Therapy,” and choose Video Activity 2 to get started. Transcript.
Recommended e-Books
Many clinicians have found these optional e-books helpful for producing treatment plans that are succinct, targeted, and based on current evidence-based practices. The following may be helpful in understanding this unit’s topics:
· Read pages 6–8 in Jongsma, Peterson, McInnis, and Bruce’s e-book, The Child Psychotherapy Treatment Planner. Review the six steps of treatment planning, then identify three disorders or problems that interest you, along with corresponding treatment suggestions.
· Read pages 7–8 in Jongsma, Peterson, McInnis, and Bruce’s e-book, The Adolescent Treatment Planner. Review the six steps of treatment planning, then identify three disorders or problems that interest you, along with corresponding treatment suggestions.