THE ASSIGNMENT – Week 1 Discussion – REPLY 2
Nov 26 8:10am
Analysis of Vignetter 5 Video
In this video, the practitioner effectively gathered more information about the patient’s anger by asking when it began, which the client shared two months ago following a breakup with his girlfriend. However, the practitioner could have enhanced the session by first building a therapeutic alliance. This could have been accomplished by introducing herself and engaging in casual conversation before launching into the mental health questionnaire. To further improve the interview, the practitioner could have focused on refining her questioning technique, avoiding overwhelming the patient with a rapid series of questions. Additionally, there was a noticeable lack of empathy toward the patient’s feelings and his recent breakup.
At this point in the clinical interview, do you have any compelling concerns? If so, what are they?
I am worried about the patient’s reports of chest tightness and a rapid heartbeat.
What would be your next question, and why?
I would proceed by asking how long you have been experiencing this discomfort. Are there any medical conditions you are currently managing, or are you on medication for anxiety? Also, have you had any thoughts of self-harm, harm towards others, or auditory or visual hallucinations?
Explain why a thorough psychiatric assessment of a child/adolescent is important.
Getting the diagnosis right during the initial assessment is vital, as it directly impacts the suggested treatment. Establishing a therapeutic alliance during this initial phase is also essential. This involves reaching an agreement on the therapy goals, embedded within a positive relationship between the therapist and the patient (Plishty et al., 2023).
Describe two different symptom rating scales appropriate for the psychiatric assessment of a child/adolescent.
Anxiety is one of the most frequently observed psychiatric conditions that occur alongside autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children and adolescents. The Pediatric Anxiety Rating Scale (PARS) is a semi-structured interview tool intended for individuals aged 6 to 17. It aims to gather detailed information from both the child and the parent about the current intensity of the child’s anxiety symptoms. This data helps the clinician assess the severity of these symptoms in contrast to other young individuals experiencing anxiety. As a result, the PARS can effectively complement anxiety ratings reported by the parents and the child themselves. For young people diagnosed with anxiety disorders drawn from the general population, the PARS has shown to be reliable, valid, and responsive to changes that occur with treatment interventions (Maddox et al., 2020).
The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) is a commonly used tool for parents to evaluate children’s behavior. It is important to study how the symptom cutoffs in the CBCL align with ADHD diagnoses according to the DSM-5 (Klusek et al., 2022)
Describe two psychiatric treatment options for children and adolescents that may not be used when treating adults.
Play therapyis a therapeutic approach aimed at young children. In this method, the child engages in play within a safe and organized setting using games and toys supplied by the therapist. During this process, the therapist monitors the child’s actions and dialogue to understand their inner thoughts and emotions. The therapist then collaborates with the child to address and resolve any problems that arise during play.
Parents and guardians play a critical role in the assessment process of behavior therapy. They offer valuable insights into the child’s behavior patterns, as they are often the most familiar with the child’s day-to-day actions and reactions in various settings. This firsthand information is crucial in forming a comprehensive understanding of the child’s behavior, making it easier to identify areas that need change. Furthermore, parents are responsible for providing informed consent for the child to participate in psychiatric evaluations or interventions. They typically emphasize externalizing symptoms, such as aggression or hyperactivity, while children and adolescents are more inclined to report internal experiences like anxiety or depression (Association for Children’s Mental Health, 2024).
Explanation of Resources
The journals I utilized are considered scholarly because they are peer-reviewed, feature research conducted by experts, and adhere to strict standards for accuracy, methodology, and evidence. Professional websites are considered scholarly as they are often created by experts or organizations that possess extensive knowledge and expertise in their respective fields.