Analytic Thought

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Psych 441_Spring 2022 Thought Paper Assignment Case Scenarios: Choose only ONE to review and analyze in your paper.

Case Scenario Three: Empty nest parents, Evie and Jon, have two grown daughters. They are now being asked to help with their pre-teen nephew Sean, who needs support and temporary care.

An empty-nest couple (Evie and Jon) in their fifties have two grown daughters in their twenties who now live on their own. While raising their daughters, Evie and Jon were highly involved and proactive parents. Both daughters were relatively easy to care for as children and were focused and successful students. Their daughters have completed college and are now working full-time. The father Jon works full-time as a teacher, and the mother Evie works part-time at home, and they are looking forward to being grandparents when their daughters have their own families.

Evie and Jon’s twelve-year-old nephew Sean is suffering with low self-esteem and signs of depression. Sean is struggling in his family environment, which has a high level of parental conflict due to marital and financial stress and alcohol abuse. Ed and Joan are Sean’s parents, and Joan is Evie’s sister. Ed and Joan are hardworking and trying to balance work and economic demands along with the stressors in their relationship. The two families live in the same city two miles apart. Though the families live close to each other, Joan has become distant from Evie and her family over the past few years. During this time, Sean remained in contact and would often ride his bike to his aunt and uncle’s home for visits.

Evie and Jon are learning that Sean’s parents are struggling and becoming less able to care for and focus on their son’s needs. Sean’s parents love their only son but are at a loss on how to help him due to their own sense of being overwhelmed. The family conflict and lack of attention began to adversely affect Sean’s schoolwork and friendships, which led to evident depression and isolation and an eventual referral for evaluation. Sean was evaluated by the assessment team and referred for tutoring and therapy. He has received weekly individual therapy sessions for several weeks. According to Sean’s therapist, given the parents’ needs and Sean as an only child, the family situation is “toxic” to Sean’s well-being. A medical consult is in process and while medication has been suggested, it has not yet been prescribed.

Sean’s parents have been advised by the school to seek therapy and support or request support from the Department of Family and Child Services. The school was initially reticent to bring in the agency, but the staff feels Sean’s parents are neglectful due to their own problems and do not provide adequate care. The school has observed and appreciated that the parents have shown cooperation through the evaluation process, but Sean’s parents need to immediately and actively address their own substance abuse and other issues. While family home intervention and therapy would be an ideal option, Sean’s therapist wants an immediate temporary removal and placement with another family to allow Sean some consistency, support and stability. While Sean loves his parents, he also wants out of the home. He identifies his paternal aunt and uncle as his preference and “only choice”.

Evie and Jon, having learned details about the impending changes, have been requested to attend a team meeting. They are willing to care for their nephew but have some reservations about informal versus more formal placement. Evie and Jon have concerns about their capacity to help but want what is best for their nephew. They want to be mindful of the effect of any decision on Sean’s parents who have not been able to cope or adapt to family stressors and who have love but limited energy for their son.

Respond to the case. What questions do you have? What concepts apply? What are some concepts to consider regarding this scenario and the decision the aunt and uncle need to make? Should they accept

Psych 441_Thought Paper Case Scenarios

this responsibility? What more would you like to know to better analyze the case? Consider family structure, maintenance strategies, types of stressors, emotional climate, and/or family boundaries and as concepts for your discussion.