Assignment : Hernandez Family Assessment

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to complete a comprehensive client assessment based on the videos provided in the resources of the Hernandez family. Relevant and significant information will be included along with a case formation and treatment plan on how we can would generally assess and care for the family and the situation. Assessment is as essential to family therapy. Assessment process will help you better understand family roles and determine whether the identified problem client is in fact the root of the family’s issues. As you examine the Hernandez Family: Sessions 1-6 videos in this week’s Learning Resources, consider how you might assess and treat the client family.

Demographic Information: This family is a Latino American family. Mother and father are in their late 30’s. They have two sons, 8 and 6 years old respectively. The family is low socioeconomic status.

Presenting Problem: The couple was informed by a case worker that they must attend parenting classes based on their current parenting style.

History of Present Illness: The parents present to the office feeling uneasy and concerned about being mandated to attend parenting classes, however, the couple fears that if they do not attend, their children will be taken away from them by social services. The parents believe they do a good job parenting their children, but they do believe in disciplining their children when necessary which may be stricter than other styles of parenting based on their culture and the way they were raised. The couple denies any physical abuse. The parents voiced concerns stating that the classes are only offered one night a week which interferes with the father being able to work overtime preventing the family from being able to pay the bills. The worker for this case expressed concerns to her supervisor in the last video stating that their ACS worker often referred to the family as “those Mexicans.” This made her feel uncomfortable, especially after speaking with the parents and hearing their perspective, which led her to believe that the social worker was being racist or bias towards the family.

Medical History: Needs to be added to.

Psychosocial History: The family does not have a lot of money. The father often works overtime for the family to be able to pay the bills. Needs to be added to.

History of Abuse/Trauma: There is no history of abuse or trauma in the family that is known. The father simply states that he believes disciplining his children, but clarifies the fact that the parents never hit or physically hurt their children. Needs to be added to.

Review of Systems: A review of systems is unable to be provided from the information provided in the videos.

General: The family reports being frustrated by their mandate to attend parenting classes as they do not see anything wrong with their parenting style. They appear worried as evidenced by their expressed fears of not being able to work overtime on the days when they have to attend parenting classes stating that extra work is how they can afford to pay the bills.

Eyes, Ears, Mouth, Head/Neck: Needs to be added to.

Pulmonary: Needs to be added to.

Cardiovascular: Needs to be added to.

Gastrointestinal: Needs to be added to.

Genitourinary/ OBGYN, Breast: Needs to be added to.

Neurological: Needs to be added to.

Endocrine: Needs to be added to.

Infectious Diseases: Needs to be added to.

Musculoskeletal: Needs to be added to.

Mental Health: Needs to be added to.

Skin and Hair: Needs to be added to.

Mental Status Exam: Family is alert and oriented x4.

Differential Diagnosis: Needs to be added to.

Case Formation and Treatment Plan: The case formation is to meet with the parents one last time to inform them that it is understood that they are used to working overtime hours at this time, but if they do not want to lose their children, they must attend the required classes before it is too late. Helping the parents come to the conclusion of which they find more important at this time, if they find making the overtime money more important or following the requirements and attending the parenting classes to avoid having their children taken away from them. Recognizing the potential benefits of the classes related to improved child behavior and improved relationships may help them to partially eliminate their negative mindset about the idea of it (Gray, 2018). Placing more attention on the children to acknowledge that these programs can be helpful for children to reduce behavioral difficulties or who may be at risk for developing behavioral, emotion, or social difficulties could be a strategy to help them so they do not feel attacked or judged on their parenting style (Lindsay & Totsika, 2017). It will also be important to let the parents know they are justified to feel upset with being mandated to attend classes, however, the consequences can be severe if they do not attend as required. The parents should be reminded that child maltreatment, without accusing them of it, is not treated lightly.

In addition, suggesting to the supervisor that it is difficult for parents to attend with only one class time option, and that making the classes to be more flexible with families’ schedule could improve the data to support the groups. Barriers that effect program participation can include scheduling which can increases parenting stress resulting in decreased compliance, limited benefit, and attrition (Rostad, 2018). I would also like to talk to ACS worker directly to ask her what she believe to be so wrong with the couple’s parenting style, along with pointing out that biased comments were made

References

Gray, G. R., Totsika, V., & Lindsay, G. (2018). Sustained Effectiveness of Evidence-Based

Parenting Programs After the Research Trial Ends. Frontiers in psychology, 9, 2035. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02035

Lindsay, G., & Totsika, V. (2017). The effectiveness of universal parenting programmes: the

CANparent trial. BMC psychology, 5(1), 35. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-017-0204-1

Rostad, W. L., Moreland, A. D., Valle, L. A., & Chaffin, M. J. (2018). Barriers to Participation

in Parenting Programs: The Relationship between Parenting Stress, Perceived Barriers, and Program Completion. Journal of child and family studies, 27(4), 1264–1274. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-017-0963-6