CASE STUDY ASSIGMENTS
Case Study: Anna
Melissa Martinez
School of Behavioral Sciences, Liberty University
Author Note
Melissa Martinez
I have no known conflict of interest to disclose.
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Melissa Martinez
Email: name@liberty.edu
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Charts can be single spaced.
Symptoms
Here you will list symptoms
once (even if they overlap).
Adjust chart as needed to fit
each case (may need more
or less lines).
CASE STUDY ASSIGMENTS
Case Study: Anna
Client Concerns
Behaviors
Here you will list behaviors
noticed in case study.
While the instructions ask
you to think about bio-
psycho-socio-spiritual aspects
of each client, you do not
have to identify that
information or create another
chart or column for that
information. Instead consider
those aspects and fit that
information as needed in the
three columns listed here.
Stressors
Identify major stressors.
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Assessment
Here you are asked to choose one assessment that will be used to support your diagnosis.
If you cannot think of an assessment at first. Then skip and return to this section after you have
decided what your diagnosis will be.
What assessment can a counselor give to a client that would confirm your diagnostic
impressions listed in the next section? This section can be short.
Identify the name of the assessment, give a brief sentence about the assessment, and offer
a current peer-reviewed journal article that supports its use. Then briefly share why this
assessment is appropriate for your client? What do you hope this assessment will help you learn
about your client?
Diagnostic Impressions
CASE STUDY ASSIGMENTS
Signs and Symptoms
DSM-5-TR Diagnostic Criteria: [here
change the bold information to include your
diagnosis for each client, if 2 diagnoses, copy
chart and offer a chart per diagnosis] ICD-10
code/number, Disorder name, and any
specifiers (do not forget to offer a citation
here for DSM-5-TR is needed – see DSM-5-
TR Announcements for help with this)
Criterion A: look at DSM-5-TR and
paraphrase this diagnostic criterion.
Criterion B: if the diagnosis has a criterion B,
paraphrase that here. If not, delete. If you cite
Criterion C: if the diagnosis has a criterion C,
paraphrase that here. If not, delete.
Criterion D: if the diagnosis has a criterion D,
paraphrase that here. If not, delete.
Depending on the diagnosis, criteria can vary
from A only to A-J. Some criterions have
numbered symptoms, list all numbered
symptoms. Adjust chart accordingly.
If offering more than one diagnosis, then
more than one chart is needed.
Left side of the chart should paraphrase
diagnostic criteria for each diagnosis given to
the client.
Client’s Signs/Reported Symptoms
Be specific and share how the client
meets this criterion.
Be specific. How does the client meet this
criterion?
Be specific. How does the client meet this
criterion?
Be specific. How does the client meet this
criterion?
Right side of chart should explain how the
client meets each criterion of the
diagnostic criteria for a diagnosis to be
given.
Other DSM-5 Conditions Considered
What disorder(s) or clinical condition(s) did you consider before arriving at your
diagnostic conclusion above? Here is where you want to offer at least 2 to 3 disorders/clinical
conditions that you considered based on the information shared; and explain specifically how
you ruled out (or eliminated) each one. How did you know the client did not meet each disorder?
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CASE STUDY ASSIGMENTS4
If you did not consider any other disorders before arriving at your diagnostic conclusion,
then what closely related disorders might be important for you to double check diagnostic criteria
to share what was missing from those criteria for a diagnosis to be given?
The goal of this section is to show your clinical thought processes as you generated a
diagnosis for each client.
Developmental Theories and/or Systemic Factors
As counselors, it is important to understand where each client is developmentally. In
doing so, this requires us to consider a developmental theory and how it may apply to our client.
How might their current stage of human development affect what is going on with them? Are
they on a normal path of development or abnormal? Be sure to offer support for any specific
information or theory you identify to apply to your client.
What systemic factors might be plausible in this case? Here is where you may consider
connections in biological, relational, family of origin, social, and spiritual concerns that may be
affecting the client’s behavior or functioning. In each case look for and point out these factors.
Multicultural and/or Social Justice Considerations
As counselors we should develop a practice of identifying cultural characteristics and
potential social justice concerns that could affect our clients and our case conceptualization
process. Clients do not come to counseling and say, “I am a female” and “I am feeling oppressed
by society”. But as counselors we should have developed a cultural and societal understanding of
potential issues and the effects it can have on people as well as our clinical choices. Learning to
identify both cultural and social justice issues that may affect your client or treatment is
important and is what is being looked for in this section.
Treatment Recommendations
CASE STUDY ASSIGMENTS5
Key Issues for Treatment
Priority Issue – be specific but list out key clinical issues (i.e., infidelity, repetitive
compulsions, opioid use, etc.). No need for complete sentences.
Second Issue
Third Issue
Recommendations for Individual Counseling
Identify the first counseling approach you would work from to assist the client in
addressing the identified clinical issue in individual therapy. Why would this approach be helpful
for your client? Support recommendation with a current, peer-reviewed journal article from
within the last 10 years.
Identify the second counseling theoretical model you would offer the client to assist in
addressing the second clinical issue in individual therapy. How is this approach appropriate and
helpful to the client? Include another/second current journal article that supports this therapeutic
approach.
Any other recommendations can be made, but two are needed for this assignment along
with current support (use two different sources).
Recommendations for group and family therapy are not appropriate for these case studies
because our focus is on individual therapy. Referrals for medications, psychiatrists,
psychologists, and to other service providers are (likely helpful in the real world) but for these
assignments they are viewed as case management activities (per instructions) because they are
not something counselors can provide in individual therapy. Keep the focus of your treatment
suggestions to what counseling approach or theoretical foundation can be used to assist each
client?
Specific Considerations
CASE STUDY ASSIGMENTS6
Do not write out each question but you want to clearly address each question for the case
study that we are on. There are specific questions to answer that is related and specific to each
case. Be sure to answer these in complete sentences.
CASE STUDY ASSIGMENTS
References
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