The case presents Joseph, a 2nd grade student at Samuels Elementary School, who had to be taken in to foster care after his mum was imprisoned. Joseph has faced physical abuse, and neglect during his stay with his mother. Various professionals including the school counselor, case manager, guardian, school administrator, school psychologist, and the social worker have tried to help him by reviewing his case using different psychological perspectives. Employing different methods to evaluate a case may result to several intervention strategies, and solutions been applied which may not work for the individual. Therefore, it is essential that different parties involved in creating a solution to case collaborate, and come up with one solution, which can be implemented.
In the call conversation with the case manager, it is evident that the school counselor has employed the cognitive-behavioral approach to evaluate joseph case. Eddie, the school counsellor responds to a question posed by the case manager by saying that he believed that joseph’s changes in behavior has resulted from environmental changes. The cognitive-behavioral perspective or approach suggests that a professional analyzes a case by identifying how the environment through rewards and punishments affects an individual’s behavior (Grant, Townend, Mills, & Cockx, 2007). Nicole, who is the case manager, interviews the counsellor to gather information relating to Joseph’s case. The perspective she also utilizes the behavioral approach to study the case. This is seen by the interest she has in knowing joseph’s emotional behaviors prior to the incident.
Further, the school psychologist analyzes joseph’s case using various assessment including administering BASC rating scales to Joseph’s foster parents, and class teacher. The perspective of evaluation utilized by the psychologist is known as psychodynamics or psychoanalytic approach. In this perspective, the professional analyzes a case using psychological knowledge, and presumes that changes in behaviors results from inner forces or unconscious dynamics (Silver, & Dicker, 2007). This explains why the psychologist administers the tests to different people other than Joseph. The psychologist’s evaluation indicates that various elements such as aggression, depression, and anxiety could be the cause of Joseph’s symptoms of behavioral changes.
The assistant principal analyzes Joseph’s record, and performance at school before making conclusion about the case. The principal referred the case to counselor because she believed that Joseph’s age did not match up with his actions. Hence, it is correct to conclude that the principal was using the cognitive perspective to evaluate the case. In this approach, a profession assumes that mental processes such as thinking and speaking influence an individual’s behavior (Sturmey, 2007). As such, it can be concluded that the assistant principal was assuming that Joseph’s action were explainable through his thoughts. This is because she emphasizes joseph’s incident with students, and his class teacher.
In evaluation of case, the use of one perspective has several advantages, and disadvantage. The use of one perspective in case evaluation assists professional to determination intervention strategies faster. Additionally, one perspective would assist in identification of better intervention strategies because there will be no conflicting results presented by conflicting conclusions that may arise from use of different perspectives. Even so, using one perspective presents several disadvantages such as limiting to one area of problem, which may lead to application of wrong intervention strategies that might not work for an individual being assisted. Further, the professionals might leave out other areas that might be the root cause to a problem. Hence, this could result to repetition of the behaviors that they could be trying to eliminate. With these advantages, and disadvantages, a multi-disciplinary approach is best suited in case interventions to ensure that different perspective are integrated, and better strategies identified. This is because solutions will be identified based on the different perspectives, and one treatment administered to an individual who needs help.
In case evaluation, and identification of intervention strategies, the data collection phase is the most important (Haynes, O'Brien, & Kaholokula, 2011). This is because during this stage, the professional are able to identify the problem an individual has, and they understand the case, and use the information to create a solution. I believe that during this stage, other information that needs to be gathered in order to identify the problem medical information, testimonies from Joseph’s friends, psychological evaluation reports, ,and counselling session reports. This information would be helpfully in understanding Joseph’s case in all dimension. Hence, it would be helpful in identifying the solution to the case.
Background
Recently, Joseph who is a student at elementary school was take in to a foster home after his mum was jailed. Before being place under foster care, Joseph lives with his mum, and sister, and there was evidence such as body bruises, and cuts that indicate that his mother was neglecting, and physically abusing him. Prior to his emergency removal, Joseph was a quite boy, and his class teacher, and the school counsellor note this. Currently, Joseph is repeating the first grade due to poor performance. His behaviors seemed to have changed since his foster placement, and different professionals to emotional and environmental factors have associated this. Joseph has changed from a quite boy to having changed motivation, and efforts, being more withdrawn, and being hostile to the teachers, and peers. Some of thing Joseph has being mentioning since his placement are questionable. Such remarks include his suggestion to bring a gun to school to enable to go to jail so that he could visit his mother. His school records show that Joseph has been suspended from school for five days ,and he has missed school without any permission.
Based on the evaluations presented by the various professionals, it is possible to identify the problem that Joseph faces. The main issues presented in the case include environmental challenges, socio-emotional challenges, physical abuse, neglect, and poor performance in school. Some of the behaviors being examined include lack of attention, and concentration in class, hostility to fellow students, and teachers, being more withdrawn, and lack of motivation, and effort. The issues presented in the case clearly explain Joseph’s behavior.
The first issue is the environmental challenges that Joseph has faced. Although Joseph’s mother was abusive, he had grown of the environment, and had developed mean to cope with. The emergency removal and his separation from his sister present a major challenge in his life. Additionally, he has been brought to a new environment in the foster home where he has not gotten used to like he did in his home. The changes in environment explain why Joseph has been more withdrawn lately. This is because although the environment is conducive for he stays, he does not feel like he belongs there. Before Joseph was living with his foster parents, his teachers, and classmate had noted that he was very quiet. Even his foster parents agree that Joseph is a very quiet person. This because he had socio-emotional issues and this became worse, when he realized that he was no longer living with his mum.
Physical abuse and neglect are also main issues that have been associated with Joseph’s recent change in behaviors. Any child who undergoes physical abuse or any other form of abuse is affected emotionally, and mentally. This is because being abused makes an individual to feel emotionally left out, and they end up being withdrawn, and detached from reality. Further, Joseph is not performing well in school, and he has been asked to repeat school. All these changes in his life have become overwhelming to Joseph. Consequently, Joseph is feeling more withdrawn because of all the changes in his life. His mum being jailed ,and being separated from his sister ,and taken to a foster home have proven to be hard for Joseph ,and caused his to express his emotions violently. Joseph feels angry that his mum is in Jail, his sister is not living with him in the same foster home, and this explains his changes in his behavior.
Another thing Joseph needs is freedom, and power in form of being let to see his mother. Joseph wants to be able to see his mother and sister so that he can feel they are still around. He has not gotten to the foster parent, and this explains his statement of bringing a gun so that he can go and visit his mum in jail. Joseph shows that he needs power because of power struggles, and hostility he shows his teachers, and pears. Joseph is very angry that he cannot get the power, and freedom. Consequently, he channels his emotions by becoming hostile, and being withdrawn from school, and class activities. Joseph is so frustrated about his life, and the events that are unfolding. Everyone seems to care, and being a quiet boy before shows he has an introvert personality, and people trying to find out thing from him makes him feel agitated. As such, it seems he needs to be left alone to have fun, which to him is in form of being quiet.
These needs should be the focus because the team would be able to come up with appropriate methods of solving the case (O’Neill, Bundock, Kladis, & Hawken, 2015). For example, the foster parents could come up with a solution that would see them take Joseph to visit his mum occasionally. Joseph being able to see his mum would also reduce the level of hostility that has increased in school. It seems either his hostility stems from the fact that he cannot visit his mum in jail his foster parents do not allow it or he just feels so. Additionally, Joseph should also be let to go, and visit his sister so that the sense of his family does not go away.
Evidently, Joseph needs some form of attention, and this explains why when he gets angry he slams doors, and sometimes cries. In this situation, a proper solution would be for the teachers, and foster parents to show Joseph they care, and support him. Therefore, the teacher, and the parent could collaborate, and come up with a plan to ensure that Joseph felt the attention he needed. Joseph had not talked about the events he experience because he was quiet, but this does not mean he did not want someone to ask, and listen. Joseph wants someone to listen to him, and that includes the teachers, and foster parents. Finally, Joseph wants to be left at home so that he feels some form of independence. This is a common attribute with introverts, and the teachers should work out a plan to ensure that the students are patient with him so that they do not ask questions that intimidate him.
In conclusion, Joseph’s case presents various problem that can be identified. The problems stem from the fact that he was removed from his home, and place in a foster. His defiant behavior is associated from abuse and neglect and this has affected his emotions and thoughts portrayed through his behaviors, and language used. Joseph needs people around him to listen, and pay attention to him explaining his violent and aggressive behavior. Psychological perspective is essential in ensuring that proper solutions are created to help the client.
References
Grant, A., Townend, M., Mills, J., & Cockx, A. (2007). Assessment and Case Formulation in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. New York: Sage Publishers.
Haynes, S., O'Brien, W., & Kaholokula, J. (2011). Behavioral Assessment and Case Formulation. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.
O’Neill, R., Bundock, K., Kladis, K., & Hawken, L. (2015). “Acceptability of Functional Behavioral Assessment Procedures to Special Educators, and School Psychologists”. Behavioral Disorders, 41 (1), 51-66.
Silver, J., & Dicker, S. (2007). “Mental Health Assessment of Infant in Foster Care”. Child Welfare, 86(5), 35-55.
Sturmey, P. (2007). Behavioral Case Formulation and Intervention: A Functional Analytic Approach. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.
