Adolescent Case Study Essay -- essays research papers

Adolescent Case Study I. Identification A. Kathy Johnson is a 14 year old female, a freshman at Parkway High School, and resides at 789 Parkview Way, Bossier City, LA 70000. II. History of Family A. The subject lives with her biological mother and stepfather. The child's biological father resides in Bossier City as well, but he has not maintained a relationship with the child since he divorced her mother in 1981. The child also has a brother who lives out of state and has no relationship or contact with him either. B. The subject comes from an upper middle class family. Her stepfather is a high school graduate and owns his own construction business. Her mother is a homemaker and quit school during her sophomore year. C. The subject and her family live in Southern Gardens, a small subdivision in Bossier City. The family, for the most part, keeps to themselves and does not have any close, personal associations. The few associates they have are business colleagues and people from their church groups. D. The stepfather is a relatively healthy male, approximately 6'1" tall, dark brown hair, brown eyes, weighs around 200 pounds and has no known physical illness. The mother is 5'4" tall, blonde hair, brown eyes and has noticeable symptoms of depression and a significant drinking problem. Presently she is in good overall physical health. E. Most of the family's interest revolves around the subject's athletic activities such as baseball and church related activities such as Sunday services and youth centered groups. F. The family attends a full gospel, nondenominational church on a regular basis. Their political views are primarily democratic. G. The family is of Italian descent and somewhat antisocial. They rarely see anyone on a personal basis and have no close personal friends. III. History of the Case A. The subject is approximately 5'5" tal... ...ubject is suffering from physical and emotional neglect from her parents resulting in depression, low self esteem, aggressive tendencies, and bouts of hypochondria. V. Recommendations My recommendations would be to remove the subject from the abusive situation by placing her in a temporary foster home and to require her parents to undergo a full psychiatric evaluation. She should remain in the foster home until her mother undergoes and successfully completes an alcohol rehabilitation program and receives counseling for the physical and emotional abuse which she has endured. The stepfather should be required to stay away from the subject and her mother until he undergoes counseling and no longer exhibits signs of aggressive and abusive behavior. Other recommendations for the subject would be to prescribe antidepressants combined with group support with other adolescents suffering similar situations and problems. Her aggressive tendencies and low self esteem need to be addressed by placing her in a loving and emotionally stable and supportive household where she would be allowed to experience some freedom from the emotional burden of having to run a household virtually by herself.