This involves both a strong psychological study/knowledge and a large element of creativity!
Sources:
-ALL learning modules attached (please take time to look at materials and use them!)
-Textbook: Abnormal Psychology Ronald J. Comer
-any additional relevant sources you may find (there a quite a few listed at the end of each course module)
A Case Study of Psychosis
For this assignment you are to write a case study of your own using the same format as the case studies on this website (see below). Your focus of this case study should be on the psychotic disorders but remember that people with psychosis usually have comorbid problems too – e.g., problems with anxiety or mood, substance abuse, etc. Make your case study such that there is some degree of complexity to it and try to integrate material from across the entire course for this assignment. There should be some question as to what the appropriate diagnosis and treatment would be for this person based on the information you provide. Use the same format for your case study as the format used on the course website.
Format for your case study
Identifying Information and Initial Presentation – who the person is (e.g., age, gender, marital status) and why this person is coming to see somebody for assessment (e.g., complaining of feeling anxious)
Mental Status Exam – significant findings from the MSE (e.g., the person is having hallucinations, etc.)
Functioning – how is the person spending her or his days (e.g, is the person working or going to go school or spending time with friends; this section may also include other types of information like sexual functioning, sleep, etc.)
Recent Events and History – has anything significant happened lately or in the past that could impact the person’s mental health (e.g., stressful events, drug use, etc.)
Other Information – anything else relevant to the case (e.g., collateral information, psychological testing or medical examination findings, etc.)
Clinical Decisions – what does the mental health professional decide (e.g., what is the likely diagnosis and how should treatment progress).
Submit the following:
1. Your case study
2. Answers to the following questions based on the diagnosis and treatment which you have outlined in the section called “Clinical Decisions”.
a. Diagnosis
i. In a table, list the evidence for and against the diagnosis made?
ii. What other diagnoses may be appropriate and why?
b. Treatment
i. In a table, list the evidence for and against the treatment recommendation made?
ii. What other treatment options should be considered and why?
Maximum word count (excluding any references):
Case study = 1200 words
Answer to question 2 = 1300 words
Total maximum word count = 2500 words
***How to go about assignment***
Try starting by thinking of what psychotic condition you would like to cover (e.g., schizophrenia) and what symptoms would fit with this diagnosis. Then think about how you could introduce more complexity into the case (e.g., what other conditions might be present that would make the diagnosis and treatment less clear … Such as mood problems, drug use, etc.). Then once you have list of symptoms/problem areas, start to write a case that strings these together. Looking into the published literature will then help with your analysis – this literature search should be specific to the diagnostic and treatment implications introduced in your case (e.g., if you have introduced both drug use and psychosis, then you would look into the literature on drug-induced psychosis, treatment literature on concurrent disorders of drug abuse and psychosis, etc).
You need to completely make up the case. Just like the case studies you read for the discussions- which were all made up. There needs to be some psychosis present (which is to be the focus of the case study) but to increase the complexity, it would be good to add in other possible comorbid conditions or alternative diagnoses.
Any info in the tables counts towards the word count.
POINTS TO INCLUDE IN CASE STUDY PROFILE: Female, age 59, wealthy, compulsive liar, delusions of grandeur and feelings of entitlement that she uses to justify to herself both lying & cheating/stealing, narcissistic personality disorder. Possible history of physical and sexual abuse as a child – definite history of emotional abuse. Fear + paranoia both present. – combined with some sort of psychosis.
