Assignment Task:
Case of Scarlet
IDENTIFYING/DEMOGRAPHIC DATA: Scarlet is a 19-year-old Caucasian female who resides in California with her parents and 2 siblings. Scarlet comes from an upper middle-class family. She attended private high school and is now attending college in Southern California.
CHIEF COMPLAINT/PRESENTING PROBLEM: Scarlet stated she is "ugly", and others are laughing at her. She describes that this has been happening since she was 13 years old. Now the pain of her "ugliness" is affecting her friendships and her ability to enjoy the end of her teenage years.
HISTORY OF PRESENT ILLNESS: Scarlet noticed from her early teens that her nose looked fat and her eyes seemed far apart. She begged her parents to let her get surgery on her face, but they refused, indicating that she was too young for that at the time. Now that Scarlet is 19, her parents are considering the surgery, but they want to confirm that it is something she really wants. Scarlet has always been a good student and socially active. When she was younger, she was more confident but as the teenage years progressed, she became less confident. This was due to her feelings of being ugly and thinking others are noticing her in a negative manner.
Scarlet is finding herself staying away from college activities. Her grades have started to decline since she no longer can concentrate on schoolwork. She finds herself thinking about her defects all the time. She sits in her room and does not attempt to do any activity.
PAST PSYCHIATRIC HISTORY: Scarlet began to pick at blemishes and hairs on her face. She believes they just stand out and that is what people are looking at.
SUBSTANCE USE HISTORY: Scarlet reports drinking a bit in high school. She denies any illicit drug use. She reports not drinking in college since she will not go to the parties because of her looks.
PAST MEDICAL HISTORY: Scarlet has been to several plastic surgeons and medical doctors worried about the blemishes on her face, her nose, and eyes.
CURRENT FAMILY ISSUES AND DYNAMICS: Scarlet's sisters are always making fun of Scarlet because she frequently checks herself in the mirror and other reflective surfaces. The family is constantly reassuring Scarlet that her looks are fine to no avail.
MENTAL STATUS EXAM: Scarlet looks her stated age of 19. She is well dressed, with long blonde hair and presents very well physically. Scarlet describes her mood as depressed. Her eating habits and weight is unchanged from earlier years. Scarlet does report passive suicide ideation, just thinking she wants to die since the stress of her looks has become overwhelming.
Submit your diagnosis for the client in the case. Follow the guidelines below.
The diagnosis should appear on one line in the following order.
Note: Do not include the plus sign in your diagnosis. Instead, write the indicated items next to each other.
Code + Name + Specifier (appears on its own first line)
Z code (appears on its own line next with its name written next to the code)
Then, in 1-2 pages, respond to the following:
- Explain how you support the diagnosis by specifically identifying the criteria from the case study.
- Describe in detail how the client's symptoms match up with the specific diagnostic criteria for the disorder (or all the disorders) that you finally selected for the client. You do not need to repeat the diagnostic code in the explanation.
- Identify the differential diagnosis you considered.
- Explain why you excluded this diagnosis/diagnoses.
- Explain the specific factors of culture that are or may be relevant to the case and the diagnosis, which may include the cultural concepts of distress.
- Explain why you chose the Z codes you have for this client. Need Assignment Help?
Remember: When using Z codes, stay focused on the psychosocial and environmental impact on the client within the last 12 months.
American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-5-TR) (5th ed., text rev.).
Anxiety Disorders
Read the introduction to this classification on pages 215-216, and then focus on:
- "Separation Anxiety Disorder" (pp. 217-221)
- "Specific Phobia" (pp. 224-229)
- "Social Anxiety Disorder" (pp. 229-235)
- "Panic Disorder" (pp. 235-242)
- "Panic Attack Specifier" (pp. 242-245)
- "Agoraphobia" (pp. 246-250)
- "Generalized Anxiety Disorder" (pp. 250-254)
- Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders
Read the introduction to this classification on pages 263-265, and then focus on:
- "Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder" (pp. 265-271)
- "Body Dysmorphic Disorder" (pp. 271-277)
- "Hoarding Disorder" (pp. 277-281)
- "Trichotillomania Disorder" (pp. 281-284)
- "Excoriation (Skin-Picking) Disorder" (pp. 284-287)
American Psychiatric Association. (2022).