Assignment
Child Abuse Case Study
Morgan, a 19-year-old male comes to your office to discuss his current mood and symptoms. This is his first visit to a mental health clinic. "I've had 26 jobs in the last 2 years; I finally have a job that I like and I want to make it work." As you begin to get to know him, he tells you that his mood is down and that he also has times where he has "more energy and motivation": "That's when I am able to get a new job." He says that he has difficulty interacting with coworkers. "I feel like I can't talk to them." If it wasn't for his supportive girlfriend, he wouldn't be able to function. "She understands me and accepts me; she knows what I have been through."
As the PMHNP listens to the client and explores what he means by some of his statements, you try to put together his story. He mentions that he has been having nightmares and is not sleeping well. He says he startles easily. He becomes withdrawn when he begins to talk about the reason for the nightmares.
"This all started a few weeks ago when a cousin of mine got out of jail." He haltingly tells the story of his parents' mental illness and how he had to live with various relatives. "One cousin who I stayed with a lot took advantage of me. He molested me." They found out he also molested other children and he went to jail. "It gives me the creeps that he is out of jail. I have to face what he did to me."
Morgan asks about his diagnosis. The PMHNP tells him that he has some symptoms that sound like depression and anxiety, and that when a child has a traumatic experience, it can reoccur and stay with a person for many years. He acknowledges that he thought about PTSD but wasn't sure what the symptoms look like.
As you think about Morgan's story, consider the following questions: Where did he fall between the cracks? Are there agencies who advocate for children like him? There are thousands of children like Morgan. They were in a vulnerable family situation and the "responsible" adult was not able to care for the child. Sometimes it takes years for clients to remember and disclose the abuse.
QUESTIONS:
1) What strategies would you employ to assess the patient for abuse? Explain why you selected these strategies.
2) How might exposure to the media and/or social media affect the patient?
3) What type of mandatory reporting (if any) is required in this case? Why?.
Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:
(1) The answer should be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
(2) The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
(3) Also include a reference page. The Citations and references should follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.
References
• Sadock, B. J., Sadock, V. A., & Ruiz, P. (2014). Kaplan & Sadock's synopsis of psychiatry: Behavioral sciences/clinical psychiatry (11th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer.
o Chapter 31, "Child Psychiatry" (pp. 1216-1226)
• "Trauma- and Stressor-related Disorders"
• American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
• "Trauma- and Stressor-related Disorders"
Chapar, A., Pine, D. S., Leckman, J. F., Scott, S., Snowling, M. J., & Taylor, E. A. (2015). Rutter's child and adolescent psychiatry (6th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Blackwell.
o Chapter 50, "Provision of Intensive Treatment: Intensive Outreach, Day Units, and In-Patient Units" (pp. 648-664)
o Chapter 58, "Disorders of Attachment and Social Engagement Related to Deprivation" (pp. 795-805)
o Chapter 59, "Post Traumatic Stress Disorder" (pp. 806-821)
o Chapter 64, "Suicidal Behavior and Self-Harm" (pp. 893-912).