Course Project Task V: Assessment And Diagnostic Plan

Course Project Task V Assessment And Diagnostic Plan You Have Reache

Write a descriptive composite of a typical case based on your chosen disorder. Base the fictitious case character on your research of the typical presentation of the disorder. This case example should include your knowledge of demographics, prevalence, and associated features. For example, if your chosen disorder most typically occurs within females between the ages of 20–34, your case example should be of a female of that age range.

Add details to your case example based on other characteristics you've identified through your research.

Next, with this case composite, discuss specifically how this client’s symptoms are manifested in the sport/exercise setting. To get started, create an identity for the athlete in your case example. Draw from both your professional experience and the information you learned from your literature review to help you create the profile of your client. You want to develop a detailed enough profile that the reader will gain an understanding of the symptoms and pathology. After you have created your case example, discuss disorders that are similar to the disorder you have chosen to research and explain how you would differentiate between them.

You might consult the DSM Differential Diagnosis section for your chosen disorder as a guide; however, also integrate information from your literature review with the discussion. Create your two- to three-page case presentation description in Microsoft Word document format. Name the file SP6005_M5_A3_lastname_firstinitial.doc. By the due date assigned, submit it to the Submissions Area. All written assignments and responses should follow APA rules for attributing sources.

Paper For Above instruction

The evaluation and diagnosis of mental health disorders within athletes present unique challenges and opportunities. When developing an assessment and diagnostic plan, it is crucial to construct a detailed case example rooted in current research on the disorder’s typical presentation. This process assists clinicians and sports psychologists in accurately identifying symptoms, understanding their manifestation in athletic contexts, and differentiating between similar disorders. This paper constructs a comprehensive fictitious case based on an eating disorder, particularly anorexia nervosa, examines its manifestation in a sport/exercise setting, and discusses differential diagnoses while integrating current literature and clinical knowledge.

Case Description

The fictitious athlete, Emily, is a 24-year-old female collegiate cross-country runner. Her demographics align with research indicating that eating disorders, especially anorexia nervosa, often occur within females aged 20-34 years (Keski-Rahkonen & Mustelin, 2016). Emily has a history of perfectionism, high achievement motivation, and a significant preoccupation with weight and body image, all common associated features (Treasure et al., 2020). She is within the typical prevalence range, with an estimated occurrence rate of 0.3% for anorexia nervosa among adult women (Hudson et al., 2018). Her participation in endurance sports such as running, which emphasize leanness and weight control, heightens her risk profile.

Symptoms and Pathology in the Athletic Context

Emily's symptoms manifest in the sports setting through behaviors such as severe caloric restriction, excessive exercise beyond training sessions, and a distorted perception of her body size (Norris et al., 2019). She frequently skips meals, weighs herself multiple times daily, and reports feelings of guilt when deviating from her diet. Her preoccupation with thinness interferes with her performance, leading to fatigue, decreased stamina, and increased injury risk due to nutritional deficiencies (Sundgot-Borgen & Torstveit, 2010). Psychologically, she exhibits anxiety around competitions and social withdrawal, which compound her condition's severity. These manifestations highlight the complex interplay between eating pathology and athletic performance, emphasizing the need for tailored intervention strategies.

Differential Diagnosis and Similar Disorders

Differentiating anorexia nervosa from other eating disorders and psychological conditions is crucial. Bulimia nervosa, for instance, involves recurrent episodes of binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors like vomiting or laxative use but typically occurs with an individual's weight closer to normal and involves cyclical patterns (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). In contrast, Emily’s constant weight loss, extreme restriction, and intense fear of gaining weight are characteristic of anorexia. Additionally, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) may mimic anorexia in restricting food intake; however, ARFID lacks the body image distortion component (Chai et al., 2019). It is also essential to consider comorbid conditions like anxiety disorders or perfectionism traits, which often coexist (Kaye et al., 2013). Applying criteria from the DSM-5 ensures an accurate differential diagnosis, guiding appropriate clinical intervention.

Conclusion

This case exemplifies the importance of a comprehensive understanding of the demographic, psychological, and behavioral features associated with anorexia nervosa in athletes. Recognizing how symptoms manifest uniquely in sports contexts enables practitioners to develop targeted assessment tools and intervention plans. Accurate differential diagnosis prevents misclassification and ensures that athletes receive the appropriate treatment, improving outcomes and facilitating safer return to sport activities.

References

• American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.).
• Chai, C., McKenzie, K., & Vance, P. (2019). Differentiating ARFID from anorexia nervosa: A clinical perspective. Journal of Child & Adolescent Eating Disorders, 7(2), 45-53.
• Kaye, W. H., Fichter, M. M., & Treasure, J. (2013). Comorbidities in eating disorders. In The Oxford handbook of eating disorders.
• Keski-Rahkonen, A., & Mustelin, L. (2016). Epidemiology of eating disorders in Europe: Review of methods and results. European Eating Disorders Review, 24(5), 339-352.
• Hudson, J. I., et al. (2018). The epidemiology of eating disorders: Results from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC). Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 79(4), 16-23.
• Norris, M. L., et al. (2019). The impact of eating disorders on athletic performance. Sports Medicine - Open, 5(1), 3.
• Sundgot-Borgen, J., & Torstveit, M. K. (2010). Aspects of disordered eating spectrum in athletes. Sports Medicine, 40(3), 197–211.
• Treasure, J., et al. (2020). The etiology of eating disorders. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 216(3), 135-138.