PCN-610 Eliza D Psychosocial Example Name: Eliza Doolittle
PCN-610 Eliza D Psychosocial Example Name: Eliza Doolittle
Analyze Eliza Doolittle’s psychosocial assessment including her personal information, presenting problems, life stressors, substance use, addiction tendencies, medical and mental health history, social relationships, family background, spirituality, and safety considerations. Provide a comprehensive, well-structured paper discussing her psychosocial functioning, challenges, strengths, and potential areas for intervention or support. Include relevant scholarly references to substantiate your analysis.
Paper For Above instruction
Introduction
The psychosocial assessment of individuals provides vital insights into their mental, emotional, social, and familial functioning. It enables mental health professionals to develop tailored intervention strategies that address specific needs and promote overall well-being. The case of Eliza Doolittle exemplifies several common challenges faced by college students, including adjustment issues, substance use, family dynamics, and social pressures. This paper aims to analyze her psychosocial profile comprehensively, drawing on assessment data to identify her strengths and areas requiring intervention.
Personal and Developmental Background
Eliza Doolittle, a Caucasian female aged 18 years, is a freshman college student majoring in engineering. Her descriptive information indicates an average height and slender build, which, while physically unremarkable, may influence her self-perception and social experiences. She reports being an only child, with a family that appears somewhat strained, especially regarding her mother, who is described as controlling and concerned about her whereabouts. Her father is characterized as a "good guy," but the family dynamics suggest potential stressors related to her parents’ marriage and communication patterns. Eliza identifies as agnostic, with Irish Catholic parents who infrequently attend church, indicating a possibly ambivalent relationship with spirituality and cultural influences.
Presenting Problems and Life Stressors
The primary presenting issue for Eliza is her involvement in a campus incident where she was caught with alcohol in a dormitory—an environment designated alcohol-free. Her statement that she was "buzzed" rather than intoxicated and her description of drinking as "something to do" reflects typical peer-related experimentation prevalent among college students (Lennox et al., 2017). While not portraying herself as having a substance problem, her alcohol use, coupled with occasional marijuana experimentation in high school, indicates some risk-taking behaviors.
Eliza perceives school as a stressor, noting that academic demands have increased and that she struggles to make friends, although she denies feelings of loneliness. She mentions that many of her high school friends are elsewhere, which may contribute to feelings of social displacement (Hefner & Rissel, 2017). Her responses suggest that her academic challenges and social difficulties serve as primary stressors impacting her psychological well-being.
Substance Use and Addictions
Eliza reports moderate substance use, primarily alcohol and occasional marijuana. Her acknowledgment of alcohol consumption "with friends" on weekends indicates social drinking, which she denies as problematic. Her brief experimentation with marijuana in high school indicates initial curiosity but no ongoing use. Her lack of reported adverse consequences or binge-drinking behaviors suggests that her substance use remains within normative social boundaries (Coffey et al., 2018).
She also engages in playing an online multiplayer game "one or two times a week" for a few hours, which she perceives as recreational. Her denial of gambling or pornography issues suggests that digital and gaming activities are not compulsive but may serve as coping mechanisms or social outlets (Kuss & Griffiths, 2017).
Medical and Mental Health History
Eliza denies any history of mental health diagnoses or hospitalizations, indicating a potentially resilient psychological profile. However, her stressors related to academic and social adjustments warrant monitoring for emerging symptoms of anxiety or depression (Eisenberg et al., 2017). The absence of reported trauma or abuse further supports her current mental stability but does not preclude the need for ongoing assessment.
Social Relationships and Family Dynamics
Eliza reports having reasonably good quality relationships but notes feeling sometimes taken advantage of by peers who pressure her into completing homework or participating in partying activities. She has not addressed these issues directly with her friends, suggesting possible avoidance or discomfort in voicing her concerns (Sullivan et al., 2019). Her descriptions of her family reveal a somewhat strained relationship, with her mother being overbearing and worried, and her father perceived as emotionally distant. These familial dynamics, especially the perceived control and the frequent parental involvement, may influence her autonomy development and social confidence.
The communication pattern at home, where her mother calls regularly and her father communicates separately, indicates a somewhat fragmented familial environment. Her role as "the middle man" during visits portrays her as a mediator, which could contribute to stress and a sense of responsibility beyond her age (Feeney & Collins, 2010).
Spirituality and Cultural Influences
Identifying as agnostic, Eliza navigates her spirituality with a degree of skepticism, despite her family's Irish Catholic background. The infrequent church attendance of her parents suggests limited religious influence, possibly contributing to her secular worldview. Her spiritual stance may influence her coping strategies and worldview, which are important considerations in holistic assessment and intervention planning (Pargament, 2013).
Safety and Risk Assessment
Eliza denies suicidal or homicidal ideation, indicating current safety. Nonetheless, her pattern of experimenting with alcohol and her social pressures to participate in risky behaviors necessitate continued monitoring. Encouraging her to develop assertiveness skills and explore healthier coping mechanisms can mitigate risk factors and promote resilience (Lewinsohn et al., 2019).
Implications for Intervention
Based on her psychosocial profile, the following interventions are recommended: psychoeducation about substance use and peer pressure, enhancing assertiveness and communication skills to address peer influences, developing strategies for academic time management and stress reduction, and facilitating exploration of autonomy within her family context. Additionally, engaging her in activities to improve social integration and supporting her in establishing boundaries with her family may foster greater independence and confidence.
Manifesting a strengths-based approach, recognizing her academic motivation, resilient traits, and existing social relationships can serve as a foundation for growth. Collaborative therapy emphasizing empowerment, emotional regulation, and social skills development could be particularly effective (Saleebey, 2013).
Conclusion
Eliza Doolittle's psychosocial assessment reveals a young woman navigating typical college stressors, with emerging risks related to substance use and familial dynamics. Her resilience and existing social support systems provide a solid foundation for targeted intervention. Holistic therapeutic strategies that address her academic stress, social challenges, and familial relationships can promote her overall mental health and facilitate her transition into adulthood. Continuous assessment and culturally sensitive practices are necessary to ensure she receives appropriate assistance aligned with her individual needs.
References
- Coffey, C., Carlin, J. B., Patton, G. C., & Sawyer, S. M. (2018). Substance use in adolescence. The Lancet Psychiatry, 5(4), 295-304.
- Eisenberg, D., Hunt, J., & Speer, N. (2017). Mental health and academic achievement in college students. Journal of College Student Development, 58(3), 337-350.
- Feeney, B. C., & Collins, N. L. (2010). A new look at social support: Theory, research, and practice. New York: Routledge.
- Hefner, J., & Rissel, C. (2017). Social support and health outcomes among university students. Journal of American College Health, 65(8), 613-624.
- Kuss, D. J., & Griffiths, M. D. (2017). Social networking sites and addiction: Ten lessons learned. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14(3), 311.
- Lennox, R. D., Grenard, J. L., & Dent, C. W. (2017). College Student Substance Use: Epidemiology, Prevention, and Intervention Strategies. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 63, 45-51.
- Lewinsohn, P. M., Rohde, P., & Seeley, J. R. (2019). Future directions for adolescent depression prevention. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 75(11), 2040-2054.
- Pargament, K. I. (2013). Spiritually integrated psychotherapy: Understanding and addressing the sacred. Guilford Publications.
- Sullivan, T., Schidt, F., & McGowan, M. (2019). Peer pressure and social support in young adult behaviors. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 48(7), 1244-1257.
- Saleebey, D. (2013). The strengths perspective in social work practice. Pearson Education.