Pick One Case Study And Use It For Completing Both Assignmen ✓ Solved

Pick one case study and use it for completing both assignmen

Pick one case study and use it for completing both assignments:

Case study 1: Brandy is a Caucasian girl who just celebrated her sixth birthday and is one of the youngest kids in her first-grade class. Most of the school year has gone fairly well, but she lately has been having trouble at school. Last week she disrupted class and threw her pencil across the room. The teacher explained to the parents that she has been a bit "emotional" lately, but did not know why. Her mom wondered if it was because she has recently transitioned from graduate school to a new job that keeps her away from home a bit more than before. Brandy generally likes school, but gets pulled out once or twice a week for special speech therapy as she occasionally has some problems with a lisp. Her parents were hesitant about Brandy being pulled out of class, but when she reported she was getting picked on at school by some classmates, they agreed to the speech therapy. At home, she has a supportive family and siblings with whom she gets along well. Occasionally she will get into trouble for lying, but most often feels pretty badly about it once she is caught. Her father has a master’s degree with a full-time job, and she and her siblings attend an after-school daycare program for a couple hours. She plays with neighborhood kids and her siblings; however sometimes Brandy has communication struggles due to her lisp. She loves sports, just finished soccer and is set to start t-ball.

Case study 2: Brandon is an African-American eight-year-old in third grade, who is in danger of repeating the grade. He struggles to concentrate, says he is "bored" when students sit and read; sometimes he talks and walks around class and other times he draws pictures and pays no attention. He frequently gets sent to the principal’s office, where he is permitted to play and is given snacks. His parents report worse behavior at home: stealing, breaking siblings' things, sneaking food into his room, and nightly bed-wetting (medical causes ruled out). His mother works part-time at a gas station. His father was recently laid off, is depressed, and spends much time in bed.

Case study 3: Jayant ("Jay") is a seventeen-year-old Indian senior taking community college honors courses under pressure from a domineering father who is a physics professor. He never wanted these classes and is falling behind, especially in psychology, because he relates readings to his own problems. He is often alone, socially immature, and feels he does not fit in; his father devalues socializing. He misses his deceased mother, who would have been a buffer. Recently he volunteered at a Boys and Girls Club, enjoyed it, and decided to continue volunteering.

Case study 4: Soo-Kyung ("Sue") is a sixteen-year-old Korean student with a history of self-harm, drug abuse, and theft. She must attend school counseling as a condition of probation. She appears shabbily dressed, hostile, and refuses to engage. Her file reveals an alcoholic mother, frequent moves, and a history of sexual abuse by a mother's boyfriend at age 14, after which she attempted suicide and has since self-injured. She now lives with an aunt who works three jobs, provides limited supervision, and cares for multiple children. Sue likes helping with the kids and the aunt seeks occasional school support but has limited resources.

Paper For Above Instructions

Selected Case Study and Overview

This paper analyzes Case Study 2 (Brandon), an eight-year-old African-American third grader demonstrating sustained attention difficulties, oppositional and acting-out behaviors, stealing and property damage, nocturnal enuresis after medical causes were excluded, and home stress related to parental unemployment and food insecurity. The goal is to provide a strengths-based assessment, differential considerations, evidence-based school and family interventions, culturally responsive recommendations, and community supports consistent with best practice guidelines for child behavioral problems and attention concerns (APA, 2022; Wolraich et al., 2019).

Clinical Presentation and Differential Considerations

Brandon's classroom inattention, restlessness, and variability in on-task behavior are consistent with symptoms commonly associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), predominantly hyperactive-impulsive and combined presentations (APA, 2022). However, differential considerations should include learning disorders, trauma-related manifestations, sensory processing issues, and situational responses to family stressors (Pelham & Fabiano, 2008). Recurrent bed-wetting after age 5 with no medical etiology can co-occur with emotional distress, anxiety, or developmental lag and should be assessed in context (Neveus et al., 2006).

Assessment Plan

A multi-informant, multimethod assessment is recommended: standardized behavior rating scales (e.g., Vanderbilt ADHD Diagnostic Rating Scales), teacher and parent interviews, classroom observation, academic screening, and a psychosocial history exploring family stressors, food security, sleep, and potential exposure to adversities (Wolraich et al., 2019). Screening for depressive symptoms in the caregiver and for family dysfunction is essential because parental unemployment and depression can exacerbate child behavior (Evans & Kim, 2013). Coordinated communication with the pediatrician will rule out medical contributors to enuresis and appetite complaints.

Evidence-Based Interventions: School and Classroom

At school, implement universal and targeted strategies within a Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) framework to improve classroom structure and reinforcement (Sugai & Simonsen, 2012). Practical strategies include: clear, predictable routines; brief, frequent movement breaks; preferential seating; visual schedules; and task segmentation. A behavior intervention plan (BIP) with antecedent modifications, immediate positive reinforcement for appropriate behavior, and data collection is indicated. Teacher-delivered, classroom-based contingency management and token economies have strong empirical support for reducing disruptive behavior and improving attention (Pelham & Fabiano, 2008).

Family-Focused Interventions

Parent management training (PMT) is a gold-standard psychosocial treatment for disruptive behaviors, teaching consistent praise, effective commands, predictable consequences, and nonphysical discipline (Kazdin, 2005). PMT also addresses routines around meals and sleep, which can reduce enuresis-linked stress. Given the father’s unemployment and depressive symptoms, a family systems approach is warranted: screening and referral for parental mental health care, linkage to social services for unemployment resources, food assistance, and coordinated case management (Bruns et al., 2004).

Community and Medical Coordination

Linking the family to community resources—school counselors, food assistance programs, after-school structured supports, and mentoring—can reduce risk factors associated with impulsive behavior and theft (Coleman-Jensen et al., 2020). Medical follow-up for enuresis using pediatric guidelines (urology/primary care) remains important, while behavioral interventions for nocturnal enuresis (bedwetting alarms, bladder training) can be introduced alongside psychosocial support (Neveus et al., 2006).

Cultural and Ethical Considerations

Interventions must be culturally responsive and strengths-based. Recognize and respect Brandon’s family values, avoid pathologizing culturally normative behaviors, and engage caregivers collaboratively in goal setting. Address potential stigma and mistrust of school systems by involving community liaisons or culturally concordant staff to build rapport (Evans & Kim, 2013).

Implementation and Monitoring

Develop measurable short-term goals (e.g., reduce office referrals by 50% in eight weeks, increase on-task behavior to 70% during independent reading) and track progress through daily behavior charts and teacher-parent communication logs. Regular multidisciplinary meetings (teacher, school counselor, pediatrician, family) every 2–4 weeks will allow plan adjustment (Wolraich et al., 2019).

Prognosis and Conclusion

With timely, coordinated school- and family-based interventions, Brandon’s behaviors are amenable to improvement. Addressing family stressors (father’s depression, food insecurity) and providing targeted classroom supports and parent training will reduce disruptive behavior, improve academic engagement, and mitigate enuresis symptoms over time (Pelham & Fabiano, 2008; Kazdin, 2005). A holistic, culturally sensitive wraparound approach linking the family to community resources offers the best chance for sustained change (Bruns et al., 2004).

References

• American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed., text rev.). American Psychiatric Publishing.
• Wolraich, M. L., Hagan, J. F., Allan, C., et al. (2019). Clinical practice guideline for the diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents. Pediatrics, 144(4), e20192528.
• Barkley, R. A. (2014). Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Handbook for Diagnosis and Treatment (4th ed.). Guilford Press.
• Pelham, W. E., & Fabiano, G. A. (2008). Evidence-based psychosocial treatments for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 37(1), 184–214.
• Kazdin, A. E. (2005). Parent Management Training: Treatment for Oppositional, Aggressive, and Antisocial Behavior in Children and Adolescents. Oxford University Press.
• Sugai, G., & Simonsen, B. (2012). Positive behavioral interventions and supports: History, defining features, and misconceptions. University of Connecticut, Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports.
• Bruns, E. J., et al. (2004). The wraparound process: An overview of implementation and outcomes. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 13(1), 51–62.
• Evans, G. W., & Kim, P. (2013). Childhood poverty, chronic stress, and children's development. Annual Review of Psychology, 64, 295–319.
• Coleman-Jensen, A., Rabbitt, M. P., Gregory, C., & Singh, A. (2020). Household Food Security in the United States in 2019. USDA Economic Research Service.
• Neveus, T., et al. (2006). Management of nocturnal enuresis—Guidelines for assessment and treatment. Neurourology and Urodynamics, 25(6), 609–619.