Psy 634 Module Three Short Paper Rubric

Psy 634 Module Three Short Paper Rubricpromptjenny Is A 17 Year Old W

Jenny was struck on the right side of her forehead with a softball during a game. The blow was hard enough that it rendered her unconscious for nearly an hour, and she was taken to the emergency department. A brain MRI revealed encephalomalacia (softening of tissue due to damage) in the right area of the frontal lobe. In the weeks following the injury, what types of deficits might be expected, given the location of the injury? What do you think would be the medical recommendations for the recovery process?

Paper For Above instruction

The injury Jenny sustained to the right frontal lobe due to blunt trauma from a softball had significant implications for her cognitive, motor, and emotional functioning. The frontal lobe is integral to executive functions, voluntary movement, and personality traits. Encephalomalacia in this region indicated tissue damage that likely resulted in a range of deficits during her recovery process. Analyzing the expected deficits and appropriate medical recommendations offers a comprehensive understanding of traumatic brain injury (TBI) management, especially in adolescents.

Primarily, damage to the right frontal lobe could have led to deficits in motor function, specifically contralateral weakness or paralysis affecting Jenny’s left side, due to the contralateral organization of motor pathways. Additionally, given the lateralization, her judgment, problem-solving, planning abilities, and impulse control—governed mainly by the prefrontal cortex—might have been significantly impaired. Post-injury, she could have exhibited impairments in executive functions, such as difficulty in organizing activities, maintaining attention, or processing complex tasks, as these are functions heavily reliant on frontal lobe integrity (Lezak, Howieson, Bigler, & Tranel, 2012).

Emotional regulation and social behavior also depend substantially on the right frontal lobe. Consequently, Jenny may have exhibited increased impulsivity, mood swings, or decreased motivation in the weeks following her injury. Cognitive and behavioral changes such as apathy or disinhibition are common after frontal lobe injuries, and these might become apparent during her recovery (Stuss & Levine, 2002). Moreover, her speech and language could be relatively unaffected, considering the damage was localized to the right side, but some subtle deficits in pragmatic language skills or in understanding social cues might have emerged.

The rehabilitation process for Jenny would need to be comprehensive and multidisciplinary, focusing on restoring function and adapting to deficits. Typically, her recovery would start with acute medical management, including monitoring intracranial pressure if swelling occurs, and preventing secondary brain injury. Given her age, neuroplasticity would play a positive role in her recovery, allowing for rerouting of functions lost or impaired (Cramer et al., 2011). As she stabilized, a tailored cognitive rehabilitation plan would be recommended, involving speech therapy, occupational therapy, and neuropsychological interventions to address specific deficits.

Cognitive therapies would emphasize improving executive functions, such as planning, organization, and problem-solving skills. Behavioral interventions would help manage impulsivity, mood disturbances, or disinhibition. Physical therapy might be necessary if motor deficits were present, focusing on strength, coordination, and mobility. Psychosocial support and counseling would be vital in aiding Jenny in managing changes in her personality or emotional regulation, helping her return to daily activities and social interactions effectively (Katz, 2012).

In addition, ongoing medical monitoring would be essential. Follow-up imaging studies might be recommended to assess healing and detect any secondary complications like swelling or hydrocephalus. Pharmacological treatments, such as antidepressants or stimulants, could be employed if symptoms of depression or attention deficits emerged. Education and support for her family and teachers would also be crucial components in facilitating her rehabilitation and reintegration into her academic and social environments.

In conclusion, the damage caused by encephalomalacia in the right frontal lobe predisposed Jenny to deficits in motor function, executive functioning, emotional regulation, and social behavior. Medical recommendations for her recovery involved a multidisciplinary approach combining acute management, cognitive and behavioral therapies, physical rehabilitation, and psychosocial support. While the brain’s plasticity offers hope for significant recovery, ongoing intervention would be necessary to address evolving needs and optimize her functional outcomes.

References

• Cramer, S. C., Sur, M., Dobkin, B. H., Ovbiagele, B., Howard, V. J., Norton, L., ... & Winstein, C. J. (2011). Stroke recovery trials: benefits and challenges of using a tiered approach. Stroke, 42(9), 2948-2955.
• Katz, D. I. (2012). Brain injury medicine: Principles and practice. Demos Medical Publishing.
• Lezak, M. D., Howieson, D. B., Bigler, E. D., & Tranel, D. (2012). Neuropsychological assessment (5th ed.). Oxford University Press.
• Stuss, D. T., & Levine, B. (2002). Adult clinical neuropsychology: Lessons from studies of the frontal lobes. Annual Review of Psychology, 53, 401-433.