Assignment 5 HUS3304

Directions: You have been provided some additional information about Maria in the introduction to this module. In assessing Maria’s current state and needs you have decided to use some testing. Using the American Psychiatric Association – Online Assessment Measures website, choose two of the assessments listed there.

Then, explain how you will use each in the assessment process with Maria. Justify your selection of each assessment by describing why it is relevant to Maria’s case and how it will help you arrive at a diagnosis for Maria. Explain the distinction between the formal and functional diagnosis of Maria. Your paper should be 800 – 1200 words in length and should be supported by three sources (including the text).

This paper must:

• have a thesis statement (statement of purpose/intent), must indicate the topics to be covered
• use ONLY professional, objective language. Use objective, formal, not conversational tone/style
• use APA style
• use direct quotes sparingly – work on paraphrasing and appropriate citations for the paraphrased information

Introduction 

In this module we will be exploring the assessment, testing and diagnostic process. It is essential to arrive at the correct diagnosis when we are working with clients. It is not an easy task to do so.

People are complicated. Although they may enter the therapeutic process with a presenting problem, there are often underlying issues that may have contributed to the problems or additional issues that the client does not initially present. Assessing and understanding these issues can lead to an accurate diagnosis of a client.

We return to the case of Maria. Maria’s presenting problem was that of being a victim of domestic violence who desired to escape from this relationship when she discovered she was pregnant. During Maria’s initial session with you, she shares with you several other issues. She states that she is estranged from her family. She grew up in a large family. She is the eldest of five children. Her parents immigrated from Mexico before she was born. Her parents have refused to talk with her for several years because they did not approve of her boyfriend and thought she was setting a bad example for her younger siblings by living with him. She has several younger siblings who still live at home. She discusses how much she misses her family and how she often finds herself crying uncontrollably. She states she is employed as a waitress for a small restaurant. She is afraid when the owner finds out she is pregnant, she will be fired. She describes having had several good friends before she started dating her boyfriend, but none are in her life any longer. She describes herself as feeling sad, anxious, and depressed.

Upon completion of this module, you should be able to determine the diagnostic tools you would use in order to assess and diagnose her. Based on what you know about diagnosis, how would you answer the following question:

Diagnosis, despite all the information it provides, does not provide information on:

• the client’s behavior.
• the client’s long-standing character.
• the possible treatment options.
• the client as a person.

By the end of this module, you should be able to answer this correctly.

Readings and Resources

• Read: Chapter 8 – Assessment, Testing, and the Diagnostic Process in Introduction to Counseling: Voices from the Field
• Resource: American Psychiatric Assocaition – DSM-5
• Resource: American Psychiatric Association – Online Assessment Measures