Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia)
Assignment 3: Diagnostic Case Reports
Access the Faces of Abnormal Psychology website. (For best results, use the High Resolution, Low Speed link there.http://www.mhhe.com/socscience/psychology/faces/ ) There, you will see twelve different disorders listed.
For this module, view the following disorders:
· Major Depression
· Bipolar Disorder
· Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia)
After clicking a disorder, click the Diagnostic Overview tab in the left column. This will cover the major diagnostic features of the disorder. After that, click the DSM-5 Features tab. You can then go though the Case History, Interview, and Treatment sections on the website. Finally, in the Assessment section, you can complete an optional multiple-choice quiz.
You have to write a case report for each case study. You should use the format provided on the web page. There is a sample report that you can also view by clicking the link in the upper-right corner.
The format for the sample report is as follows:
Your Name Instructor’s Name Class/Section Number
Background
· Outline the major symptoms of this disorder.
· Briefly outline the client’s background (age, race, occupations, etc.).
· Describe any factors in the client’s background that might predispose him or her to this disorder.
Observations
· Describe any symptoms that you have observed that support the diagnosis. You can include direct quotes or behaviors that you may have observed.
· Describe any symptoms or behaviors that are inconsistent with the diagnosis.
· Provide any information that you have about the development of this disorder.
Diagnosis
· Did you observe any evidence of general medical conditions that might contribute to the development of this disorder?
· Did you observe any evidence of psychosocial and environmental problems that might contribute to this disorder?
· As per your observations, what is the client’s overall level of safety regarding potential harm to self or others (suicidality or homicidality)?
· What cross-cultural issues, if any, affect the differential diagnosis?
Therapeutic Intervention
· In your opinion, what are the appropriate short-term goals of this intervention?
· In your opinion, what are the appropriate long-term goals of this intervention?
· Which therapeutic strategy seems the most appropriate in this case? Why?
· Which therapeutic modality seems the most appropriate in this case? Why?
Writing
· Write in a clear, concise, and organized manner; demonstrate ethical scholarship in the accurate representation and attribution of sources; and display accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Include citations in the text and references at the end of the document in APA format.
Assignment 3 Grading Criteria | Maximum Points |
Described the major symptoms of each disorder, outlined each person’s background, and described any factors in the person’s background that might predispose him or her to their disorder. | 20 |
Described any symptoms that were observed that support each diagnosis and any symptoms or behaviors that are inconsistent with each diagnosis and provided relevant information from the case history about the development of each disorder. | 20 |
Described any evidence of psychosocial or medical issues that might have contributed to each disorder, identified any safety concerns regarding suicidality or homicidality, and discussed any cross-cultural issues affecting the differential diagnosis. | 20 |
Discussed appropriate short-term and long-term goals of each intervention, discussed the most appropriate therapeutic strategy and therapeutic modality for each case, and presented appropriate reasoning for your selection. | 20 |
Wrote in a clear, concise, and organized manner; demonstrated ethical scholarship in the accurate representation and attribution of sources; and displayed accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation. |