Case Study Analysis

Abnormal Psychology

Student Name:
Date:

For each of the scenarios below identify the mental health diagnosis, criteria for diagnosis,
symptoms, possible causation for the disorder, and preferred treatment approach for the
disorder. A rubric for this assignment is located in Canvas. Be sure to develop your
responses for all the sections other than the Diagnosis section. Explain these sections fully
in paragraph(s) form. This paper will be at least seven pages long, if not more, when it is
finished.

Case 1:

Rachel, a teenager, has developed a ritual of checking and then double checking that all the doors

in her home are locked before going to bed. If she doesn’t check the locks, she becomes anxious

and can’t sleep until she has completed this ritual. She can think of nothing else until she is sure

they are locked. Recently, she has started to unplug all electrical devices from the wall outlets.

This is causing great concern for both Rachel and her parents.

Disorder:

Criteria for Mental Health Diagnosis (Criteria -ex. Dysfunction, etc., explain)

Symptoms (Symptoms-as identified in the DSM-5 or your textbook, explain):

Possible Causation (explain- Identity possible biological, psychological, social and sociocultural

dimensions):

Preferred Treatment Approach for the Disorder (explain- Identity possible biological,

psychological, social and sociocultural dimensions):

Case 2:

Wanda (age 19) works nights at the local diner. Work isn’t going very well for Wanda. Her boss

finds her moods to be erratic. She seems confused. She lives with her mother and stepfather. Her

stepfather married her mother when Wanda was seven years old. Wanda, who previously had

not wet her bed, began to wet her bed after her stepfather moved in with her mother. Since that

time, Wanda has displayed different personalities when having to deal with stressful situations.

At times Wanda can’t remember how she has spent her day. When going to work, Wanda wears

different types of clothing depending on how she is feeling that day. Sometimes the clothing is

rather provocative, other times it is demure and rather cute. Her boss and her mother often

complain that they don’t know which Wanda they will see that day.

Disorder:

Criteria for Mental Health Diagnosis (Criteria -ex. Dysfunction, etc., explain)

Symptoms (Symptoms-as identified in the DSM-5 or your textbook, explain):

Possible Causation (explain- Identity possible biological, psychological, social and sociocultural

dimensions):

Preferred Treatment Approach for the Disorder (explain- Identity possible biological,

psychological, social and sociocultural dimensions):

Case 3:

Alfred, 45, is a local doctor. Alfred spends a lot of time talking about himself. Alfred talks

about his trips to Spain, his amazing wine cellar, and his new Rolex. People are not very
interested in his conversations with them, but he doesn’t care. He just keeps talking about

himself anyway. Once when a colleague disagreed with him about a medical procedure, he

started shouting about how he was the expert and was always right. When questioned by Human

Resources as to why he took that tone with colleague, he blamed the colleague for not being

open to helpful criticism.

Disorder:

Criteria for Mental Health Diagnosis (Criteria -ex. Dysfunction, etc., explain)

Symptoms (Symptoms-as identified in the DSM-5 or your textbook, explain):

Possible Causation (explain- Identity possible biological, psychological, social and sociocultural

dimensions):

Preferred Treatment Approach for the Disorder (explain- Identity possible biological, psychological,

social and sociocultural dimensions):

Case 4:

Bill, 48, has a fear of going more than a few blocks away from his apartment. Bill completes all

his shopping within a mile radius of his home. His job at a radio station is only a few blocks

away. He walks to work and to complete all his shopping. He has started doing online shopping

in order to not leave his apartment at all. These symptoms developed when he was a child and

have gotten worse throughout the years. The thought of leaving his immediate community causes

him to start to breathe heavily and perspire. Bill hasn’t used public transportation or gone to the

movies in fifteen years.

Disorder:

Criteria for Mental Health Diagnosis (Criteria -ex. Dysfunction, etc., explain)

Symptoms (Symptoms-as identified in the DSM-5 or your textbook, explain):

Possible Causation (explain- Identity possible biological, psychological, social and sociocultural

dimensions):

Preferred Treatment Approach for the Disorder (explain- Identity possible biological,

psychological, social and sociocultural dimensions):

Case 5:

Juanita, a 30 year old soldier, is in an Army Medical hospital on medical leave. She complains of

a loss of sensation in her fingers. She also complains that she cannot see, although a competent

ophthalmologist examined her eyes and found nothing wrong. It seems strange that Juanita is

calm about her disorder, even to the point of feeling indifferent about it. Except for this, her

personality seems intact.

Disorder:

Criteria for Mental Health Diagnosis (Criteria -ex. Dysfunction, etc., explain)

Symptoms (Symptoms-as identified in the DSM-5 or your textbook, explain):

Possible Causation (explain- Identity possible biological, psychological, social and sociocultural

dimensions):

Preferred Treatment Approach for the Disorder (explain- Identity possible biological,

psychological, social and sociocultural dimensions):