Reference no: EM133322103

The client's case that I chose is that of Barbara B., a 22-year-old recent college graduate who is currently employed as an entry-level account representative in a large advertising agency. The reason for referral is that Barbara has been feeling tired and lacking in energy for about four weeks, has reported a loss of interest in socializing and performing daily routines, and is questioning her vocational choice. The presenting problem is that Barbara is experiencing symptoms of depression, and the questions to be addressed through my evaluation are whether Barbara is indeed experiencing depression and, if so, what might be the cause of her depression. Relating the problem to the APA Ethical Code, psychological assessment issues that could be encountered include the need to ensure that the assessment is conducted in a way that is respectful of Barbara's dignity and rights and that minimizes the possibility of psychological harm. When conducting a psychological assessment with Barbara, it will be important to ensure that the assessment is conducted in a way that is respectful of her dignity and rights and that minimizes the possibility of psychological harm. To this end, the assessment should be conducted by a qualified professional who has the appropriate training and experience in administering and interpreting psychological assessments. Furthermore, the assessment should be conducted in a setting that is safe and comfortable for Barbara and where she feels able to freely express herself. The data gathered during the assessment process will be used to answer the questions of whether Barbara is indeed experiencing depression and, if so, what might be the cause of her depression. In order to answer these questions, a variety of data will need to be gathered, including information about Barbara's history, her current symptoms, and her current level of functioning. Furthermore, it will be important to administer a variety of psychological tests to Barbara to assess her current level of functioning and to identify any areas of concern. The psychological tests that could be administered to Barbara include projective personality tests and a depression-screening questionnaire. After the data has been gathered and the psychological tests have been administered, it will be important to interpret the data to answer the questions that have been posed. In interpreting the data, it will be important to consider both the quantitative data (e.g., scores on the depression-screening questionnaire) and the qualitative data (e.g., information gathered during the history-taking portion of the assessment). Furthermore, it will be important to keep in mind the limitations of the data that has been gathered and the limitations of the psychological tests that have been administered. Based on the data that has been gathered, it will then be possible to make a diagnosis of depression and to formulate a treatment plan. When making a referral for psychological assessment, it is important to consider who the intended consumer of the report will be. This is because the referral source (i.e., the individual making the referral) can impact the assessment of the data. For example, if the referral is made by the individual herself, this can provide insight into the individual's self-perception of her own symptoms and how she feels about her current situation. In the case of Barbara B., the referral source is the individual herself. This self-referral indicates that Barbara is concerned about her current symptoms and is seeking help to improve her situation. The intended consumer of the report is the mental health practitioner. The mental health practitioner will use the information from the report to develop a treatment plan for Barbara. To make an accurate diagnosis and develop an effective treatment plan, the mental health practitioner will need to consider all of the available information, including the data from the psychological assessment, as well as information from other sources (e.g., family, friends, medical records). The psychological assessment data can provide valuable information about Barbara's current symptoms and her level of functioning. The data from the projective personality tests can give insight into Barbara's inner thoughts and feelings, which can clarify her current symptoms. The data from the depression-screening questionnaire can provide information about the severity of Barbara's symptoms and can help to rule out other potential causes of her symptoms (e.g., medical conditions). Overall, the psychological assessment data can clarify Barbara's current situation and in developing a treatment plan that is tailored to her individual needs. One way to analyze the data would be to look at the results of the depression-screening questionnaire. This will give an indication of whether Barbara is experiencing symptoms of depression, which could be contributing to her fatigue and loss of interest in activities. The results of the projective personality tests can also be analyzed to gain further insight into Barbara's psychological functioning. The depression-screening questionnaire indicated that Barbara is experiencing symptoms of depression. This is consistent with her self-reported fatigue and loss of interest in activities. The projective personality tests showed that Barbara has some difficulty in dealing with stress and conflict. She may benefit from therapy to help her learn how to better cope with stressful situations. It is important to note that no one method of data analysis is better than another. The choice of method depends on the specific referral question and the type of data that has been collected. In this case, the referral question is about Barbara's fatigue and loss of interest in activities. The data from the depression-screening questionnaire can be analyzed to see if she is experiencing symptoms of depression, which could be contributing to her fatigue and loss of interest. The data from the projective personality tests can also be analyzed to gain further insight into her psychological functioning.

1. Given test behaviors, how confident are you in your results? Rationalize and justify your opinion with research.

2. Address the common themes and/or contradictions in your client's test results. What common themes emerged from the data? In your response, relate the results to the referral question. What information in your data is most relevant to your referral question?

3. Discuss the limitations of testing or threats to the reliability or validity of the results. What suggestions would you make for additional assessment?

4. What evidence do you have to report to the psychologist to help her make a diagnosis? How might this evidence inform her diagnosis? Thoroughly explain your conclusion.

5. Given the conclusions you made, explain whether or not you have enough information to make recommendations for treatment or other interventions. If so, identify, explain, and justify with research what your recommendations for future assessments would be.

6. Explain how your recommendations are consistent with evidence-based practice by relating your response to current and relevant research.

7. Upon completion of your recommendations section, reflect on the process and work you did to "create this" report. Address what evidence you found most useful and why.

8. What additional client information would have been useful? How would you obtain it?

9. What have you learned through this process? What would you like to know more about?