Assignment:
Case Study in Child Psychology of 4-Year-Old Child
Mr. and Mrs. Lawson brought their 4-year-old adopted daughter, Clara, to see Dr. Mason, a psychiatrist. Clara was polite in greeting Dr. Mason, but did not smile and kept her gaze down as she took a seat. Mr. and Mrs. Lawson sat next to Clara and began explaining their concerns. They described Clara as a quiet child who has recently begun throwing temper tantrums, during which she is inconsolable. Her sleep and eating patterns have changed, and she no longer wants to go to preschool.
1. What other information should I learn during the interview with the family? What are some other questions I should ask?
2. In addition to the clinical interview, what other clinical assessment tools should I consider? Why?
3. Although I need more information to begin treatment, what factors might I take into consideration in designing an effective intervention for this family?
4. When I am preparing to diagnose Clara, what type of information would go into each axis of the DSM-IV classification system? I am not asked to enter a diagnosis, only describe the kind of information that would be entered in each axis.
5. Do you think that diagnosing Clara would be beneficial or harmful? Explain why.