Case Study for Treatment Plan:
Edgar and Susan have been married for 28 years. They have a 26-year-old son who is married. Their daughter is 24 and has moved out of state for work. Their youngest son just turned 19 and has joined the Army. He has been out of the house for about 6 months. Edgar and Susan have found themselves fighting more often now that there are no children in the home. Edgar was in the military but is now retired. Susan is a high school English teacher who wants to retire but is not sure she wants to be home with Edgar that much. Edgar was a harsh disciplinarian when the children were small. He was not physically abusive but was verbally aggressive. He retired from the military due to physical pain. Susan is a quiet type who does not like to confront issues. Her parents had a relationship like hers and Edgar's. Edgar was drawn to Susan when they first met because she was quiet, and she made him laugh with her quick wit. Now, they hardly speak unless arguing and are unsure how to reconnect. They often argue over small things such as Susan's expensive coffee habit and Edgar's reluctance to watch anything but the news. Edgar is still verbally aggressive when they are arguing. Susan wants them to be a "real couple" and consider plans for when she retires, but Edgar thinks talking about feelings is a waste of time.
Need a Treatment Plan
The treatment plan for Susan and Edgar should be at-least 8-12 weeks purpose sessions for 1 hour. Each session will build upon the other to reinforce their structure to gain a solid foundation for their marriage.
An 8-12 Week Treatment Plan Based on the Marital Selflessness Scale Assessment (MSS) (week by week breakdown)
The treatment plan will need to include information on the three goals chosen (collaboration with the couple is implied).
Should Include:
At least 2-4 weeks to Discuss the MSS Assessments by Section
Discuss the Goal Topics (what will happen in the weekly session)
References:
Castronova, M., Distelberg, B., & Wilson, C. (2022). The Marital Selflessness Scale: A Relational Assessment Tool for Couples Therapy. The American Journal of Family Therapy, 50(1), 72-93.
Buchholz-Castronova, M. (2014). Marital Selflessness Scale (MSS): An Exploratory Factor Analysis. Loma Linda University.