Assignment:
Case Study Assessment
George, husband
Teresa, wife
L.B., 7, son
J.J., 3, daughter
Mom is babysitter for L.B. after school.
Teresa's sister is babysitter for J.J. at home with her own children during the day
You are a therapist in private practice and George is in your office. George says his wife is crazy. Their 3 year old will not talk yet and has trouble with most activities of daily living.
The wife takes 3-year-old J.J. to the doctor, who says that she is autistic and needs some kind of special services. I don't know what Teresa is doing with the kid, really. I take the 7-year-old boy, L.B., to school every day and pick him up to go to my mom's after school. My mom is real good with kids and watches him until I pick him up at night. My wife is just nuts. She'll be crying and all when I get home. I work hard and bring the entire check home for food and taking care of the house and all, but that woman is not okay about anything. What should I do? I can't quit working. I work 40-50 hours a week and stop to get L.B. and we all go to be home together at night and she is a mess. The house is a mess and J.J. is just sitting there. Nothing seems normal any more.
What should I do? I am a good man. Really. I'm older than her and I know how to be a good man. I come home, I work, and I don't run around. I take care of my boy and my mom. What should I do about this? Really. I have never seen anything like it. I thought she'd be working again by now and the baby would be more grown up by now. Something just isn't right here.
Teresa's sister keeps J.J. during the day, but she is kind of dumb, you know. She just takes the kids and lets them play or sit or whatever. My Teresa used to be fun. Now she is just not herself. I say "What's wrong with J.J., Teresa?" And Teresa just cries. She wanted a girl baby and she was so happy. Now nothing seems good anymore. The rest of the family doesn't know what to do either.
Questions:
1.What do you think? Huh? What do you think is wrong here? What can I do? Can you help us to get normal again?
2.What types of informal assessments might you use to help George and his family?
3.Who else besides George would you want to see and what informal assessment would you use with these folks?
4.What makes the assessments you chose for each person the best choice compared to the other assessments you learned about?
5.What ethical considerations should you take into account working with George and his family?