· Discussion Unit 6 Case Study: Sam

Sam meets criteria for the second most commonly diagnosed disorder, thereby making it one with which you will need to be very familiar. Address the following using headings to match content in each bullet point.

250 Words

· Name the diagnosis and provide the ICD code.

· Describe your rationale for this diagnosis including other diagnoses that could be ruled out.

· If Sam and his parents come to treatment for family counseling, explain how you would go about determining the identified patient (IP) since a diagnosis will be required for insurance reimbursement.

Support your ideas with references to the course texts, articles from this learning unit, articles from the Optional Readings, or articles from peer-reviewed journals

Learning Components

This activity will help you achieve the following learning components:

· Identify the main symptoms observed in persons who are experiencing psychological disorder.

· Review methods used for differential diagnosis.

· Identify the role of diagnostic codes, including Z codes, to support a holistic diagnosis of clients seen in family counseling.

· Use language appropriate for a counseling professional.

· Cite and reference resources, giving appropriate credit for another’s work.

Resources

· Discussion Participation Scoring Guide.

· Masters in Counseling – Research Guide.

CASE STUDY: SAM

Sam R. is a 16-year-old African American high school student. Just over two months ago he moved to a new town with his parents and younger sister due to his father’s promotion and job transfer. Sam’s old high school included a mix of students from many racial, ethnic, and economic backgrounds. At his new school, there are few African American students and Sam feels like an outsider.

Sam has always been a quiet and serious person. Although he usually has one or two close friends, he feels awkward trying to start conversations with others and has never mixed easily in large groups. A good deal of activity at this new school takes place around sports and student government; two areas Sam has little interest in.

Sam also feels unprepared for the level of work that is expected of him at this school, particularly the emphasis placed on presenting oral reports and participating in debates in front of the class. He becomes embarrassed and tongue-tied when he has to speak in front of others. Sam often “gets sick” on the day of an oral report so he can stay home from school, and he is worried this will impact his grades.