Ab Psychology Assignment
PSYCHOSOCIAL ASSESSMENT
Presenting Problem
AB is a 17 year-old, heterosexual, African American male. AB was transferred to North Texas State Hospital, Vernon campus (NTSH-V) after being found to be Manifestly Dangerous by an Institutional Review Board at Terrell State Hospital (TSH) on 3/28/14. While he was TSH, his behavior deteriorated. He had multiple incidents ranging from verbal threats to physical aggression against peers and staff. The physical aggression was described as shoving, pushing and punching peers. AB engaged in property destruction, e.g., throwing chairs, tables, breaking furniture (e.g., metal lockers) and using the broken pieces to attack staff. AB was transferred back to NTSH on 3/28/2014 where he remains. AB has a medical diagnosis of epilepsy and takes Clonidine daily to control his seizures. His last seizure was about 2 years ago.
Personal Status
AB is able to provide most of the information during recent face to face interviews. Some of the information appeared …show more content…
fictitious. For example, AB stated his biological mother is really his adoptive mother. AB stated he has a girlfriend and a young daughter that lives in Texas. The information was researched and was found to be untrue. His attorney and Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) worker disputed his story. His CPS records indicates he has never been married and has no children. He shared that he has about 2 male friends and 3 female friends at the hospital. Other information was collected from past psychological evaluations and treatment plans during his time in foster care. During the initially assessment AB appeared guarded and agitated as evidenced by his arms were folded, his face was wrinkled near his forehead and the lack of eye contact. AB was alert and orient to time, person and place. AB appeared to need a haircut and more attention needed to be given to his personal hygiene. When was asked to elaborate about him and his interests, AB was very talkative and became more comfortable. Toward the end of the assessment is demeanor changed from guarded and he became more cooperative. His face became more relaxed. We were able to laugh about his personal appearance not being the best. He is currently in 9th grade. AB was born in Louisiana and raised in Texas. AB reported he moved to Texas with his mother and sister. AB stated the only information he gave about his mother is she was a Pastor in Louisiana and has never changed. AB stated she is abusive and has anger issues. AB has 1 older sister who aged out of the foster care system and they have not had contact in over 3 years. AB speaks English only. AB stated he believes in God but does not attend church regularly. AB stated he does not remember much about his family in Louisiana. AB does not have any contact with family. His current support system includes his CPS caseworker, Attorney Ad Litem, and CASA worker. It is likely they he does not have any friends. He has never been employed. Has no criminal history. AB stated he was 5 when he first entered the CPS system. AB stated he remember his biological father would beat up on his mom. AB stated his father left them and he has not had contact with him since they move to Texas. AB stated the physical abuse he experienced was by his mother. AB recalled being confined to the toilet for up to 8 hours on numerous occasions. AB stated when he subjected to physical discipline his mother would use belts, broomsticks or whatever she could find. AB stated she would scream and slap him with an open fist across his face. He expressed her last abusive rant was when CPS returned him home, she punched him in the chest with a close fist. AB stated he ran out of the house and called the police. The police took him home and he convinces the officers, if he stayed he would kill himself. He was taken to a local Mental Health System and later transferred to TSH. AB refuses to live with his mother. The CPS worker stated he has refused all contact with her since he was admitted. AB refuses to visit or release any information to his mother. AB stated at age 6, he was a victim of a sexual assault in a foster home but refused to discuss details regarding the situation. Since 2003, he has been in 19 out of home placements. AB has been in 6 foster homes, 1 emergency shelter, 8 psychiatric hospitalizations, 1 medical hospitalization and 2 residential treatment centers. In a psychological evaluation dated in 2011, it reveal AB reported having nightmares and auditory hallucinations. He also admitted to placing a sheet around his neck and admitted he wanted to kill himself. AB denies any recent suicide attempts. AB reported most of his dreams were about his mom and the physical abuse. Previous psychological evaluations revealed he has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, reactive attachment disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, enuresis, encopresis, and mathematical disorder and PTSD. AB has never been arrested. He admitted to trying marijuana twice at school. AB stated his hobbies are dancing, writing music and playing musical instruments. AB enjoys listening to music and uses it as one of his coping skills. AB loves to watch cartoons. AB stated he wants to be an entertainer and moved to California. AB possess the following strengths: the ability to identify his triggers, able to use coping skills most of the time and self-confidence. He is resilient and fearless. He stated he is not frightened about anything. He is usually full of energy. He is generally optimistic about the future. He is certain that he can make it onto the hit show “America’s Got Talent”. AB weakness are his impulsive and aggressive behaviors, lack of self-control and inability to maintain interpersonal relationships. His biggest weakness, he appears to be institutionalized. He has stated he feels safe when he is in hospital and residential treatment centers. At a defensive mechanisms, he appears to be narcissistic. This affects his ability to make and keep friends. He is obsessed with Justin Bieber and believes they are friends. He has been into physical altercations defending Justin Berber’s character.
After a child enters into CPS care it is the responsibility of CPS staff to develop plans to assist the family to homeostasis. Each state is required to develop child welfare programs in order to execute federal and fiscal guidelines. Disproportionality is described when a specific race or cultural group is over-represented in a program or system (Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, 2006). This has been documented nationwide for decades in various programs and systems. Disparity is the condition of being unequal and refers to the difference in outcomes and conditions that exist among specific groups as compared to other groups due to unequal treatment or services (TDFPS, 2006). African American children exit foster care at a slower rate than their counterparts. Texas possess a large population of African American and Native American children. These 2 groups usually don't return home to their families and age out of care without having a permanent place to live after 18 years of age (TDFPS, 2006).
United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported that higher rate of poverty is among several factors contributing to the higher proportion of African American children entering and remaining in foster care. Families living in poverty have greater difficulty accessing housing, mental health, and other services needed to keep families stable and children safe in their own homes. Most African-American families referred to child protection were more likely to come from female headed household. Bias or cultural misunderstandings and distrust between child welfare decision makers and the families they serve are also viewed as contributing to children’s removal from their homes into foster care.
Southern African American culture is very different.
It is characterized by dedication and loyalty. In the African American community, family is a fundamental part of our culture. All mothers want to self-identify as a “good mother,” no matter what the reality may be. Identifying oneself as a “good mother” may be especially important among low-income women with low educational attainment who have limited long-term economic prospects (Edin & Kefalas, 2005). Mothers who undergo child protective service (CPS) investigations have this identity called into question and may wrestle with the profound stigma as a result (Scholte et al., 1999). Goffman (1963) describes such stigma as “a process by which the reaction of others spoils normal identity.” When neglectful mothers' children are removed from their care, the rebuff of their “good mother” status becomes public, resulting in what Goffman calls a “spoiled identity.” CPS caseworkers label mothers neglectful (Sykes,
2011).
Given that there is often a cultural divide between a family being investigated and the worker conducting the investigation, the use of risk assessment tools, as well as standardized definitions, can help guide the worker in assessing families on safety and risk issues. Use of standardized tools may remove some error from the decision-making process (Chibnall et al., 2003). Workers who have detailed and culturally relevant guidelines about what constitutes abuse and neglect can more easily control bias. Not all standardized tools, however, have been sufficiently tested on children from racial and ethnic minority groups, thus leading to a potential increase in bias. Agencies should be familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of any tools they use and train supervisors and workers to be aware of any potential bias that the assessment tool may introduce into the decision-making process. Child welfare agencies can work with community agencies to identify and develop a culturally diverse list of therapists, counselors, and other service providers (childwelfaregov, 2011).
Presenting Problem
AB is a 17 year-old, heterosexual, African American male. AB was transferred to North Texas State Hospital, Vernon campus (NTSH-V) after being found to be Manifestly Dangerous by an Institutional Review Board at Terrell State Hospital (TSH) on 3/28/14. While he was TSH, his behavior deteriorated. He had multiple incidents ranging from verbal threats to physical aggression against peers and staff. The physical aggression was described as shoving, pushing and punching peers. AB engaged in property destruction, e.g., throwing chairs, tables, breaking furniture (e.g., metal lockers) and using the broken pieces to attack staff. AB was transferred back to NTSH on 3/28/2014 where he remains. AB has a medical diagnosis of epilepsy and takes Clonidine daily to control his seizures. His last seizure was about 2 years ago.
Personal Status
AB is able to provide most of the information during recent face to face interviews. Some of the information appeared …show more content…
fictitious. For example, AB stated his biological mother is really his adoptive mother. AB stated he has a girlfriend and a young daughter that lives in Texas. The information was researched and was found to be untrue. His attorney and Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) worker disputed his story. His CPS records indicates he has never been married and has no children. He shared that he has about 2 male friends and 3 female friends at the hospital. Other information was collected from past psychological evaluations and treatment plans during his time in foster care. During the initially assessment AB appeared guarded and agitated as evidenced by his arms were folded, his face was wrinkled near his forehead and the lack of eye contact. AB was alert and orient to time, person and place. AB appeared to need a haircut and more attention needed to be given to his personal hygiene. When was asked to elaborate about him and his interests, AB was very talkative and became more comfortable. Toward the end of the assessment is demeanor changed from guarded and he became more cooperative. His face became more relaxed. We were able to laugh about his personal appearance not being the best. He is currently in 9th grade. AB was born in Louisiana and raised in Texas. AB reported he moved to Texas with his mother and sister. AB stated the only information he gave about his mother is she was a Pastor in Louisiana and has never changed. AB stated she is abusive and has anger issues. AB has 1 older sister who aged out of the foster care system and they have not had contact in over 3 years. AB speaks English only. AB stated he believes in God but does not attend church regularly. AB stated he does not remember much about his family in Louisiana. AB does not have any contact with family. His current support system includes his CPS caseworker, Attorney Ad Litem, and CASA worker. It is likely they he does not have any friends. He has never been employed. Has no criminal history. AB stated he was 5 when he first entered the CPS system. AB stated he remember his biological father would beat up on his mom. AB stated his father left them and he has not had contact with him since they move to Texas. AB stated the physical abuse he experienced was by his mother. AB recalled being confined to the toilet for up to 8 hours on numerous occasions. AB stated when he subjected to physical discipline his mother would use belts, broomsticks or whatever she could find. AB stated she would scream and slap him with an open fist across his face. He expressed her last abusive rant was when CPS returned him home, she punched him in the chest with a close fist. AB stated he ran out of the house and called the police. The police took him home and he convinces the officers, if he stayed he would kill himself. He was taken to a local Mental Health System and later transferred to TSH. AB refuses to live with his mother. The CPS worker stated he has refused all contact with her since he was admitted. AB refuses to visit or release any information to his mother. AB stated at age 6, he was a victim of a sexual assault in a foster home but refused to discuss details regarding the situation. Since 2003, he has been in 19 out of home placements. AB has been in 6 foster homes, 1 emergency shelter, 8 psychiatric hospitalizations, 1 medical hospitalization and 2 residential treatment centers. In a psychological evaluation dated in 2011, it reveal AB reported having nightmares and auditory hallucinations. He also admitted to placing a sheet around his neck and admitted he wanted to kill himself. AB denies any recent suicide attempts. AB reported most of his dreams were about his mom and the physical abuse. Previous psychological evaluations revealed he has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, reactive attachment disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, enuresis, encopresis, and mathematical disorder and PTSD. AB has never been arrested. He admitted to trying marijuana twice at school. AB stated his hobbies are dancing, writing music and playing musical instruments. AB enjoys listening to music and uses it as one of his coping skills. AB loves to watch cartoons. AB stated he wants to be an entertainer and moved to California. AB possess the following strengths: the ability to identify his triggers, able to use coping skills most of the time and self-confidence. He is resilient and fearless. He stated he is not frightened about anything. He is usually full of energy. He is generally optimistic about the future. He is certain that he can make it onto the hit show “America’s Got Talent”. AB weakness are his impulsive and aggressive behaviors, lack of self-control and inability to maintain interpersonal relationships. His biggest weakness, he appears to be institutionalized. He has stated he feels safe when he is in hospital and residential treatment centers. At a defensive mechanisms, he appears to be narcissistic. This affects his ability to make and keep friends. He is obsessed with Justin Bieber and believes they are friends. He has been into physical altercations defending Justin Berber’s character.
After a child enters into CPS care it is the responsibility of CPS staff to develop plans to assist the family to homeostasis. Each state is required to develop child welfare programs in order to execute federal and fiscal guidelines. Disproportionality is described when a specific race or cultural group is over-represented in a program or system (Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, 2006). This has been documented nationwide for decades in various programs and systems. Disparity is the condition of being unequal and refers to the difference in outcomes and conditions that exist among specific groups as compared to other groups due to unequal treatment or services (TDFPS, 2006). African American children exit foster care at a slower rate than their counterparts. Texas possess a large population of African American and Native American children. These 2 groups usually don't return home to their families and age out of care without having a permanent place to live after 18 years of age (TDFPS, 2006).
United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported that higher rate of poverty is among several factors contributing to the higher proportion of African American children entering and remaining in foster care. Families living in poverty have greater difficulty accessing housing, mental health, and other services needed to keep families stable and children safe in their own homes. Most African-American families referred to child protection were more likely to come from female headed household. Bias or cultural misunderstandings and distrust between child welfare decision makers and the families they serve are also viewed as contributing to children’s removal from their homes into foster care.
Southern African American culture is very different.
It is characterized by dedication and loyalty. In the African American community, family is a fundamental part of our culture. All mothers want to self-identify as a “good mother,” no matter what the reality may be. Identifying oneself as a “good mother” may be especially important among low-income women with low educational attainment who have limited long-term economic prospects (Edin & Kefalas, 2005). Mothers who undergo child protective service (CPS) investigations have this identity called into question and may wrestle with the profound stigma as a result (Scholte et al., 1999). Goffman (1963) describes such stigma as “a process by which the reaction of others spoils normal identity.” When neglectful mothers' children are removed from their care, the rebuff of their “good mother” status becomes public, resulting in what Goffman calls a “spoiled identity.” CPS caseworkers label mothers neglectful (Sykes,
2011).
Given that there is often a cultural divide between a family being investigated and the worker conducting the investigation, the use of risk assessment tools, as well as standardized definitions, can help guide the worker in assessing families on safety and risk issues. Use of standardized tools may remove some error from the decision-making process (Chibnall et al., 2003). Workers who have detailed and culturally relevant guidelines about what constitutes abuse and neglect can more easily control bias. Not all standardized tools, however, have been sufficiently tested on children from racial and ethnic minority groups, thus leading to a potential increase in bias. Agencies should be familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of any tools they use and train supervisors and workers to be aware of any potential bias that the assessment tool may introduce into the decision-making process. Child welfare agencies can work with community agencies to identify and develop a culturally diverse list of therapists, counselors, and other service providers (childwelfaregov, 2011).