Whitney Houston
Diagnostic Battery: A Case Evaluation of Whitney Houston
Marc Kelly
Walden University
Diagnostic Battery: A Case Evaluation of Whitney Houston A psychological diagnostic battery is an important instrument in diagnosing various psychological conditions of an individual. As counselors, having an exact diagnosis and a diagnostic evaluation is essential. This paper will attempt to provide a diagnostic battery assessment of Whitney Houston. Although she has pasted away, the paper will present as if she had entered therapy prior to her death. Some missing points of information regarding her life will be added to this paper, although factious, the basis of the information will be drawn from media reports of her life.
Background of Whitney Houston and Presenting Information
By many media accounts, Whitney Houston has been accused of rampant drug abuse and has been in and out of rehabilitation centers several times over the past few years. Whitney is an extraordinarily famous 48 year-old African-American woman who is primarily known for her signing and acting. She married Bobby Brown, also an entertainer with a history of drug abuse, in 1992 divorcing him in 2007. Her ‘casual’ drug use began prior to her marriage but became more rampant following her marriage and eventual divorce. In April of 2000, Whitney was arrested after police discovered she was carrying Marijuana in her luggage. Soon after this arrest, Whitney began showing up late for interviews, photo shoots and rehearsals. On more than one occasion, she cancelled concerts, talk-show appearance and began to get fired from several projects. During this same time period, she began to use Cannabis on a large scale, using up to 10 joints a day, sometimes never leaving her hotel room or home for several days at a time. To help her relax even more, she has stated that she would lace her ‘joints’ with cocaine. When this would not calm her, she began to inject cocaine. During her ‘binge’
Marc Kelly
Walden University
Diagnostic Battery: A Case Evaluation of Whitney Houston A psychological diagnostic battery is an important instrument in diagnosing various psychological conditions of an individual. As counselors, having an exact diagnosis and a diagnostic evaluation is essential. This paper will attempt to provide a diagnostic battery assessment of Whitney Houston. Although she has pasted away, the paper will present as if she had entered therapy prior to her death. Some missing points of information regarding her life will be added to this paper, although factious, the basis of the information will be drawn from media reports of her life.
Background of Whitney Houston and Presenting Information
By many media accounts, Whitney Houston has been accused of rampant drug abuse and has been in and out of rehabilitation centers several times over the past few years. Whitney is an extraordinarily famous 48 year-old African-American woman who is primarily known for her signing and acting. She married Bobby Brown, also an entertainer with a history of drug abuse, in 1992 divorcing him in 2007. Her ‘casual’ drug use began prior to her marriage but became more rampant following her marriage and eventual divorce. In April of 2000, Whitney was arrested after police discovered she was carrying Marijuana in her luggage. Soon after this arrest, Whitney began showing up late for interviews, photo shoots and rehearsals. On more than one occasion, she cancelled concerts, talk-show appearance and began to get fired from several projects. During this same time period, she began to use Cannabis on a large scale, using up to 10 joints a day, sometimes never leaving her hotel room or home for several days at a time. To help her relax even more, she has stated that she would lace her ‘joints’ with cocaine. When this would not calm her, she began to inject cocaine. During her ‘binge’
References: American Psychiatric Association (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed., text rev.). Washington, DC: Author. Petry, N. M., & Martin, B. (2002). Low-cost contingency management for treating cocaine and opioid abusing methadone patients. Journal of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, 70, 398-405. Rawson, R. A. (2002). Group psychotherapy of substance abuse. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Whitney Houston Biography, (2011). Retrieved from www.whitneyhouston.com