Case Study
Patient Demographic: Name: Amy Clinical Issues: Hopelessness/depression Diagnostic Category: Depressive Disorders Provisional Diagnosis: F34.1 Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia), Severe Age: 15 Sex Assigned at Birth: Female Gender and Sexual Orientation: Female, Heterosexual Ethnicity: White Marital Status: Not Applicable Modality: Individual Therapy Location of Therapy : Private Practice  
Mental Status Exam: The client appears in your office with loose clothing and a thin physical frame. She has inconsistent eye contact and portrays a drowsy level of consciousness. Her speech rate is slow, her volume is soft yet monotone, and her fluency and rhythm are unclear and hesitant at times. She talks about how much she hates her life. Her mood is depressed and discouraged, while her affect is flat and sad. The client has been previously hospitalized for suicidal ideation. Her thoughts are slowed, and she is easily distracted. Her concentration is impaired with frequent lapses in attention. She is unable to follow a long line of thought or argument. She also reports difficulty making decisions. Her insight and judgment are limited. The client's emotional state is characterized by a pervasive sadness, irritability, and feelings of hopelessness. She exhibits difficulty in concentrating, making decisions, and expressing herself coherently. Additionally, she is experiencing disrupted sleep patterns, including insomnia and excessive daytime sleepiness, and has reported a diminished appetite with subsequent weight loss
Presenting Problem: First session You are licensed as a mental health therapist working on a post-doctoral thesis related to depression and have been working with several clients diagnosed with Persistent Depressive Disorder. One of your new research participants is a 15-year-old client who arrives at your office with her mother after being released from the hospital. Before beginning the session, you ask to talk with the mother and daughter separately. When interviewing the mother, she tells you about her daughter's ongoing behavioral difficulties, experimenting with drugs and alcohol, and getting involved with a "bad group of kids." The client's academic performance has also been affected, with teachers reporting a notable decline in grades and participation in class. This behavior has been ongoing for approximately six months and appears to be intensifying.    The strained familial relationships that the client is experiencing are a constant irritation to the entire family. The father's instability may have contributed to the client's current emotional distress, exacerbating her depressive symptoms. The client's mother, while providing primary care, struggles to maintain any bond with her daughter due to the increasing social withdrawal and lack of communication    Next, you interview the daughter. You ask her questions about school, friends, and activities she enjoys. She states that she is picked on daily at school, has no "real" friends, and hates her life. The client sighs heavily, saying, "Some nights I go to bed hoping that I won't wake up in the morning. There's nothing to look forward to. School is horrible. She explains that she feels like she is "stuck in a dark hole" and that she cannot get out. She reports feeling hopeless, helpless, and alone. You summarize what she has told you, and she confirms your understanding of her feelings.    After completing your interview with the daughter, you invite the mother to join you in your office. You continue to gather information about the client's personal and family history, symptoms of depression, and risk factors contributing to her current state. You explore potential triggers for her suicidal ideation and any protective factors in place. The mother reports that her daughter has been struggling with a lack of self-confidence and low self-esteem. You also discuss her current support system and any potential areas for improvement. Through the assessment, you can comprehensively understand the client's challenges and strengths. At the end of the intake, you check to ensure that both mother and daughter clearly understand what you have discussed today. You plan to meet with the client on a weekly basis, and you schedule a session for the following week.  Third session As the client enters your office, you notice she has been crying. She states that she does not want to be here and feels like she has "no say" in what happens to her. She says that she wants to start attending a virtual school, but her mother "forced" her back to a physical school. The client says, "I can't stand it anymore. My mom yells at me every day about how I'm doing something wrong. Yesterday she blew up at me about leaving my shoes and backpack in the living room. It's my house, too. She's such a control freak." You respond to her with empathy and understanding. You ask her to tell you more about how she has felt since the argument. She explains that in addition to feeling like she has no control over her life, she feels guilty and confused because she loves her mother but does not understand why she is so controlling and demanding. You let her know that it is natural to have complicated feelings in this situation and that you are here to help her work through them.    You create a plan with her, outlining different goals and activities she can do on her own or with the support of her mother. Through further exploration, you discover that she has an interest in drawing and is used to create characters for stories. She admits she feels calm when creating these drawings but that it does not take away from her depressive symptoms. You explain that having a creative outlet and developing it further can give her a healthy outlet for her emotions. The client appears to be receptive to this idea, expressing that she is willing to try it. She leaves your office feeling hopeful and slightly less overwhelmed. You make an appointment for the following week and suggest she come with a piece of art or design to share. She nods in agreement before leaving.
Other Contexts: The client's mother reports that the client's father has a history of depression. The client's mother is her primary caregiver, as her father is in and out of psychiatric facilities. When the client was a child, she had a positive relationship with her mother, but as a teenager, she has been withdrawing from her mother and spending most of her time alone in her room. The client has missed many days of school in the past few months. She feels that no one at school likes her; she has tried to fit in by experimenting with alcohol and marijuana, controlling her weight, and staying out late at night. The client is struggling academically and lacks concentration in the classroom. At home, the client is withdrawn and spends most of her time in her room pretending she is doing homework but is actually scrolling through social media posts for several hours. In addition, she is having trouble sleeping and stays up late. 

Question: What initial treatment goal would provide the client with the most relief from her depression?
(A): Develop effective coping strategies to manage intense feelings stemming from her relationship with her mother.
(B): Increase the client's self-esteem and confidence
(C): Develop healthy social connections and support network
(D): Find positive ways to deal with her substance use.

Correct Answer: Develop effective coping strategies to manage intense feelings stemming from her relationship with her mother.
Explanation: In this situation, the client is expressing feelings of depression as well as a lack of control in her life. Her relationship with her mother seems to be the focus of her feelings of guilt, confusion, and depression. By developing an understanding of their dynamic, she will be better equipped to process her feelings and work towards gaining a sense of control. Therefore, the correct answer is (C)
Competency: treatment planning