CONCEPTUALIZING A CASE 1 Developmental, Sociocultural, and Ethical and Diagnostic Considerations in Counseling Children and Adolescents Developmental, Sociocultural, and Ethical, and Diagnostic Considerations in Counseling Children and Adolescents This paper presents a background and informational sketch of a hypothetical 15-year old named Alexandria. The ethical and legal issues that may impact this case is discussed as well as steps that could be taken in order how to ensure that ethical standards will be applied and considered appropriately in this child’s treatment plan and preliminary DSM-5 diagnosis. Further, the results of Alexandria’s Ecomap assessment will demonstrate how her family, community, cultural, and societal contexts contribute to her barriers and her supports. Background Sketch for Case: Alexandria MartinezIdentification of the Problem Alexandria Martinez is a 15-year-old sophomore at Farmington High School. Her parents divorced and have joint custody of Alexandria and her sister, but she only sees her mother every third weekend each month. She was referred to counseling because her chemistry teacher has noticed that her grades were declining, and her attitude has been extremely negative which has caused her to be involved in several altercations with other students. After speaking to the father, it was also reported that Alexandria has been having trouble at home. She has missed her curfew by 30 mins or more on several occasions and she has become moody, disrespectful and her father noticed that she is not sleeping through the night.Individual and Background Information. Academic: School records show that Alexandria’s grades have been slipping over the last few months. Alexandria was taking many AP courses and honor classes which placed her at the top of her class. Along with her grades dropping it has been recorded that the once high honored student has been skipping classes. Previously, her grades and participation were above average and caused no reason for concern. There has been nothing reported that indicates any type of learning disability. Family and Culture: Alexandria’s family is of Cuban, Irish and African American decent. Her father is Irish, and her mother is Cuban and African American. She is raised in a single parent home in which she resides with her father and younger sister whom is 11. Alexandria’s parents recently divorced, which has left the girls torn in between homes and cities after her parents deciding on joint custody. Her father is a cardiologist, has a private practice that is partnered with the local hospital. Alexandria’s father is constantly away on business trips, in which the girls are left in the care of their maternal grandmother. According to the grandmother the family has always been a close family until the divorce, Alexandria became distant and disrespectful to her father. The Martinez family practices many values of the American culture even though her parents are fro ...

1. CONCEPTUALIZING A CASE
1
Developmental, Sociocultural, and Ethical and Diagnostic
Considerations in Counseling Children and Adolescents
Developmental, Sociocultural, and Ethical, and Diagnostic
Considerations in Counseling Children and Adolescents
This paper presents a background and informational sketch of a
hypothetical 15-year old named Alexandria. The ethical and
legal issues that may impact this case is discussed as well as
steps that could be taken in order how to ensure that ethical
standards will be applied and considered appropriately in this
child’s treatment plan and preliminary DSM-5 diagnosis.
Further, the results of Alexandria’s Ecomap assessment will
demonstrate how her family, community, cultural, and societal
contexts contribute to her barriers and her supports.
Background Sketch for Case: Alexandria MartinezIdentification
of the Problem
Alexandria Martinez is a 15-year-old sophomore at Farmington
High School. Her parents divorced and have joint custody of
Alexandria and her sister, but she only sees her mother every
third weekend each month. She was referred to counseling
because her chemistry teacher has noticed that her grades were
declining, and her attitude has been extremely negative which
has caused her to be involved in several altercations with other
students. After speaking to the father, it was also reported that
Alexandria has been having trouble at home. She has missed her
curfew by 30 mins or more on several occasions and she has
become moody, disrespectful and her father noticed that she is

2. not sleeping through the night.Individual and Background
Information.
Academic:
School records show that Alexandria’s grades have been
slipping over the last few months. Alexandria was taking many
AP courses and honor classes which placed her at the top of her
class. Along with her grades dropping it has been recorded that
the once high honored student has been skipping classes.
Previously, her grades and participation were above average and
caused no reason for concern. There has been nothing reported
that indicates any type of learning disability.
Family and Culture:
Alexandria’s family is of Cuban, Irish and African American
decent. Her father is Irish, and her mother is Cuban and African
American. She is raised in a single parent home in which she
resides with her father and younger sister whom is 11.
Alexandria’s parents recently divorced, which has left the girls
torn in between homes and cities after her parents deciding on
joint custody. Her father is a cardiologist, has a private practice
that is partnered with the local hospital. Alexandria’s father is
constantly away on business trips, in which the girls are left in
the care of their maternal grandmother. According to the
grandmother the family has always been a close family until the
divorce, Alexandria became distant and disrespectful to her
father.
The Martinez family practices many values of the American
culture even though her parents are from different ethnicities.
Being born and raised in the United States the Martinez’s have
adapted to the American life. Alexandria’s maternal
grandmother practice values from her Cuban culture and she
tries to instill some of her culture in her granddaughters such as
the practicing of the Catholic faith. Alexandria and her sister
attend church every Sunday with their grandmother.
Physical:

3. During the initial intake report, there were notes from her most
recent pediatrician visit. There are no health issues reported
about the client and she is in good health.
Social:
Alexandria has always been well liked by her peers. Everyone
knows her to be very popular in school and she is very known in
her community. She is a captain on her school’s cheerleading
squad, runs track and she is on the debate team. When she is not
engaging in her after school activities, she volunteers at a soup
kitchen twice a week and she reads to children at the local
library downtown in her town, on Saturday mornings.
Alexandria enjoys helping others and being active in her
community. The staff and her family have reported that she has
always been a social butterfly except for recently, she’s been
distant and moody. The people closest to her are starting to
worry about her because she has always been able to handle
being in different situations and being under pressure. It was
reported that Alexandria’s parents separated for a short period
of time a few years ago and she handled it well, until the
divorce.Developmental Analysis***
Briefly apply concepts from Piaget’s theory, Selman, Erikson,
and what is known about development of the brain and
neurological system and physical maturation to your case.
Cultural Analysis***
Briefly highlight the cultural considerations that might be
important for understanding and counseling your case. When
counseling adolescents from diverse cultures one must keep in
mind the cultural considerations that would be important for
understanding and counseling sessions. It is essential for
counselors to understand a diverse array of cultures and their
worldviews before helping and assisting people from other
cultures. Ecomap Assessment of Stressors and Supports
Alexandria has a positive relationship with her sister
because she doesn’t look at her differently even though she is
having a hard time handling the separation of their parents. Her
sister is always there to comfort her. She has a positive

4. relationship with her grandmother because she supports her and
tries to offer words of encouragement. Even though she has a
positive relationship with counseling and her cheerleading
squad it’s also tenuous because she is uncertain if she can rely
on the people in these groups. Alexandria has a tenuous and
stressful relationship with her parents because she doesn’t know
if she can rely on them to still act normal and be there for her
while living separate and busy lives. Getting adjusted to the
divorce is stressful because Alexandria has grown up with both
her parents in the home where as now, she must go back and
forth between homes. Academics and cheerleading are stressful
because Alexandria is allowing her family issues to interfere
with her grades and her ability to be a captain. The divorce has
caused Alexandria to become distant, disrespectful and moody
which has caused altercations with other students which has led
to her behavior being stressful. Legal and Ethical Issues
Plan***
Articulate a brief legal and ethical issues plan that presents the
steps you will take to establish an ethical counseling
relationship with your child or adolescent client. Identify
potential ethical and legal issues that could arise with this
client, and describe how you would handle each of these,
referencing specific laws and ethical codes.
Treatment Plan for Case***
Write a brief paragraph here that provides a transition from the
background information about the client to your treatment plan
for the case. Use guidelines in Counseling Children, pages 112–
113.
Problem Identification***
Write a brief description here, identifying the problem.
Problem Definition***
Write a brief description here, defining the problem; use the
DSM-5 for symptom and problem terminology.
Goal Development***
Write a brief description here, outlining the goal of counseling.
Measurable Outcomes***

5. Write a brief description here of outcomes that can be
measured.Proposed Interventions***
Write a brief counseling plan here.
Preliminary DSM-5 Diagnosis***
State your preliminary diagnosis here, stating how your client
meets the criteria for a particular diagnosis, and including
specifiers for the disorder, if applicable. You may diagnose
more than one disorder.References
(Include at least five sources that you used in your assignment.
You may include your textbook. The reference below provides
an example citation for an article.)
Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (year). Title of
article. Title of Periodical, volume#(issue#), xx–xx.
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