The document summarizes a case study involving a 24-year-old Caribbean immigrant client named Aaron who is experiencing symptoms of anxiety and depression. Through several counseling sessions, the client explored issues related to his strained family relationships, feelings of loss and disconnection from his family, and grief over the death of his younger brother. The social worker used theories like family systems theory and attachment theory to understand the client's issues. Key goals were addressing family estrangement, grief, and reducing anxious and depressive symptoms. Understanding the client's cultural background and experiences with immigration was also important to the case.

1. 6200 week 8 assignment: connecting knowledge and research
SOCW 6200: Human Behavior and the Social Environment I Week 8Assignment:
Connecting Knowledge and ResearchIn order to provide the appropriate intervention, social
workers first need to have conducted a thorough assessment. Having a comprehensive
understanding of a client and their social environment, including the influence of racism
and ethnocentrism, allows a social worker to accurately identify the presenting problems
and help the client develop goals to address their needs. Not completing a full assessment
may result in inaccurately identifying the presenting problem and pushing goals on the
client to which they do not agree. A good assessment is the best foundation for treatment
planning.In addition, evidence based practice requires social workers to use the best
available evidence to inform their practice decisions. This assignment helps you prepare for
the final project by beginning to identify the presenting problem and possible goals, as well
as beginning the research process to inform your treatment recommendations when
working with the identified client in a case study.To prepare: Conduct research in the
Walden library to locate at least 1 peer-reviewed scholarly resource(s) that could inform
your assessment or intervention with the case you plan to use in your final project.By Day 7
07/24/2021Submit a 2-3 page paper in APA format 7 in which you:Identify the case you
will be using for the final project ( Working With Immigrants and Refugees: The Case of
Aaron)Describe the presenting problem(s)Describe 2 goals for the client based on their
presenting problemIdentify a specific peer-reviewed article and explain how it could inform
understanding of the problem/population, development of goals, or intervention and
treatment planExplain how ethnocentrism and racism may influence the case (make sure to
draw from this week’s assigned readings) Working With Immigrants and Refugees: The
Case of AaronWorking With Immigrants and Refugees: The Case of AaronAaron is a 24-
year-old, unmarried, heterosexual, Caribbean immigrant male who is experiencing
symptoms of anxiety and depression. Aaron reports no history of mental health treatment
nor any medical or legal problems. He admits to social drinking but denies use of illegal
substances. He lives alone in a room he rents above the restaurant where he works. He
works 24 hours a week as a waiter, has few friends, and is a part-time student at a local
university where he is working on an undergraduate degree in biology. Aaron came to
speak with me, a university counselor, because he is having difficulty concentrating and
finding the motivation to study. Aaron denied any thoughts or plans of suicide or homicide
and stated he felt hopeless and nervous.In the first session, Aaron struggled with sustaining
eye contact, presented as preoccupied, and was indifferent to the attempts to engage him in

2. the intake process. When asked what he thought precipitated counseling, Aaron said that he
had a difficult relationship with his parents who, he stated, “are not supportive and could
care less” about him. He also reported that his younger brother was killed not long ago.
When asked what he wanted to work on in counseling, he said that he wanted to address
why his family was so “messed up.” Subsequent sessions explored Aaron’s perspective on
his family, the strained relationship between Aaron and his parents, and the loss of his
sibling.During one session, Aaron said his parents had always favored his younger brother
and overlooked his criminal involvement, which had been a source of conflict between
Aaron and his parents for years. While it had not been confirmed, Aaron suspected his
brother’s death was related to gang involvement. Aaron shared that his academic interests
and achievement had been ignored by his parents and had never been a source of interest
for them.In a subsequent session, Aaron stated that he had always felt disconnected and
different from his parents and brother. Aaron’s family immigrated to the United States from
Guyana when Aaron was 8 years old and his brother was 2 years old. His parents brought
only his brother and left Aaron with his grandmother, informing him they would bring him
over when they were settled. Seven years later, at the age of 15, he joined his family. Aaron
reported that reuniting with his family after all that time was difficult. Aaron had always felt
rejected by his parents because they did not bring him to the United States with his brother.
He experienced a void in his relationship with his parents and his brother, and he felt there
was an unspoken alliance between his parents and his younger brother that he did not
share. Aaron said that he was often made fun of by them for not losing his accent and for his
use of their culture’s traditions and customs. They also ridiculed him for being homesick
and missing his grandmother. He said that his parents rarely attended the West Indian
activities he participated in, and when they did, they spent more time critiquing his
performance than enjoying it.In the following sessions, Aaron was encouraged to tell the
story of his family and how the immigration process disrupted their connections with one
another and how this may have affected their ability to grieve together as they faced the
death of his brother. Using genograms and having Aaron educate me about his country, I
was better able to understand his family’s immigration history and the roles played by
extended family members. This approach allowed Aaron to talk more about how and when
his anxiety and depression manifested. Later I learned that these symptoms had always
been mildly present but became more acute after the death of his brother. Aaron grieved
the loss of a brother and examined his feelings of loss around his relationship with parents
who were both limited in their ability to include him in their own grieving processes.After
several sessions, Aaron was able to talk more openly about his frustration and
disappointment with his family and identify the losses they had all incurred. He allowed
himself the opportunity to grieve his brother and the lack of relationship with his parents
and began to consider the possibility of a new relationship with them. Aaron reported a
reduction in his feelings of anxiety and depression and resumed interest in his academic
work. Aaron and I discussed termination at the end of the semester with a recommendation
that he continue with individual therapy in the summer months.Working With Immigrants
and Refugees:The Case of Aaron1.What specific intervention strategies (skills, knowledge,
etc.) did you use to address this client situation?I used support, active listening, reflection,

3. reframing, and validation with the client, and I recognized the importance of structure,
reliability, and predictability of the social worker in the therapeutic alliance.2.Which theory
or theories did you use to guide your practice?I used family systems theory, multicultural
family theories, and attachment theory.3.What were the identified strengths of the
client(s)?The client’s strengths included his ability to verbalize and his desire for change
and relief. He was also insightful and intelligent and had good judgment.4.What were the
identified challenges faced by the client(s)?The client was poor and had limited support
systems. He was manifesting anxiety and depressive symptoms and was somewhat
isolated.5.What were the agreed-upon goals to be met to address the concern?We agreed to
address family estrangement, grief, and loss, and to work toward a reduction of acute
anxious and depressive symptoms.6.Did you have to address any issues around cultural
competence? Did you have to learn about this population/group prior to beginning your
work with this client system? If so, what type of research did you do to prepare?I needed to
learn about the growing number of fractured families in the Caribbean immigrant
experience. It was important to recognize the role of point of entry for immigrant groups
with respect to culture and developmental stage of life and to recognize that structural and
cultural oppression was present in the client’s experience with his family and the family
experience as immigrants.7.How would you advocate for social change to positively affect
this case?Perhaps some family intervention in high school or at age 15 would have been of
benefit.8.Is there any additional information that is important to the case?The client was
resourceful in developing alliances and supports when able (i.e., college professor who
referred him, employer).9.Describe any additional personal reflections about this case.The
level of disenfranchisement experienced by the client is underdiscussed. Immigration issues
of older adolescents and young adults are distinct, particularly when coupled with
reintegration with family.Follow Rubric DetailResponsiveness to Directions13.5 (27%) – 15
(30%)Assignment fully addresses all instruction prompts.Content18 (36%) – 20
(40%)Paper demonstrates an excellent understanding of all of the concepts and key points
presented in the text(s) and Learning Resources. Paper provides significant detail including
multiple relevant examples, evidence from the readings and other sources, and discerning
ideas. Paper demonstrates exemplary critical thought.Writing13.5 (27%) – 15
(30%)Assignment is well organized, uses scholarly tone, follows APA style, uses original
writing and proper paraphrasing, contains very few or no writing and/or spelling errors,
and is fully consistent with graduate level writing style. Assignment contains multiple,
appropriate and exemplary sources expected/required for the assignment.Required
ReadingsZastrow, C. H., Kirst-Ashman, K. K., & Hessenauer, S. L. (2019). Understanding
human behavior and the social environment (11th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.