The document discusses the case of two adolescents, Brady and Tiffani, highlighting their struggles with emotional attachment and development due to negative familial influences. Brady's aggressive father caused a lack of secure attachment, leading to behavioral issues, while Tiffani's background reflects challenges during her adolescent stage, complicated by her experiences and lack of social support. Both cases emphasize the significance of addressing attachment styles and developmental stages in social work assessments and interventions.

1. RESPONSE 1
Respond
to two colleagues who identified a different case and provide
feedback on client attachment style and exhibiting behavior.
Colleague 1: Chelsie
Brady is a 15 year old that is currently facing many challenges
in his life. Brady is not only struggling in school but at home as
well. Brady and his father presented to the social worker
because of the concerns that Brady's dad has had with Brady's
behavior. However, after completing a session with the social
worker, it became more apparent that Brady's behavior has
stemmed a lot from his father's own behavior. It appeared that
during the session, the social worker utilized multiple
assessment tools to gather the data. One of the most important
assessment tools were the multiple interviews conducted with
both Brady and his father. According to Springer & Powell
(2013), " The interview serves several purposes, such as an
opportunity to establish rapport with the client and allow the
client to tell his or her story" (p.73). During the assessment
interview, the social worker was able to build enough rapport
for Brady to feel comfortable to share that he has been
physically abused by his father at home. After reflecting on the
information shared by Brady about his father, it can be assumed
that Brady struggles with close emotional attachment with his
father. There is an apparent of lack of emotional attachment
because Brady is afraid of his father. As a result of the lack of
emotional attachment, Brady exhibitsbehavioral problems in the
community as a way to receive attention that he does not
receive at home, and because it is the only way he understands
how to react, due to watching his father's aggressive tendencies.

2. Plummer, S.-B., Makris, S., & Brocksen, S. M. (Eds.). (2014a).
Sessions: case histories. Baltimore, MD: Laureate International
Universities Publishing. [Vital Source e-reader]. Working with
Families: The Case of Brady ( pp. 26-28).
Springer, D. W., & Powell, T. M. (2013). Assessment of
adolescents. In M. J. Holosko, C. N. Dulmus, & K. M. Sowers
(Eds.), Social work practice with individuals and families:
Evidence-informed assessments and interventions (pp. 71–95).
Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Colleague 2: Gradnette
A well-known British psychologist by the name of John Bowlby
(1969) emphasized that attachment theory focuses on the
process by which strong and enduring relationships develop are
maintained and can be modified.” In this view, attachment
theory is considered as an excellent foundation for parenting
and a great explanation for adult behavior; however, in the case
of Brady his father displayed the opposite. The behavior
Brady’s father Steve displayed towards him was very
aggressive. According to Bowlby (1973) repeated threats can
leave a child or adolescent feeling intense anxiety, anger, and
rage. Instead of Brady’s father developing a specific positive
emotional bond with Brady he displayed numerous of signs of
anxiety, anger, and rage. Therefore, the behavior of his father
caused Brady to develop the same disruptive behavior according
to Bowlby’s description.
In the case involving Brady and his father Steve there
were several exhibiting behaviors that can be explained by
attachment theory. Additionally, psychologists have proposed
two main theories that are affiliated with the attachments. The

3. learning theory and the behaviorist theory of attachment which
emphasized that attachment is a set of learned behaviors
(Dollard & Miller, 1950). The based for the learning of
attachment in the case of Brady and his father can be viewed
through four basic concepts of attachment theory: (1) secure
attachment, (2) anxious- avoidant attachment, (3) anxious-
resistant attachment, and (4) disorganized attachment. In the
case of Brady; secure attachment can be viewed as a protective
factor which was not attained from him father. Instead of
protecting Brady and his feelings, Steve did not display any
signs of security other than abuse which causes their
relationship to be dysfunctional and created insecurity among
his son. Furthermore, Steve disruptive interaction with his son
caused Brandy to develop an anxious-avoidant attachment which
he tried avoiding certain conversation during sessions with the
social worker when his father was present. Brady also tries to
avoid physical contact with his father to cease arguments,
distress, and negative feelings. When anxious-resistant
attachment is present, Brady instantly forms a nervous
demeanor. For instance, during session with the social worker
the present of his father made Brady a bit more anxiety than the
one on one session. Brady’s reactions when his father is present
showed signs of fear and control which leads to the
disorganized attachment. During the disorganized attachment;
Brady’s body gesture showed signs of abuse by displaying
nervousness and confusion whenever his father would speak in
his present. However, disorganized attachment did not only
affected Brady but Steve appeared to be confused as well when
he did not noticed his disruptive behavior was a reflection of
his son disruptive behavior.
Reference

4. Bowlby, J (1973). Attachment and loss: Vol. 2. Separation:
Anxiety and anger. New York: Basic Books.
Bowlby J. (1969). Attachment. Attachment and loss: Vol. 1.
Loss. New York: Basic Books.
Dollard, J. & Miller, N.E. (1950). Personality and
psychotherapy. New York:McGraw-Hill
RESPONSE 2
Respond to at least two colleagues who identified a different
case and provide feedback on the client’s stage of development.
Identify another area that should be addressed, based on
developmental stage.
Colleague 1: Christine
It appears with assessment that Tiffani did master some of that
stages presented within Erickson's Developmental Theory. The
client reports knowing a "normal life" between infancy to 8
years old. Here, this defines under this theory that she held onto
the virtue of hope, with a psychosocial crisis of trust vs
mistrust, in the relationship with her mother and father. If
appears that Tiffani had no question whether or not she could
trust the world. This can also lead into the theory of Tiffani on
the proper path under this theory that she feared nothing.

5. Tiffani also didn't disclose that she had issues with proper
parenting skills from her parents, if she recognized them at all.
However, there was no proven event to dismantle any thought
that her parents abandoned her or lacked those skills toward
providing proper care. (Springer, Powell, TM, 2013)
This idea into this theory did not change for Tiffani as she
knows through the critical developmental stages of her life: 2-4
years old, it could have appeared that Tiffani exhibited no
shame and no doubt amongst her environment. As the case
reports it also appeared that Tiffani held purpose within her
family between the ages of 4-5 and 5-8, learning new ways to
explore and clearly showing competence identified by her
memory during assessment. At the end of this early school age
stage Tiffani reports understanding there was a family
relationship and she only remembers job, proving that the
family unit must have been strong, for which included her
sister. Tiffani remember going to school, and her parents getting
along. (Plummer, S.B., Brocksen, SM, 2014)
However, this appeared to change once Tiffani hit the
adolescence stage of development. Here, Tiffani expresses
concern within her life, with the virtue of fidelity and begin to
display role confusion due to trauma that was entering her life.
She begin to question her parents role, the lack of her parents'
role and displayed behaviors and emotions of mistrust. This led
Tiffani to peers that had a negative impact on her life, for which
she questioned who she could love. The example here can be of
Donald and the negative relationship that directly impacted this
developmental stage. Here, Tiffani was forced into prostitution
over the power of identify vs role confusion, who were friends
vs foe, and how positive relationship vs negative relationship
would impact her future.
As Tiffani entered her Early Adulthood stage of development it
appears that after working closely with assistance she started to

6. gain more insight toward the developmental stages that perhaps
she missed due to lack of parenting. Tiffani begin to exhibit
mastery toward understanding intimacy vs isolation and started
working for herself while obtaining goals. The virtue here is
that Tiffani begin to love herself, which led her to understand
the question of who am I and what can I be.
Plummer, S.B., Makris, S., & Brocksen, S.M. (Eds). (2014a).
Sessions: case histories, Baltimore, MD: Laureate International
Universities Publishing. [Vital Source e-reader] pp. 17-19
Springer, D.W., & Powell T.M. (2013), Assessment of
Adolescents. In M.J. Holoskos, C.N. Dulmus, & K.M. Sowers
(Eds), Social Work practice with individuals and families:
Evidence-informed assessments and interventions (pp71-95)
Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Colleague 2: Chelsie
Tiffani is a 16 year old girl that has been through many trials
and tribulations throughout her short time on earth. After
assessing Tiffani's situation, it is apparent that Tiffany is
struggling to master the stage of adolescence. To conduct the
assessment, it would be most beneficial to utilize the Children
and Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale (CAFAS) which
looks at 8 different environmental factors that influence
behaviors in children ages 7-17 (Springer & Powell, 2013).
Some of the environmental factors include school/work, family
support, mental health, contact with law enforcement and
behavior towards others/peers. When assessing Tiffani's
situation utilizing the CAFAS, Tiffani scores low in most
sections. Tiffani is does not have social support systems and has
limited family interaction. Tiffani also has dropped out of
school and does not engage with peers her age. Lastly, Tiffani
also struggles with attachment and has a distorted view of love
due to believing that her pimp is the "love of her life" (Plummer

7. & Brocksen, 2014). Overtime, while working with Tiffani, the
CAFAS can help assess progress. After a couple of months, the
CAFAS can be administered again to learn what sections /
behaviors Tiffani has improved in and what still need more
assistance.
In Tiffani's case during the intervention process it is most
important to address Tiffani's social supports and personal self
views. To work on Tiffani's social supports, I would engage in a
similar process as presented in the case study. I would
encourage Tiffani to sit down with her family and talk about her
feelings while sharing her views. This would be beneficial in
helping Tiffani mend the broken pieces between her and her
family. When addressing Tiffani's personal views and self
worth, I would utilize the empowerment theory. The
empowerment theory is beneficial to Tiffani because it focuses
on "addressing the problems of relatively powerless
populations" (Gutierrez & Gillmore, 2000, p.585). Tiffani has
been powerless over her life due to being controlled by her
pimp. By utilizing the empowerment theory, I can help Tiffani
recognize her strengths and how she can take control of her
actions and behaviors.
Gutiérrez, L., Oh, H. J., & Gillmore, M. R. (2000). Toward an
understanding of (em)power(ment) for HIV/AIDS prevention
with adolescent women.
Sex Roles, 42
(7–8), 581–611.
Plummer, S.-B., Makris, S., & Brocksen, S. M. (Eds.). (2014a).
Sessions: Case Histories
. Baltimore, MD: Laureate International Universities
Publishing. [Vital Source e-reader].

8. Springer, D. W., & Powell, T. M. (2013). Assessment of
adolescents. In M. J. Holosko, C. N. Dulmus, & K. M. Sowers
(Eds.),
Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families: Evidences
Informed Assessments and Interventions
(pp. 71–95). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley