Psychological Problems of Children and Young People - Case Study Example

Psychology Case Study Student’s Name: Professor Course Date Introduction Psychological problems often arise from diverse situations, attitudes, and even behaviors of those involved. Children are affected more by these situations than adults because of inexperience and the fact that they are still developing. Indeed, the understanding of children is different from that of the adults because of their development process. The main component in the developmental process is the kids’ comprehension of mental states. It also involves how those mental states influence their behavior. This aspect has been termed the theory of mind in several research areas on the topic. As much as psychological research suggests that behavior is influenced more by an individual’s inner make up such as attitude and cognitive abilities, there is substantial evidence to suggest that influence from the outside environment have a greater influence. Indeed, kids tend to act according to how the people they interact with the act (Ahrons, 2006). Additionally, those of the adults affect the deeds of these kids mainly because they do not have experience on how to deal with certain situations. Recent studies into mental problems affecting the kids have shown how early experiences influence children’s behaviors. These studies have shown how the society influences the mental states of its members, especially the children. Parent-to-child relationships and community members-to-children relationships have a huge influence on how children behave. Indeed, the conversations between the kids and these members of the society and the kids and the conversations and deeds among the members of the society alone have a huge influence on how the kids behave (Deborah et al. 2007). This implies that the kids may act in a particular way mainly because of adults’ behaviors. This paper will use a Jeremy’s case study to analyze psychological needs and behaviors according to certain situations. The Process and Content of Counseling Children and Young People According to Jeremy’s case, the boy was well behaved until he heard his parents’ quarrels and fighting. This fact that his parents could not stop this behavior meant that Jeremy’s behavior would change for the worst. According to the theory of mind, the events in Jeremy’s family were going to affect his behavior eventually. The result was the change in Jeremy’s behavior into a rebellious, uncooperative and an angry person. This gives a different perspective to this scenario, as the parents are the main cause of his behavior (Lenna & Ross, 2008). From this, one question that arises is that; are the parents the ones who need the therapy, or it is Jeremy? From Jeremy’s age, it is evident that he has few life experiences and that means that a therapy for him may not work if the parents do not stop their quarrels and fighting. This implies that the process of counseling Jeremy has to involve the parents in more than one way. This may not be the state for all children, but there are several kids who are influenced by their parents’ actions. It is also clear that lack of enough experiences affects the kids’ as they cannot establish other methods of dealing with pressure (Liao et al. 2005). According to Rosario et al. (2005), the process of child counseling should be based on the nature of the problem. Indeed, the treatment of any problem begins with identifying the root of the problem then working to treat the root. In their article, Rosario et al. (2005) state that the process of establishing and developing one’s identity is a complex yet a simple process that depends on the child’s surrounding. Although their research was based on the LGBT group, the essence of their conclusion is that every counselor should identify the character of the kid before any counseling session is begun (Madsen, 2009). Liao et al. state that the age of the child should be the first consideration in planning the counseling session for the kids. The concept of puberty is different in different cultures implying that cultural differences affect the way counseling sessions should work. According to Liao et al. (2005), the age where puberty begins is different for different cultures. Indeed, different cultures deem puberty starts at the age of eighteen while other think that it starts as early as ten years. Developmental theories The main theory that could be used to develop counseling sessions is the theory of the mind mainly because it explains the influence of the external forces on a child’s behavior (Moreland & Dumas, 2007). There are two ways that this theory can be used to develop a counseling process. Parent-Child Attachment This relationship is the most important in the development of a child and hence the establishment of the best way to treat psychological problems. This is because the parents shape their children’s behavior through their actions and conversations. Moreover, they are the people that spend most of their time with the children. Often, children would do what their parents do and talk the way their parents talk. For instance, one would notice a girl child try to cook what her mother cooks especially when playing with their friends. Additionally, boys often do the things they see their father doing, for instance, if their father is taken as an important person in the society, then their child is often seen portraying the same status (Nickerson et al., 2006). This shows how the environment and early childhood experiences influence their child character. The attachment between the parents and the children helps them in developing a lucid and organized mental picture and behavior. This fact can be used to explain Jeremy’s behavior and hence develop a counseling process. This is because Jeremy seemed to have developed a healthy relationship with him and his parents. However, the beginning of the quarreling episodes seemed to have affected his relationship with them. An efficient counseling process should involve an explanation of the difference between Jeremy’s life and that of his parents. The counselor should also explain to him that adult life is different from that of a kid and that his parent’s problems are not his. The main message of the above statements is that the counselor should understand that outside environment affects behavior development and hence should try to create a difference between Jeremy’s life and that of his parents. This will lift some weight off Jeremy’s shoulders, as it seems he has the perception that his parent’s quarreling is part of his life (Smond & Selzer, 2007). Parent-Child Communication This is part is perhaps the one affecting Jeremy the most as the communication between his parents is affecting his behavior. Quarreling is considered an outrageous means of communication where the participants do not agree. Language is the main element in communication allowing people to understand one another. This process enables the child to take the perspectives from the process of communication and compare with theirs. This is the point where a kid’s behavior starts to change according to those conversations. Jeremy’s case is different in that the communication is between his parents and not with him. Even so, hearing his parents quarrel affects his peace of mind and the only way to blow the steam is by becoming uncooperative and angry at everything. The therapy based on communication should, therefore, affect the whole family. Jeremy’s family should know that their quarrels affect his character and that a change would do a lot to change the boy for the better. First, the parents should know how to use mild language in their conversations because a kid of ten years can understand the implications of foul language. Secondly, the parents should seek psychological help especially if their problems have an underlying psychological cause. This is because even if Jeremy got the psychological help that could change his behavior, the environment might make the problem reoccur (William, 2009). Relevant Ethical and Legal Issues The counselors are needed to adhere to some codes of conduct that govern the profession. The evolvement of the psychological field and comprehension of behavior implies that the person needed to counsel Jeremy and his family needs to have a good educational background and experience in the field mainly because he or she will be dealing with the life of the whole family. The counselors need to be respectful to their clients by considering their fundamental rights. The counselors should also possess integrity, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and fidelity so that he or she can be capable of improving Jeremy’s behavior. The legal concerns that may arise from the counseling process are those that come about if the fundamental rights of the counselee. Although some legal issues can be said to belong to the ethical cluster, the consequences of such actions are punishable by law. The most profound legal issue is that of confidentiality as most of the patients and clients require that their cases be kept a secret. The counseling process often requires that the most intimate information be provided to the counselor so that the counselor can provide an impeccable counseling plan. The counselor has the obligation of keeping every piece of information a secret. However, the information can be shared if the treatment and the counseling process need it. In Jeremy’s case, the parents should be made aware of the cause of Jeremy’s behavior. In this way, Jeremy’s personal information had to be shared so that the treatment process could provide positive results (Smond & Seltzer, 2007). Conclusion Several theories and approaches could be used to design a proper counseling procedure for kids with Jeremy’s problems. The first step in undertaking a treatment problem is by finding the underlying problem before the treatment procedure is begun. Secondly, the counselor should understand the nature, behavior and the character of the client so that a proper treatment procedure that fits the client can be used during the treatment. The two aspects of the theory of the mind namely communication and attachment show how a child’s development depends mostly on the parents deeds and communication. This shows that the parents should receive counseling as the boy is receiving his mainly because the parents affect the behavior of the kids. This will help reduce the chances of Jeremy returning to his bad behavior after the counseling. References Ahrons, R.C. (2006). Family Ties After Divorce: Long-Term Implications for Children. Family Process, 46(1). Deborah J. T., Finn, S.T., Wilkinson, A.D. & Schaber, P.M. (2007). Therapeutic Assessment With A Child As A Family Intervention: A Clinical And Research Case Study Psychology In The Schools, Vol. 44(3). Lenna L.O & Ross, A. T. (2008). Attachment, Parent–Child Discourse And Theory-Of-Mind Development, University Of California, Davis. Blackwell Publishing Ltd. 2008 Social Development. Liao, L.M., Missenden, K., Hallam, R.S., Conway, G.S., (2005). Experience Of Early Pubertal Development: A Preliminary Analysis. Journal Of Reproductive And Infant Psychology, 23(3), Pp. 219–233. Routledge Madsen W.C. (2009). The White Whale: A Case Study Vanessa Spiller. Practice Notes Anzjft 26(4), Pp, 185-192. Moreland, A. E. & Dumas, J.E. (2007). Evaluating Child Coping Competence: Theory And Measurement. Springer Science Business Media, Llc 2007 J Child Fam Stud 17, pp 437–454 Nickerson, A.B., Brooks, J.L., Colby, S.A., Rickert, J.M. & Salamone, F.J. (2006). Family Involvement In Residential Treatment: Staff, Parent, And Adolescent Perspectives. Journal Of Child And Family Studies, Vol. 15, No. 6, Pp. 681–694 Rosario, M., Schrimshaw, E.W., & Braun, L. (2006). Sexual Identity Development Among Lesbian, Gay, And Bisexual Youths: Consistency And Change Over Time. The Journal Of Sex Research(43(1), Pp. 46-58. Smond, G. & Seltzer, M.M. (2007). Siblings Of Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders Across The Life Course. Mental Retardation And Developmental Disabilities Research Reviews 13. Pp 313 – 320 WiLliam C. M. (2009). Collaborative Helping: A Practice Framework For Family-Centered Services. Family Process, 48(1). Read More