Case Studies and Assessments – Discussion Post
The case context involves a 12-year-old patient (Logan) whose mental disorder arises from different sources of fear. The case notes that Logan experiences panic attacks when his parents are away. He also suffers from panic attacks that arise from the fear of being sick. A previous mental assessment concludes that Logan is not suffering from an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders depict unique symptoms and affect numerous aspects of the social life of a child.
The previous assessment notes that Logan experiences panic attacks occasionally. He has not sought mental assessment as the parents believe in their short-term health strategy. Logan and his parents spend a lot of time together as a means of preventing panic attacks that arise from the anxiety of separation (Milrod, 2013). The parents also assure Logan that he is healthy and cannot face any illness. According to the previous assessment describing Logan’s condition, it is claimed that the patient is yet to fulfill different criteria that categorize a mental condition as an anxiety disorder.
Logan requires an in-depth analysis to determine the source and solution of the panic attacks. The previous assessment details relevant information, which provides Logan’s mental illness. Logan is noted as a quiet student with good academic performance. His teacher also notes that he does not like being picked on by fellow students (Milrod, 2013). Logan also avoids incidences that would embarrass him in public. An approach for assessing Logan would be a keen observation of his social behavior in different contexts. In essence, the approach will involve a qualified psychologist who will study Logan’s condition for more than 6 months.
| Psychological Tests | Assessment Procedures |
| Cognitive tests for evaluating Logan’s social behavior. | Diagnostic assessment for evaluating cases of panic attacks. |
| Observation tests for assessing his level of panic attacks. | Formative assessment to measure recovery rate in the patient. |
| Confidence-building tests to improve public communication skills. | Summative tests to ensure improvements and positive progress. |
A comprehensive medical diagnosis should include a qualified psychologist who understands different mental disorders. Logan might be suffering from anxiety disorders despite experiencing panic attacks for less than 6 months. A qualified psychologist might interpret Logan’s academic performance differently. The previous assessment noted that Logan depicts good academic performance, which is not common among patients of mental disorders. However, the duration of diagnosing an anxiety disorder might be too expensive for Logan’s parents (Horwitz & Wakefield, 2012). The mental condition requires a dedicated and committed psychologist who observes Logan’s social behavior. Through Logan’s social behavior, the psychologist might understand factors contributing to the panic attacks. Involving a qualified psychologist might also affect the social development of a child. Logan might feel too pestered when observed intentionally. Lastly, the suggested procedure might disregard information about the condition in Logan’s family.
References
Horwitz, A. V., & Wakefield, J. C. (2012). All we have to fear: Psychiatry’s transformation of natural anxieties into mental disorders. Oxford University Press.
Milrod, B. (2013). The Gordian knot of clinical research in anxiety disorders: Some answers, more questions.