The final project for this course is the creation of a comprehensive case conceptualization.

The final product represents an authentic demonstration of competency because case conceptualization is driven by counseling assessment. Specifically, the case conceptualization is the manifestations of assessments at the beginning, middle, and end phases of treatment. Assessments result in case conceptualization and inform adjustments to the conceptualization over time.

The purpose of applying assessment through case conceptualization is to understand the initial needs of the client, structure the issues of the client (often through diagnosis), develop treatment goals, and assign evidence-based treatment to assist the client in attaining his or her goals.

Assessment further informs reevaluation of treatment and progress toward the client’s goals. The final project will focus on applying assessment principles, practice, and skills through case conceptualization to initially understand the needs of the client.

The project is divided into four drafts, which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure quality final submissions. These drafts will be submitted in Weeks, Four, Five, Six, and Seven. The final product will be submitted in Week Nine.

In this assignment, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following course outcomes:

 Evaluate various types of counseling assessment principles for their influence on client care
 Apply assessment principles to client cases for informing custom case conceptualization decision making
 Analyze counseling assessment data for informing and supporting case conceptualization decision making
 Determine appropriate ethical and cultural considerations in administering counseling assessments

Prompt

In preparation for completing this final project, you will need to review the Final Project Case File folder and the related files. You will also need the APA DSM5

Level 1 Symptom Measure–Adult to select one issue from those that are indicated as needing further assessment.

Then, you will select one Level 2 measure and  the assigned severity measure from the list below.

You will use the case summary and all of the required assessments to formulate your case conceptualization.

You will be required to integrate the information from the following assessment into you case conceptualization:

 Intake Assessment
 APA DSM5 WHODAS 2.0
 APA DSM5 Cultural Formulation Interview
 APA The Personality Inventory for DSM-5–Brief Form–Adult
 Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale
 APA DSM5 Self-Rated Level 1 Cross-Cutting Symptom Measure–Adult
 APA DSM5 Level-2-Measure-Adult (Select One)

1. APA DSM5 Level–2–Anger–Adult (plus APA DSM5 Severity of Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms–Adult)
2. APA DSM5 Level–2–Anxiety–Adult (plus APA DSM5 Severity Measure for Panic Disorder–Adult)
3. APA DSM5 Level–2–Depression–Adult (plus APA DSM5 Severity Measure for Depression–Adult)
4. APA DSM5 Level–2–Sleep Disturbance–Adult (plus APA DSM5 Severity of Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms–Adult)

There are additional assessments included in the Final Project Case File folder that you can use to support your final project, but they are not all required to include.

Be sure to use industry-specific language when addressing the critical elements below.

Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:

I. Presenting Concerns: Identify the presenting concerns within the assessments. Synthesize the results of the qualitative and quantitative assessments.

A. Describe the problem/issue/challenge that the client reports they want help with.
B. Explain the problem/issue/challenge affecting the client.
1. What are the behavioral symptoms?
2. What are the cognitive symptoms?
3. What are the emotional symptoms?
4. What are the physiological symptoms?

C. What does the client typically experience and demonstrate when the presenting problem/issue/challenge is activated?

D. What are the results of the quantitative assessments?

E. What is the relationship between the data from the quantitative and qualitative assessments?

F. Discuss the following considerations related to the assessments used.

1. Justify why the assessments used are appropriate and applicable to this client.
2. What are the reliability and validity considerations in using each assessment with this client?
3. What are the limitation associated with using each assessment with this client?
4. What are the ethical considerations necessary when using these assessments with this client?

G. Make sure to answer the following questions with appropriate citation of which assessment was used.

II. Current Triggers: Using the data gathered from the assessments, describe the client’s current triggers.

A. Describe the triggers (people, places, things, and sensory experiences) that activate the behavioral, cognitive, emotional, and physiological patterns that result in the client’s presenting problem/issue/challenge.

B. Discuss the following considerations related to the assessments used:

1. In relation to current triggers, what are the reliability and validity considerations in using each assessment with this client?

2. In relation to current triggers, what are the limitation associated with using each assessment with this client?

III. Maladaptive Patterns: Identify the maladaptive patterns the client is presenting. Compare the data you gathered from assessments and your observations of the client with empirical literature on factors that relate to the client’s issue and presenting problem.

Then, answer the following questions.

A. Explain the inflexible and/or ineffective manner the client is feeling (emotions), the current triggers, and the presenting concerns.

B. Explain the inflexible and/or ineffective manner the client is thinking (cognitions), the current triggers, and the presenting concerns.

C. Explain the inflexible and/or ineffective manner the client is behaving (actions) in reaction to the current triggers and the presenting concerns.

D. Explain the inflexible and/or ineffective manner in which the client is experiencing (physiology) the current triggers and the presenting concerns.

E. Discuss the following considerations related to the assessments used.

1. In relation to maladaptive patterns, what are the reliability and validity considerations in using each assessment with this client?

2. In relation to maladaptive patterns, what are the limitations associated with using each assessment with this client?

3. How does the literature selected impact your understanding of the client’s experience?

IV. Developmental Influences: Identify developmental influences that are presented in the collected information.

Using the empirically supported information from scholarly resources related to the pressing problem and the data from the assessments, answer the following:

A. What are the experiences from the client’s development (birth to the present) that influence the development of the presenting concerns?

B. What are the developmental factors that promote the client’s maladaptive functioning patterns?

C. What are the developmental factors that promote the client’s adaptive functioning patterns?

V. Promoters: Identify promoters that are presented in the information collected.

Using the empirically supported information from scholarly resources related to the pressing problem and the data from the assessments, answer the following:

A. What are the present experiences (onset to present) that influence the maintenance of the presenting concerns?
B. What are the present factors that promote the client’s maladaptive functioning patterns?
C. What are the present factors that promote the client’s adaptive functioning patterns?

VI. Cultural Identity: Discuss how the client’s cultural characteristics influence the client’s identity.

Use the data from the cultural formulation interview (CFI) and answer the following:

A. How does the client identify with the following cultural characteristics?

1. Age
2. Disability
3. Religion
4. Ethnicity
5. Social class
6. Sexual orientation
7. Indigenous background
8. National origin
9. Gender identity

B. Which of the cultural characteristics from above does the client use to define a sense of belonging and use to define an identity?

C. Summarize how cultural identity has influenced the client’s development (birth to present).

D. What are the ethical considerations necessary when using these assessments with this client?

VII. Cultural Stressors: Determine how the client’s cultural identity impacts the client’s stressors.

A. Summarize the dominate culture for your geographic area using all cultural characteristics listed above.

B. Consider the culture identity of the client and identify the similarities and differences between the dominant culture and the client’s cultural identity.

C. Explain how the similarities between culture identities has impacted the client’s psychosocial experiences.

D. Explain how the differences between culture identities has impacted the client’s psychosocial stress.

E. How do these factor impact the presenting concerns and current triggers

F. What are the ethical considerations necessary when using these assessments with this client?

VIII. Cultural Influencers: Determine how the client’s cultural identity impacts the client’s influencers.

Using the data from the CFI, answer the following:

A. What are the beliefs the client holds regarding the cause of the client’s distress, condition, or impairment?

B. What are the beliefs the client’s close relationships regarding the cause of the client’s distress, condition, or impairment?

C. How will these beliefs impact your conceptualization of the presenting concerns and the goals of treatment?
D. What are the ethical considerations necessary when using these assessments with this client?
IX. Personality Patterns Summary: Using the information provided, create a personality patterns summary for the client based on all assessments and your
observations.
A. Summarize the general personality characteristics of the client’s:
1. Openness to experience (level of creativity and curiosity)
2. Conscientiousness (level of organization and work ethic)
3. Extraversion (level of sociability and enthusiasm)
4. Agreeableness (level of friendliness and kindness)
5. Emotional stability (level of calmness and tranquility)
4

B. Describe how the client’s general personality characteristics and the client’s cultural identity interact to promote adaptive functional patterns
and resilience.
C. Describe how the client’s general personality characteristics and the client’s cultural identity interact to promote the maladaptive functioning
patterns described above.