Overview
Applying foundational knowledge of developmental theories is the guide to conceptualizing clients from multiple perspectives. In this assessment, you will be tasked with creating a Data Assessment Plan (DAP) Case Note by applying a developmental theory to the client scenarios listed below.
The developmental theory you choose will give you a specific lens for understanding the client and presenting the issue(s) across the lifespan of the developmental theories. This assessment is meant to shape your professional identity as a counselor and how you work with clients.
Case Study
Jane is a 22-year-old African American female who self-referred for inpatient treatment due to drug and alcohol use. She is from and still lives in New York City. She is currently unemployed and homeless and has charges pending due to a number of “bounced” checks written over the past several months. Jane has had several part-time jobs that she has been fired from or abruptly quit.
While in high school, she had aspirations of being an architect. Jane’s mother was a heavy drug user while pregnant with her. When Jane was born, she was addicted to crack and spent several months in the hospital. Jane reports that both of her parents were drug addicts, and she experienced physical, sexual, and emotional abuse throughout childhood at their hands. Her father died of liver disease at the age of 37.
Jane also reports that at the age of 14, she was kicked out of her family’s home because her father suspected that she was gay. Although they live in the same town, she has not had any contact with her mother for 7 years. Jane describes her relationship with her older sister as “fair.” Jane is not presently involved in a steady relationship, but she does have a network of friends in the local gay community whom she has been staying with off and on. Jane has serious trust issues and does not have anyone she can open up to in her support network. At the time that she left home, Jane survived by becoming involved in sexual relationships with older men, many of whom were also abusive.
She has had numerous sexual partners (both male and female) over the past 7 years, has traded sex for drugs and money, has had sex under the influence of drugs and alcohol, and has been made to have sex against her will. Jane struggles with her identity and sexual orientation and considers herself as bisexual, not gay.
Jane first used alcohol at age 14, when she had her first sexual encounter with a man. She began using other drugs, including inhalants and marijuana, by age 16 and amphetamines and cocaine by age 19. At 22, four months prior to entering treatment, she began using crack.
Prompt
Your DAP Case Note should explain foundational information about your chosen developmental theory, including information about its founder. You will then apply the theory to the case scenario client to begin conceptualizing the case from a counseling perspective. You should conclude your paper with a summation of your findings and ultimately determine the client’s overall mental wellness.
Specifically, the following underlined critical elements must be addressed:
- Through the lens of the developmental theory, explain the physical and cognitive components of the client’s case across the lifespan.
- Through the lens of the developmental theory, explain the systemic and environmental components of the client’s case across the lifespan.
- Using the developmental theory as a guide, explain the client’s career development across the lifespan.
- Using the developmental theory as a guide, explain the client’s work environment across the lifespan.
- Describe how the client’s career and work history across his or her lifespan relates to his or her current state.
- Explain, through the lens of the developmental theory, any cultural components of the case that play a role in the development of the client.
- Explain, through the lens of the developmental theory, any ethical components of the case that play a role in the development of the client.