Florida State University Psychology Discussion Questions

Directions:

Read chapter 10 from the attached book which is about ( Substance use and addictive disorders) and chapter 3 for assessment and diagnosis in order to answer Q:2. Please be specific with your explanations. Do not write a general answer.

• Paper should be no more than 2 pages, double spaced, 12 pt., Times New Roman font
• Number your answers 1, 2, 3, etc. to indicate what question you are answering.
• Choose one scenario to answer.
• You must cite your book at least 4 times throughout the paper. You can do this by simply writing in the page number.
  • Example: “I believe the sociocultural model best explains this situation because research shows a negative correlation between rates of schizophrenia and socioeconomic status (p. 300).”
• Do not include unnecessary information. You do not need to provide an introduction or conclusion paragraph. Additionally, you do not need to define terms. Simply answer the question to the best of your ability.
• If you use an outside source (e.g., not our textbook or class slides), it must be cited in APA style (for help with APA, click here)
• Tip: Be specific, be specific, be specific. For example, if you are explaining the cause of a disorder from a biological perspective, it is not enough to say “there might be a chemical imbalance.” If you are explaining the cause of a disorder from a cognitive behavioral perspective, it is not enough to simply say, “they are thinking negatively.” Etc.

Scenario 1

Lisa is a 30 year-old, Asian-American woman. She comes to your office after her employer refers her due to getting a DUI. As you conduct your intake, Lisa reports that she has been drinking alcohol since she was 15, drinks 2-4 nights a week, and has not had any other consequences to her drinking, aside from “every now and then [she] gets in fights with friends.” She has experienced hangovers in the past, which have occasionally caused her to be late to work, but she assures you she is not “too late” and her employer is not aware of why she was late to work (knowing you have to keep this information confidential). When asked how much she drinks, she says “I don’t know… until I feel it I guess.”

Lisa has a “decent” relationship with her father, stating she does not speak to him much aside from when she “has to,” but also indicates there is “nothing particularly wrong with our relationship, we just don’t talk much.” Her mother passed away from cirrhosis (disease of the liver) when she was in junior high. Her mother’s alcohol use was indicated by her doctors to be a significant contributing factor to her cirrhosis. Lisa is engaged to her partner, they have been dating for four years, and have been living together for three years. She reports that their relationship has been going well, but her recent DUI has put a strain on them interpersonally (her partner is upset with her for drinking while driving) and financially. Although Lisa is “ashamed” of herself for getting a DUI, she does not believe she needs to radically change her drinking habits, but does think she may need to find “safer” ways to go about drinking so that it does not cause further problems.

1.Based on these symptoms, what diagnosis is most appropriate for Lisa?

2.If you could use any form of assessment aside from an interview, what would you use with Lisa and why? Hint: Use one of the assessment techniques discussed in chapter 3.

3.Conceptualize/explain what may have caused Lisa’s current issue (i.e., diagnosis), using any model/paradigm of your choosing? Hint: Be specific in your conceptualization

4.What treatment would you recommend for Lisa? How would you carry this out?