CASE STUDY
Linda and Joe Burke have been married for 45 years and are the head of their family. The couple immigrated from South Africa as young adults and Joe (Caucasian male, age 66) became extremely successful in the corporate world but struggled with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). Joe has abstained from alcohol for the past 17-years; At one point, he was heavily involved in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) though he has not attended a meeting in 3 years. Linda (Caucasian female, age 63) dropped out of college to become a stay-at-home mother at age 20 and raised 3 children. When her youngest completed high school, Linda decided to return to her studies and became an accountant. Her business took off quickly and is thriving during the pandemic. Linda was diagnosed with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) in her youth and has struggled with depression in the past. More recently, she was diagnosed with cervical cancer and began undergoing chemotherapy following a failed round of radiation. The couple has both been struggling with increased anxiety due to Linda’s health conditions. However, they avoid discussing her health at all costs. Joe recently began drinking again but does not want to attend virtual AA meetings which are the only ones available to him at the moment.
Sadie, (43-year-old female), is the oldest of Joe and Linda’s three daughters. Sadie is diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) and hoarding disorder. She is married to Sheila (a 42-year-old African American female) and the couple has one adopted daughter, Layla (13-year-old Asian female). Sadie works with her mother as an accountant. Sheila, a police officer, was injured in the line of duty about a year ago, resulting in the inability to use her legs. She now requires the use of a wheelchair and was recently diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). In addition to the financial burden of having to move to accessible housing, the stress of Sheila’s condition has caused Sadie to experience significant anxiety and has led to an increase in her hoarding behaviors, thereby creating an unsafe environment for the family. Layla has been experiencing depression and anxiety related to both Sheila’s condition as well as Sadie’s hoarding. She was taken to a psychiatrist after Sadie found out she had been cutting herself, and she was diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD).
Jessica, (37-year-old female) is Joe and Linda’s middle child. Jessica is married to Martin (36-year-old Hispanic male) and the couple have two sons, 11-year-old Miguel and 7-year-old Vincente. Jessica has a diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder (BD) type I and has had two manic episodes in the past in which required hospitalization. Jessica’s family has described her manic episodes as “absolutely terrifying,” but Jessica feels as though her experiences of mania were “spiritual experiences.” She struggles to accept that she has a mental illness and has had trouble with medication adherence in the past. Martin has Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and benzodiazepine dependence. Initially, he was taking his medications as prescribed, but when the effects would wear off, he felt his anxiety getting even worse. He continues to see his doctor for a prescription, but regularly purchases pills illegally. He has been growing more anxious as reports of fake fentanyl pills continue to increase.
Miguel (11-year-old male) has Tourette’s syndrome. He struggles with vocal and motor tics that make it difficult for him to interact with peers. Miguel’s family describes him as a “sweet and loving child”, but he faces severe bullying in school daily. Miguel feels too ashamed to tell his parents about the bullying. Vincente (7-year-old male) was recently diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) after a referral was made by his school for his inability to remain still and focused in class. Despite being a very bright child, Vincente struggles with impulse control, and with the move to virtual instruction he is struggling to keep up with his classes. Jessica, his mother, is hesitant to put him on any kind of medication and believes the school is over-reacting.
Marie (24-year-old female) is the youngest of Joe and Linda’s children. Marie has dealt with Bulimia Nervosa (BN) since she was 13, but more recently, after seeing multiple clinical social workers and psychiatrists she was also diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Marie was born when her parents were older and not planning to have any more children and has always felt “like a mistake.” Marie’s family describes her as “the best and worst person all in one.” The family will often exclude Marie from get-togethers to avoid what they call “a rage episode.” Marie has yet to be able to hold down employment and up until recently was supported entirely by her parents and was on their health insurance. Marie is dating Symon (26-year-old, biracial, gender non-binary) who is diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa (AN). The couple began dating several months ago but have already moved in together. The couple’s eating disorders have both gotten worse as they’ve started dating, as they enable each other’s behavior. Marie’s parents do not accept Symon and refuse to utilize their they/them/their pronouns, which has only driven Marie closer to Symon. The conflict has led to Linda and Joe refusing to continue to support Marie financially and include her in their health insurance.
You may choose one of the following family members and diagnoses to complete your Capstone (listed here in the order they first appear in the case study):
Linda – SLE or cervical cancer
Joe – AUD
Sadie – OCPD or hoarding disorder
Sheila – PTSD or loss of the use of her legs
Layla – MDD
Jessica – BD type I
Martin – GAD or sedative, hypnotic, or anxiolytic use disorder
Miguel – Tourette’s syndrome
Vincente – ADHD
Marie – BPD or BN
Symon – AN
Section 1. Client and presenting diagnosis (~ 1 page, 10% of grade, 8.5/10 points required for passing grade):
You will be given a description of a family. Choose one member of the family and in one paragraph summarize who the person is and their sociodemographic characteristics and any other relevant information.
The description you are provided with will include a presenting illness/disorder (e.g. Opioid Use Disorder, PTSD, depression, bipolar, ADHD, etc.). In 1-2 paragraphs, provide a definition of the disorder, its etiology, symptoms and common effects on the individual and their family.
Use the most recent DSM (if applicable) and at least one additional peer-reviewed journal article from the last 10 years to support your writing in this section.
Section 2. Engage diversity and difference in practice (~1.5 pages, 20% of grade, 17/20 points required for passing grade).
Choose a socio-demographic characteristic from your case study (e.g. gender, age, race, sexual orientation, SES).
Locate two peer-reviewed journal articles from the last 10 years that discuss differences and diversity in terms of specific characteristics for symptoms, diagnosis or treatment of the illness/disorder you wrote about in section 1 (e.g. gender differences in the treatment of PTSD, racial disparities in the diagnosis of depression or anxiety)
In 2-3 paragraphs, summarize the articles, as they relate to the client in your case study.
In 1-2 paragraphs, identify differences between the client in the case study and yourself (the practitioner) discussing your own possible strengths and skills as well as challenges.
Section 3. Critical assessment and intervention (~1.5 pages, 20% of grade, 17/20 points required for passing grade)
Considering your client’s diagnosis (presenting illness/disorder) and characteristics, choose 2 evidence-based social work interventions that may be used in practice with this client and/or their family.
Locate two peer-reviewed journal articles from the last 10 years that support the use of these practices with individuals presenting with your clients’ diagnosis and characteristics and/or with their families.
In 2-3 paragraphs, summarize the articles and relate findings of the studies with the client in your case study.
Section 4. A theoretical perspective (~1.5 pages, 20% of grade, 17/20 points required for passing grade)
Choose a theoretical perspective from the list below and summarize it in 1-2 paragraphs using seminal work related to the theory (does not have to be a recent publication – however some of the seminal works are cited in more recent peer-reviewed sources and you may use either the original sources or more recent peer-reviewed journal articles):
Systems theory
Social learning theory
Psychodynamic theory
Psychosocial development theory
Transpersonal theory
Social exchange theory
Social constructionism
Conflict theory
Contingency theory
Locate two peer-reviewed journal articles from the last 10 years that highlight how your chosen theory can provide a framework for understanding your client, their family and/or presenting problems.
In 2-3 paragraphs, summarize the articles, and relate the findings of the studies to the characteristics of the client in your case study.
Section 5. Human rights, social justice and policy implications (~1 page, 10% of grade, 8.5/10 points required for passing grade)
In 2-3 paragraphs, identify and discuss possible systemic and environmental factors that adversely contribute to the experience of the diagnosis in the case study, its intervention/ treatment, and/or prevention.
In 1-2 paragraphs, discuss a strategy that can be utilized by you as a practitioner to influence change on a macro practice/policy level, which addresses the adverse conditions mentioned above.
Use a minimum of two peer-reviewed journal articles from the last 10 years to support your work in this section. You may also use additional sources, such as policy briefs.
Section 6. Research-informed practice and practice-informed research (~1 page, 10% of grade, 8.5/10 points required for passing grade)
Identify a gap in the research literature relating to the condition of the client in the case study. Use a minimum of two peer-reviewed journal articles from the last 10 years to support your identified gap; summarize them in 2-3 paragraphs
Based on the gap you identify, ask a research question that can be answered empirically (i.e. using research methods you learned). Be sure to phrase the question as a research question.
Section 7. Professional communication (10% of grade, 8.5/10 points required for passing grade)
Writing throughout the paper should reflect competent professional writing skills.
The paper should be written in APA format (7th edition) and include a full reference list. Every entry on the reference list must have a matching in-text citation that demonstrates your competence in locating and incorporating relevant literature.
The entire paper should include a minimum of 13 references
11 peer-reviewed journal articles from the last 10 years
The DSM (for section 1)
1 seminal theoretical paper (for section 4) – can be older
Additional resources, such as policy briefs or governmental reports in section 5, are encouraged.
