Case of X

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Texas A&M University, Kingsville *

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5305

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Psychology

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Dec 6, 2023

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docx

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Case Conceptualization Identifying information (0.5) X is a 42-year-old divorced woman who has symptoms of a major depressive disorder of moderate severity. The patient has a son who is 25 years old. X lives alone and finds support from younger adults, many of which are her son's friends. She enjoys an active sporting lifestyle and works with elderly people, which she finds low stress. History of presenting illness (0.5) X reported low mood, loss of enjoyment, insomnia, loss of appetite, and a feeling of life being "crappy" at the commencement of psychotherapy. These symptoms have been present for an unknown duration but are related to her mother's death from cancer three years previously, followed by her father's death one year later. X's symptoms have affected her daily functioning and her ability to enjoy life. She sought therapy to address her depressive symptoms and to find support to cope with her grief. Background information (0.5) X described her relationships with family members and friends as conflict and avoidance. X grew up in a mixed family with the constant conflict between the half-siblings. Major family conflict began as her three half-siblings from her father's first marriage contested his will. Her father was a heavy drinker, and she had only recently begun to have a positive relationship with him before he passed. At 16 years old, she became pregnant with her son and left home to marry the father of her child. X was aware of her depressive symptoms and had been "down" during her marriage, which had ended 15 years ago. All her intimate relationships since the divorce were "difficult," and she described herself as a person who was well-liked by friends but was "not good at choosing men." She was previously diagnosed with a major depressive disorder of moderate severity by an experienced psychiatrist. There is no mention of X’s history of alcohol, drug use, or legal issues. Personal Strengths/Weaknesses (0.5) X’s personal strengths include her ability to identify connections, her willingness to challenge her negative beliefs, and recognition of the importance attending to her needs. Her weaknesses come from her avoidance of conflict and limited social support system. These weaknesses suggest that she may need to develop both her internal and external coping skills. Therapeutic Goals (2) X's therapeutic goals include improving her interpersonal functioning, cope with her depression, and address unresolved grief from her parents deaths. Strategies that may help include identifying and challenging negative thoughts, developing coping skills, improving

communication, and building self-esteem. These goals aim to lower X’s loneliness, depression symptoms, and improve X's well-being. Case conceptualization/Analysis (4) According to IPT theory, X's depression-related symptoms occur in an interpersonal situation. X's trouble creating new relationships contributes to her loneliness and isolation, both of which are risk factors for depression. Childhood experiences, such as family conflict and a lack of emotional support, caused X to act as a pacifier in family arguments, making it difficult for her to express her feelings and needs. This pattern continued until adulthood, as we see through her relationships, leading to her depression. IPT treatment may help X remove negative thoughts about assertiveness and develop new communication skills that will allow her to be more direct and assertive. X's well-being can be improved by developing her communication and reducing her feelings of loneliness and isolation. Imagery re-scripting can be a helpful method in IPT for helping X address her unresolved grief and cope with her depression symptoms. X can use imagery to picture and process her feelings over her parents' deaths, which may have been suppressed in the past because of her pacifying behavior. X can better understand these feelings and learn to express them healthily by imagining them. Role-playing allows X to practice new communication skills that can be used in her life, especially in how she expresses her feelings and needs. Therapy could focus on resolving X's unresolved grief about her parents' deaths and evaluating how the loss has affected her relationships. Addressing X's avoidance of conflict and trouble- resolving issues will improve her interpersonal functioning and reduce her feelings of loneliness and isolation. IPT therapy may help X overcome her negative thoughts about assertiveness and develop new communication skills, which can result in improved communication skills and less symptoms of depression. Critique (2) The IPT theory acknowledges the significance of cultural factors in shaping interpersonal relationships and recognizes that cultural differences can influence peoples communication skills. There is no mention of cultural aspects that may be important in X's case. These characteristics could have contributed to her family problems or difficulties developing new relationships. To understand X's interpersonal functioning, the IPT theory needs to look into these factors.

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