Case Presentation

THERESA KING

AFRICAN AMERICAN

FEMALE

CLIENT

3RD GRADE
9 YEARS OLD

BACKGROUND

The client lives with her biological mom and is the oldest of four children. She is
a sweet mannered child but has been acting out in the classroom. She is
having academic issues and is struggling with current changes at home.

Her mother was involved in a car accident and is healing from that. Prior to
that, the mother and her partner went through a recent separation. It appears
that the mother is having a hard time coping and is currently being placed in
and out of the hospital with mental health issues. The client and the 3 other
siblings are being cared for by her mothers partner and the grandmother.

The child has been told to keep these things a secret form the teachers but has
expressed a concern for her mother and needs someone to talk to.

PROBLEM STATEMENT:
Disruptive Outbursts in Class (Physical
and Verbal)
Strengths

Limitations

Good attendance

Self control

Sociable

Anger management

Has friends

Academic struggles

Receptive to positive attention

Single parent household

Enjoys playing with monster dolls

Disrespectful toward teachers

ASSESSMENT and ASSESSMENT GOALS

During the assessment, our client expressed that the teacher made her
mad and she had a hard time controlling her anger.

We discussed other ways to express negative emotions while in the

classroom and possible awards for doing well during lesson time.

We made a behavior plan and discussed rewards that the student would
enjoy earning (motivations).

Goals included after 1 week of positive behavior (confirmed by the

teacher) and the student would receive a reward.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
Person in Environment

The students home environment was taken into consideration in regards to the cause
of her classroom behavior. The Systems theory is in play as the mothers dysfunction is
rubbing off on the childrens behavioral dysfunction.

Interventions and Time Frames

Services and Interventions

Behavior Interventions
This student responds well to one-on
one-guidance.

Meeting with parent, principal, school

counselor, and social worker

Behavior Plan with social worker

Collaboration with teachers about a

classroom reward plan.

Afterschool outlet, i.e. Boys and Girls

Club

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

A friends group at school

Positive reinforcement from teachers.

Biases

I BELIEVED THAT THIS GIRL

WOULD NOT BE RESPONSIVE
TO MY COMPASSION.
MY BIAS WAS THAT DISRUPTIVE
CHILDREN ARE INSENSITIVE
AND I THOUGHT THAT SHE
WOULD BE HARD TO GET
THROUGH TO.

Practice Behaviors Used

Comp #1: Identify as a professional

social worker and conduct oneself
accordingly. 1.1-1.5
Comp #2: Apply social work ethical
principles to guide professional
practice. 2.2
Comp # 3: Apply critical thinking to
inform and communicate professional
judgments. 3.1-3.3

Comp #4: Engage diversity and

difference in practice. 4.1-4.4

Comp #5 : Advance human rights

and social and economic justice. 5.15.2

Comp #7: Apply knowledge of human

behavior and the social environment.
7.1-7.2