Clinical Practice Analysis: Practitioner Techniques in Adolescent Mental Health Assessment
Overview
This paper analyzes a video case study of a mental health practitioner conducting an assessment with an adolescent boy. The analysis evaluates the practitioner's strengths in establishing confidentiality and client engagement, identifies areas for improvement including the avoidance of direct challenges and judgmental expressions, and proposes recommendations for better therapeutic communication and family relationship support.
What this reflection paper covers
- Evaluation of practitioner strengths in confidentiality assurance and client engagement techniques
- Identification of improvement areas including direct challenging behavior and judgmental facial expressions
- Analysis of clinical concerns regarding lack of communication strategies between client and mother
- Proposed follow-up questions focusing on peer relationships and environmental factors
Preview
WK-1: YMH Boston Vignette 4 Video
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
WK-1: YMH Boston Vignette 4 Video
The YMH Boston Vignette 4 video is about an adolescent boy who visits a medical facility for a mental health assessment. The boy tells the practitioner that he was referred by his mother and stated that he did not know why he was there. The practitioner has used several techniques to engage the teenager. Notably, some of the techniques are recommendable, while others could have been avoided.
What did the practitioner do well?
One of the practitioner's best approaches is to assure the client that their discussions would be confidential. According to Bhimji and Hackert (2018), confidentiality is essential for effective therapy sessions and healthy treatment. Another recommendable aspect of the practitioner is engaging the client by asking his views and opinions. Patients are more likely to have positive engagements with practitioners when their views are considered, and there is more eye contact between both parties (Lebow & Jenkins, 2018).
In what areas can the practitioner improve?
One of the few areas the practitioner can improve is to avoid directly challenging the client. For example, the practitioner directly challenges the client by stating "that his mother has a reason for thinking that he has anger issues." The practitioner's facial expression and tone seem judgmental and indicate a negative feeling about the client's aspect. Notably, the practitioner's expressions result in the client withdrawing by facing down and placing his hands on his lap.