CASE ANALYSIS WORKSHEET

CASE ANALYSIS WORKSHEET

Case of Nicole
By: Ka re n Ja de P. L e rio

Name of the Subject: Nicole

Biological Approach

Influences Client’s Experience Explanation

1. Brain Dysfunction None None

2. Neurochemical Imbalances
Feeling sad most of the time and
worsened depression after childbirth (post-
partum depression)
A chemical imbalance in the brain such as having
very low levels of certain neurotransmitters such
as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine,
among others can contribute to depression; this is
the reason why her gynecologist and psychiatrist
prescribed medications like Paxil and Zoloft
(which actually works by balancing serotonin
levels in the brain).

3. Gene Abnormalities
Depression, daily crying spells, and
excessive worrying
Inheritance is one of the causes of genetic
abnormalities. Just like obesity, asthma and other
medical problems, psychiatric or mental disorders
tend to run in families too. Since she suspects
that her mother suffered from some form of
depression while one of her aunts was diagnosed
with bipolar disorder and another had a mental
illness then it might be a possible that there is a
genetic

Psychological Approach

Perspective Client’s Experience Explanation

1. Behavioral Approach
Often gets into arguments with her
husband about his drinking habit
Classical conditioning explains how we learn
behavior through associations. Since the client’s
mother was addicted to alcohol and left their
family when she was young, she associates this
same scenario to her husband’s drinking habit.
This then results to her fear that alcohol might
ruin their husband and wife relationship. Because
of this fear, she often gets into arguments with
him and is not comfortable with how much he
drinks especially when their friends are around.

2. Cognitive Approach
Believes that she is not being a good
mother (when she does everything for
them), feels like “everyone is looking at
her” and blames herself for the deaths of
loved ones (when it was just coincidental)
Due to maladaptive thinking processes which
roots from her chaotic childhood, Nicole’s
perceptions on things are unreasonable and
opposite to what is really happening. One of this
maladaptive thinking might come from her
generalization that she might not be a good
mother to her own children because her mother
was never really there for her and her siblings
and was not supportive and loving of her even
when as she grew up as an adult.

3. Psychodynamic Approach Feeling resentful and angry toward her Our conscience, the superego, can discipline the
mother’s behavior but feels guilty ego by causing feelings of guilt. Since the ego
afterwards allowed the id to harbor feelings of anger towards
the mom, the superego makes the client feel bad

Created by: Krizza Mae D. Levardo, RPm | All Rights Reserved

 CASE ANALYSIS WORKSHEET
4. Humanistic Approach
5. Family Systems Approach
6. Emotion-Focused Approach
7. Life-Span Development
Influences
1. Social Influences
2. Cultural Influences
Created by: Krizza Mae D. Levardo, RPm | All Rights Reserved
Puts herself a great in of pressure in trying
to be everything to everyone (being a
good mother, daughter, etc.)
Feeling emotionally distant with her kids
and husband, worried and depressed
Depression and worry
None
Sociocultural Approach
Client’s Experience
None
Stress and resentment towards her
assumed role as a parent when her
mother was gone
by stirring feelings of guilt.
Nicole is pressured by the demands placed upon
by the society or other outside pressure in terms
of being a wife, a daughter, a sister, etc. making
her lose touch with her own needs and desires.
During her childhood, her family system
resembles that of a disengaged family – they are
distant and avoids talking about their feelings and
problems. This is still influencing her now as an
adult and comes in forms of being emotionally
distant to her kids and feelings of depression.
Feelings of depression and worry has roots in her
lack of emotional awareness and avoiding
unpleasant emotions which led to unresolved
issues in her original family until the present.
None
Explanation
None
In the Philippines, it seems that most children are
expected to fill in the roles of the parents when
they are no longer alive or have left their family.
This led to her feelings of resentment in that
particular role as she might not even get to enjoy
her childhood years to the fullest.