1

Introduction to Psychology II Assignment 8

Author

Institution

Date
 2

Part A

Susan's reaction to social interactions indicates that she has a social anxiety disorder

(SAD), given her intense fear of negative judgment whenever she speaks. Her meticulous

preparations and persistent rehearsals before speaking prove that the anxiety from the

anticipation of social interactions is extreme. Susan presents with classic symptoms of SAD that

include constant fear about social situations which exceed acceptable proportions given the

situation. This article discusses the reasons for diagnosing Susan with SAD by examining the

symptoms provided and cross-checking them with the accepted criteria for identifying the

disease.

One of the criteria outlined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

(DSM-5) for SAD was intense anxiety and fear about specific social situations as the subject

fears judgment or embarrassment (Mayo Clinic; Eleanor Leigh & David M. Clark, 2018). The

first criterion, exemplified by her behavioral changes, such as meticulous and excessive

preparations, to diagnose Susan's condition was persistent anxiety. Eleanor Leigh and

David M. Clark (2018) noted that SAD patients fear humiliating themselves in social situations

or judgment from strangers if they become the center of attention. This diagnostic observation

was in line with Susan's anxiety condition, which kicked in when she faced a social event where

she would speak and alter her behavior for long periods before the actual event.

Susan's anxiety also exceeded the proportion expected from ordinary people facing social

situations, qualifying her for the second criteria for SAD, which states as much. The DSM-5

standards list excessive anxiety beyond the expected level for similar situations as a feature of

SAD (Mayo Clinic). The expected reaction to social speaking involves a certain amount of
 3

preparation and rehearsal below what Susan described. Therefore, I concluded that Susan suffers

from SAD based on the arguments provided in this article section.

Part B

The argument that childhood issues such as dysfunctional families and “toxic” parents are

the source of most emotional problems has several benefits and drawbacks. Emotional issues

affect the individual's functioning, resulting in lower adaptability and self-efficacy. Therefore,

understanding the sources of emotional problems could help develop mitigation strategies,

including mitigating the factors that lead to the condition among modern children. This article

discusses the benefits and shortcomings of focusing on childhood as the source of most

emotional problems.

The first advantage of focusing on childhood as the origin of emotional problems is that it

is a simple approach to understanding the causes of the issue. It is rare for emotional problems to

develop without external influences, most of which occur during childhood. Simple

questionnaires followed by statistical analyses reveal most factors needed to identify the causes

of emotional problems (Lacey & Minnis, 2019). The second advantage of focusing on childhood

to uncover the sources of emotional issues is that the logical grounds are intuitive and resonate

with the patient. Each individual's behavior reflects past experiences, and childhood events have

the most impact (Lacey & Minnis, 2019). Therefore, focusing on an individual's childhood

reveals significant insights into their psychological and emotional functions and orientations.

On the other hand, diagnoses based on childhood analyses for emotional problems may

be difficult to falsify, raising concerns about their scientific approach and the risk of

misdiagnosis. A diagnosis based on examining the patient's childhood always confirms what the

medical professional suspects and may induce tunnel-vision. The second shortcoming is that the
 4

process assumes that all individuals react similarly to similar childhood events. This diagnostic

assumption is misleading and could lead to the professional missing more critical causes if they

diagnose the problem too early based on childhood events and ignore any other cause of the

problem.

Part C

As the person responsible for my family member's treatment of depression, I would

suggest psychotherapy as a starting point for their recovery journey, followed by the use of drugs

and then direct brain intervention (if all does not work). I selected this procedure based on the

physical discomfort or intrusion involved in each process. This article discusses the justification

for choosing this action plan based on my understanding of the options available for treating

depression.

Psychotherapy is the least physically invasive treatment approach for depression since it

involves a relationship with a mental health professional for the most part (Wade & Tavris,

2017). The administration of drugs introduces more physical side effects compared to

psychotherapy, some of which could be highly destructive to the well-being of the patient in the

long term. Direct brain interventions are the most intrusive since they involve a physical

alteration of brain cells to manage the impulses suffered by the patient.

My second justification for selecting the action plan in the order discussed above was the

expected health outcomes as a function of the risk involved in the procedure utilized by the

doctor. I made my recommendation knowing that the psychotherapy approach would produce the

best results with the minimum threat to their health and vice-versa for direct brain intervention.

Although drug interventions are less risky than direct brain interventions in most cases, it is more

dangerous than psychotherapy. However, researchers are yet to elaborate on the long-term side
 5

effects of prolonged use of anti-depression drugs (Wade & Tavris, 2017), making its risks

unclear. Therefore, I chose to prioritize psychotherapy, which has a proven track record against

depression, before taking more drastic steps in case of failure.

 6

References

Lacey, R. E., & Minnis, H. (2020). Practitioner review: twenty years of research with adverse

childhood experience scores–advantages, disadvantages and applications to

practice. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 61(2), 116-130.

Leigh, E., & Clark, D. M. (2018). Understanding social anxiety disorder in adolescents and

improving treatment outcomes: Applying the cognitive model of Clark and Wells

(1995). Clinical child and family psychology review, 21(3), 388-414.

Mayo Clinic. Social anxiety disorder (social phobia) - Diagnosis and treatment. Mayoclinic.org.

Retrieved 20 August 2022, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/social-

anxiety-disorder/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20353567#:~:text=Your%20health%20care

%20provider%20may,if%20they%20make%20you%20anxious.

Wade, C. & Tavris, C. (2017). Psychology. Twelfth Edition. Pearson Education, Inc. 581-610.