Psychological Evaluation of John

Psychological Evaluation of John

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Psychological Evaluation of John

Introduction

The papers aim is to discuss the case of John, a young boy who is facing various childhood problems and aid in reaching a solution by setting different methods and solution to his problem. Most children are confronted by various problems during various stages of their growth. Among these problems include low self-esteem and development of questionable behaviors that could lead to negative impact on their lives. Children in the age between 6- 14 years are in the middle childhood or early adolescence stage and whereby this is the most vital stage in human life. A child establishes sense and gets to choose on various issues such as character and behavior during this stage (Baumeister, 2013). Apart from this the most vital aspects of adulthood sip in and whereby they are not limited to being independent, making personal decisions, competency, self-awareness and getting well acquitted with the universal issues. Despite this stage being characterized with much curiosity and suspense by the teenagers, a failure in guidance may lead to low self-esteem and peer pressure which may affect the child's life at a great deal.

Demographics

John being the second born in a family of two siblings is eleven years old, a Caucasian male and from a well to do family. Through his childhood, his family has worked hard to ensure that he gets the best in life. Until he developed a habit after turning eleven of bullying other children and in some cases, he has been involved in physical fights with his peers. His family lives in the wealthy suburbs surrounding Jersey City, and therefore negative influence is insufficient. As a young toddler, John had been stubborn, and he only enjoyed the company of his parents or his elder sister.

Reasons for initial consultation

John's parents had been concerned about the change in his behavior and adapting certain attitude that left them wondering what the cause was. John had dropped in his school grades, stopped communicating and relating with his peers and teachers. Apart from this John initially had a problem with his sister which resulted from being aggressive on nearly anything. Above all, the most disturbing issue about his behavior is the lack of self-esteem as he does not appreciate his physical appearance and perceives his sister as superior to him.

Presenting problem

Most of the times John is just a normal kid who plays with his toys and even talks with his parents, but on sudden occasions, he changes and becomes aggressive. In occasions when his parents show too much attention towards his sister his attitude changes and a slight provocation leads to a fight. His teachers and friends have also proved evident to this habit as it happens not only at home but also in school. The teachers thought John was using drugs which were not the case but his need seems to be based on attention and being recognized. The problem with his physical appearance is a symbol to low self-esteem. Apart from this he suffers from anger management and lacks social skills. Even though his parents and teachers in school meet John's safety needs, he still does seem not to benefit.

Family history

John comes from a nuclear family which is composed of four members. His father is a former alcoholic and while his mother had been a victim of depression during the times when her husband was abusing alcohol. After stopping alcohol, their life changed, and they became fully devoted to serving God. John's sister is well mannered, and even her teachers acknowledge that she will be successful in life one day. Their source of income originates from his mother working as a full-time nurse and his father as a real estate developer. Apart from his father who was an alcoholic his family has no any other history of drug abuse or illness that is inheritable.

Social history/ peer relationship

John has been an active member of the drama club and at one time when he was in the junior class won a certificate for being the best actor. His social life had been good until his middle childhood age when he began being violent and keeping away from his peer's company. Apart from this, he stopped communicating with his teachers on matters relating to academics or even personal