Case Study Analysis

This case study analysis examines the mental health issues faced by Lucinda, a young mother, and provides recommendations for support and recovery.

Running head: CASE STUDY ANALYSIS
CASE STUDY ANALYSIS
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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CASE STUDY ANALYSIS
Q1. Here in the case study one, Lucinda is the 22-year-old mother with one eight months old
child, Emily. She is again pregnant and terrified as her experience of the pregnancy, and the
labour was not good. On this context and the history of the patient, it can be seen that the mental
aspects affecting her mental health are dependent on the history of Lucinda's pregnancy
experience. On the other hand, she is also feeling guilty as she has not been able to provide the
motherly support to her first child. Also, she could not be able to give proper time to her
education. Hence, she is feeling guilty and also anxious when she memories the experience of
the pregnancy. She thinks that her family is better only with her child and her partner; she is a
burden to her family. On this context, it can be seen that she is anxious and depressed. Her
present mental condition can be the cause of her guilt and social isolation, along with the feeling
of not satisfying her goal and role in the family as well. It can be seen that the Mental Status
Exam (MSE) score was 12 in which she answered question 10 of self-harming tendency with a
"no". However, the status of her thought process is progressing that way only (Malhi et al.,
2015). Thus it can be stated that the assessment with the qualitative questionnaire can be most
effective for the subjective knowledge about the patient's present thought process. It can also be
stated that the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) measurement
system highlights that she has several issues with her mental condition. The "five axes"
measurement of the DSM system showed that she has anxiety attacks several times by axis I.
According to axis II, she has self-identity issue and also issues with motivation towards life as
well. According to the axis III, she also has some physical issues regarding her psychological
issues, anxiety and the issue was trouble in breathing. Axis IV, on the other hand, relates to her
social condition highlighting her socially isolation. It can be seen that she is anxious and
depressed. Her present mental condition can be cause of her guilt and social isolation, along with

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CASE STUDY ANALYSIS
the feeling of not satisfying her goal and role in the family as well. Also, her feelings of
worthlessness as she could not be able to support her family and also could not be able to get in
touch with her mother affect her mental health. Based on these conditions, the numerical value
can be given to Lucinda, which is the axis V (Bovin et al., 2016). Hence, it can be stated that the
condition of social isolation, anxiety, fear, self-identity lose, negative thought process. Also, the
feelings of her as a burden to the family affected her mental health. She also thinks she could not
give time to education and could not support her family economically. These are the factors that
are affecting her mental health. According to (Malhi et al., 2015), this condition is referring not
to be able to provide support to anyone is affecting her mental and physical condition. It is also
stressing her medical condition. She is anxious about the pregnancy and also not finding any
kind of motivation towards life anymore. This condition should also be assessed with the
objective observation and further subjective assessment of the mental condition. Hence, it can be
referred that the mental stress by all the above mentioned ill situations would be the process of
mental disorder development, especially depression and anxiety.
Q2. According to the Stress-Vulnerability Model of Co-Occurring Disorders (SVMCD), it can be
seen that stress, lack of social support and coping up skills of Lucinda impacted on her mental
health (Lee, Oswald& Wand, 2018). Also, the lack of involvement in meaningful activities
affected the condition. SVMCD has identified social isolation and losing self-identity are the
primary causes of mental distress. Trauma of childbirth incident and lacking self-motivation
respectively are causes of earlier mentioned issues (Eick et al., 2018). On this context, it can be
stated that the clinician should focus on the causes of mental distress along with finding out the
interests of the patient that can enlighten mental condition of her. Here, Lucinda is vulnerable to
social isolation as she does not have any cultural or emotional support. She is far away from her

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mother and living in a different cultural community as well. Her mental distress is developed
more vigorously as she could not be able to involve her in any meaningful event such as
studying. She could not involve in any kind of occupation due to her pregnant condition as well.
Her primary goal was to study accounting in Sydney. However, due to the relation with her
partner and also the sudden pregnancy, she could not be able to study properly anymore. The
second pregnancy also left her more vulnerable to her mental distress (Nazeri et al., 2015). It can
be identified by the Stress-Vulnerability Model of Co-Occurring Disorders that the co-factors are
the anxiety, depression and also the self-non-fulfilment. On this context, the clinician should be
able to find the actual way to make her take the situation positively and also support her for the
positive outcome in the future context. Empowerment and motivation development is crucial for
Lucinda here as she lacks motivation.
On the other hand, understanding of the culture of patient and also the thought process by
the implementation of the effective communication is required in a higher priority (Lecompte,
Richard-Fortier & Rousseau, 2017). Hence, the implementation of the MSE, DSM V scale and
also Stress-Vulnerability Model of Co-Occurring Disorders helped in the knowledge
development of the actual issues and causes of the mental distress of the patient. On this context,
it can be seen that the development of the therapeutic relationship with Lucinda and cultural
competence of the clinician would play a key role in the proper assessment of the condition. The
objective analysis and the subjective analysis of the patient's condition also help in the actual
knowledge development about factors affecting her mental distress. Also identifying possible
therapies she required to sustain against the mental distress and also the proper birth of her child
along with the positive health outcome of her. However, patient should also let the clinician
know the issues she is facing, and this co-operation between them would lead to a better outcome

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CASE STUDY ANALYSIS
of the therapy. However, the communication should identify the trauma of pregnancy, how much
affected her mental condition (Elder et al., 2017). It is also recommended not to use any negative
comment about her condition for the positivity development criteria. Thus identified co-factors
are the trauma of the pregnancy and also the losing self-motivation due to social-isolation and
lacking any meaningful involvement for the development of mental distress Lucinda facing
(Beller & Wagner, 2018). Trauma of that incident affected her mental and social life in a drastic
level. Thus SVMCD help in the identification of Lucinda’s mental distress impacting causes. The
effective communication would be most useful skill of the clinician to help Lucinda to open up
about her fears and stresses as well.
Q3. Based on the case study, it can be seen that Lucinda needs support to recover from her
trauma and also the consideration of her mental condition as well. It should be recommended that
the patient would be supported by the clinician with respect and providing hope as well. The
clinician should also be delivering the empowerment that can help in the reduction of her stress
level. It can also be recommended that the factor of the respect with the proper communication
would impact on the patient's mental state. It will also help her in the opening up towards the
clinician. Reduction of mental depression can be achieved as well. Respect for the self-privacy
of Lucinda should also be considered to maintain the autonomy and the privacy of her and also
providing support accordingly (Sereshti et al., 2016).
On the other hand, the factor of the empowerment would help manage her pregnancy
period and also conceal this kind of situations in future (Lim, Wynaden & Heslop, 2019). Based
on the case study, it is clear that Lucinda was not prepared for the pregnancy. She also did not
want any baby as she is too young. Empowerment about proper management of pregnancy period
and making the time for her family along with her studies would be required. Thus it can also be

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CASE STUDY ANALYSIS
stated that hope should also be provided to her by the clinician for reduction of the negative
thought processes and depression and anxiety. Hope in this context would be the better future
and also providing the mental support to her about the future improvement of her health
condition, family circumstances and also reducing the fear of the childbirth situations (Markin,
2017). Hence, effective communication and also the proper grooming would help in the positive
mental health recovery of Lucinda.

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CASE STUDY ANALYSIS
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