Personality development is a complex process that involves every aspect of the life and environment of the growing individual. Various factors can improve the positive characteristics and make the experience healthier or decrease the quality of life and mental health during adolescence. It is crucial to consider all the developmental assets to form the appropriate approach for future cooperation. Susie’s environment heavily influences her mental state and behavior during the growing-up process. First, the external social asset that concerns her family situation is the most evident (Ashford et al., 2017, p. 333). She is the oldest sister of three siblings, which makes her feel less loved and unimportant in the family than younger children. Her relationship with her father is highly impacted by violence; it is evident in the statement, “her father still spanks her” (Ashford et al., 2017, p. 345). The conflict-driven communication in the family provoked her low conflict resolution skills and lack of support. The other vital influence is her Chinese American background, which reflects her identity concerns. She believes “teachers expect more from her than other students,” hence, it creates additional pressure on the developing individual (Ashford et al., 2017, p. 345). Susie also experiences a crisis in her social interactions due to the grief for the adult model figure, her grandfather (Ashford et al., 2017). The small circle of peer friends and the loss of a close relative provoke the feeling of loneliness and further progression of depression.
The analysis of Susie’s case includes an understanding of several crucial aspects of her development during adolescence. While working with the girl and her family, the fundamental ethical concern that has to be applied involves standard 4 of NOHS. The standard implies that if any danger or harm is suspected as a consequence of a client’s behavior, the human service professional takes measures to protect vulnerable individuals by “seeking consultation, supervision, and/or breaking the confidentiality of the relationship” (NOHS, 2015, p. 2). This concern must be applied due to the client’s unstable mental and physical condition. The case reports that Susie dealt with depression and had suicidal thoughts. Regardless of her denial of any intentions, she remains vulnerable to harmful experiences due to the recent unresolved grief, low family and peer support and extreme mood swings (Ashford et al., 2017, p. 345). The same ethical concern must be utilized during the interactions with the family if the father applies a violent attitude as an educational method but states that he is “willing to evaluate their parenting techniques to work toward a positive outcome” (Ashford et al., 2017, p. 345). The solution to the problem possibly requires further consultation for developing a non-violent and supportive family environment.
However, it is also vital to note the client’s identity and apply standard 11 of NOHS, which concerns acknowledging the client’s culture and community. The HS professional must respect the cultures and beliefs of individuals and groups (NOHS, 2015, p. 3). The cultural background influences Susie’s self-perception, social relationships, and her comparison with other Chinese American students. It may serve as a way of developing solid fundamental assumptions of herself. Hence, the professional has to consider this factor during the intervention process.
A wide range of human service agencies can help Susie and her family improve the quality of a girl’s life. It is more suitable to offer an agency that includes child and family services that combine individual and group approaches, considering the problem with communication within the family and the parent’s agreement to change. A possible agency for Susie’s case can be Didi Hirsch mental health services, which operates in Los Angeles and Orange counties. The main benefits of the agency are that they provide family services and include mental health treatment and suicide prevention centers. Their family and mental health program can assist Susie through individual and group therapy, for instance, addressing the girl’s grief and suicidal thoughts, as well as behavioral problems. Father-daughter therapy is appropriate for working on the lack of support and love that the child is suffering in their relationship (Didi Hirsch, n.d.). Parents’ education can help the family adopt new communication approaches with their children and evaluate parenting strategies, abolishing violent techniques such as spanking. The agency also provides medication treatment management, which can help deal with Susie’s depression if diagnosed. Thus, complex programs combining all the stated methods must be utilized to achieve positive outcomes and secure the healthy development of a child’s personality.
The knowledge of ethical standards can help to improve the efficiency of interactions between human service professionals and clients. In Susie’s case, standard 4 offers a better understanding of the situation and guides professional actions in the case of critical conditions such as self-harm or family violence in a vulnerable environment. It involves family analysis to state the final results and group technics to resolve issues. Additionally, standard 11 secures culturally appropriate communication and approaches. Considering standards, professionals can more effectively address problems by taking necessary measures such as additional counseling and therapy for better outcomes.
References
Ashford, J. B., LeCroy, C. W., & Williams, L. R. (2017). Empowerment Series: Human behaviour in the social environment: A multidimensional perspective (6th ed.). Cengage Learning US. Web.
Didi Hirsch mental health services. (n.d.) Child and family programs. Web.
National Organization of Human Services (NOHS). (2015). Ethical standards for human services professionals. NOHS.