Case Overview

Patient Names:
Adolescent: James
Father: Henry
Mother: Jennifer

General Information: The identified patient (IP) is a 17yo boy in the 11th grade named James. He lives with both of his biological parents and has a 12-year-old brother. James has struggled with a reading disorder, but his parents have not really viewed this as an issue nor have they provided much support for this beyond what the school offered early on in James’ education. The parents are middle-aged. The father, Henry, is a lawyer and the mother, Jennifer, is a homemaker. The family moved to Philadelphia from the Midwest approximately one year ago because of a job opportunity for Henry. The parents informed James about the move only weeks before it happened, thinking he would have less time to be upset

Presenting Problem: James began evidencing problems shortly after the move: declining grades in school, and endorsing significant depressive symptoms (i.e., loss of pleasure in things he used to enjoy, hopeless, agitation, etc.). James had a hard time making new friends at the school. He found himself gravitating toward more deviant kids in school. This lead to more experimentation with marijuana (a joint daily, more on the weekends), and alcohol (on the weekends with friends). The parents underestimate the impact of the move on James; ripping him from his school and friends. Instead, they ascribed these changes in behavior to his personality.

History of Functioning: Prior to moving to Philadelphia, James functioned relatively well and was not depressed nor used substances. In the past when faced with life challenges (e.g., breakup with a girlfriend, struggles with reading disorder, disagreement with friends, not making the basketball team), he would turn to his mother for some help. She was not very emotionally responsive but would help in instrumental ways. She would problem-solve, advocate for him, distract him by doing fun things with him.