PSY FPX 6015 Assessment 4 Adult Development Case and Intervention Analysis

PSY FPX 6015 Assessment 4 Adult Development Case and Intervention Analysis

Student Name

Capella University

PSY FPX 6015 Lifespan Development

Prof. Name:

Date

Adult Development Case and Intervention Analysis

As individuals transition from adolescence to adulthood, they encounter various developmental milestones and challenges. Adults often take on numerous responsibilities, such as pursuing higher education, getting married, or having children. Additionally, they must manage financial obligations, including paying bills and either renting or owning a home. Many adults also find themselves caring for aging parents or other family members. Illness and financial difficulties further complicate the challenges of adulthood. Lifespan development theories provide insights into what developmental changes one might expect during adulthood, emphasizing the roles of heredity and the environment (Broderick & Blewitt, 2015). These theories can be instrumental in identifying developmental delays or changes in adults. This paper will discuss the case study of 45-year-old Katrina, who has experienced various life changes. Her physician expressed concern about potential depression and referred her to a mental health clinic. The discussion will cover her primary challenges, cultural factors, relevant developmental theories, and potential interventions to improve Katrina’s situation.

Katrina’s Case

Katrina is a 45-year-old Mexican American woman with two children: a son and a newborn daughter. She lives in a small apartment with her children and her grandmother. Tragically, her mother suffered a heart attack and passed away two months ago, which was devastating for Katrina, as she frequently visited her mother to check on her. The heart attack occurred while Katrina was at work, making it difficult for her to finance her mother’s funeral. Her newborn daughter, Jocelyn, was born just a few months before her mother’s passing. Although Katrina and her boyfriend considered themselves married, he left her three months after their second child was born. Since the breakup, Katrina has not attempted to date. Following her mother’s death, she experienced a decline in her work performance due to mental health issues, ultimately leading to her layoff. Now, she is worried about providing for her family and has stopped communicating with her friends. Katrina has exhibited symptoms of depression and even attempted suicide, an incident that her friend discovered while checking on her. Her son is also concerned for her well-being. Recently, Katrina has expressed a desire to start dating again, but she finds herself easily distracted by her responsibilities, such as raising her children, working, and caring for her grandmother. She now feels that her time to pursue her desires is limited.

Primary Challenges

Individuals face various challenges throughout their lives that can significantly impact their developmental stages. In Katrina’s case, her current challenges include the recent death of her mother, her suicide attempt, the birth of her daughter, and the responsibility of caring for her grandmother. She has also been laid off from her job due to her declining performance related to her mental health. Katrina’s social life has suffered as she bears the sole responsibility of raising her two children while working. She has not allowed herself the time to socialize or engage in conversations about her daily struggles. After her boyfriend left her following the birth of their second child, she did not discuss her life challenges. The death of her mother has been particularly difficult for Katrina, who has not taken the necessary time to grieve the loss of her beloved parent. Losing a parent represents a significant transition for adults, affecting their roles, responsibilities, and identity, which can lead to psychological burdens (Leopold & Lechner, 2015). Katrina was very close to her mother, who provided her with emotional support and taught her many valuable life lessons (Leopold & Lechner, 2015). The death of a parent can lead to a decline in an individual’s subjective well-being.

Cultural Factors

Culture plays a significant role in shaping an individual’s development (De France & Hollenstein, 2019). An individual’s developmental potential is influenced by their ability to master the challenges of motivational regulation. People also acquire social scripts that articulate cultural norms, values, and practices. Mastering these cultural scripts enhances one’s understanding of their life trajectory and functioning across various domains, including physical, cognitive, and social-emotional processes (De France & Hollenstein, 2019). Cultural scripts shape an individual’s knowledge and perspective of the world. Furthermore, as children progress from kindergarten to elementary school, they develop the ability to assess their competencies and those of others. Research indicates that adults also evaluate their functioning levels, and their hopeful beliefs about development may reflect a lower accuracy regarding typical development due to self-worth protective biases (De France & Hollenstein, 2019). Katrina has begun to reflect on her own development, expressing a desire to date after realizing that she has prioritized others over herself.

Lifespan Development Theories

Numerous lifespan development theories address the adult lifespan, as many aspects of life change rapidly during this stage. One notable theorist, Daniel Levinson, focused on life structures, which encompass an individual’s career, social interactions, and relationships (Broderick & Blewitt, 2015).

Changes in Life Structure

Changes in an individual’s life structure can significantly impact their overall well-being. Levinson’s theory outlines seven stages in which adults commit to new tasks and modify their life structures (Broderick & Blewitt, 2015). For Katrina, these changes include caring for her newborn son and grandmother, adjusting to life without her mother, and facing an indefinite layoff from work. Although she has expressed a desire to start dating, recent life events and struggles have made this aspiration a lower priority. Another theorist, Schaie, identified various stages in adult life that necessitate the development of different ways to utilize one’s intellectual resources (Broderick & Blewitt, 2015). Schaie noted that these changes are often linked to shifts in familial roles and other challenges that arise with aging.

Currently, Katrina is in the responsible stage of Schaie’s theory, as she must adapt to the evolving needs of her children and cope with the loss of her mother. Her commitment to her family is deeply rooted in her Mexican cultural values. Morel and Sanchez (2014) describe this as Familismo, where the family’s needs take precedence over individual desires. This concept is evident in Katrina’s decision to have her daughter, newborn son, and grandmother live with her, as well as her willingness to work overtime to ensure her family’s financial stability. Katrina has consistently prioritized her children’s needs above her own.

PSY FPX 6015 Assessment 4 Adult Development Case and Intervention Analysis

Lastly, Erik Erikson proposed that individuals undergo psychological development as they age (Broderick & Blewitt, 2015). Among Erikson’s stages, the generativity versus stagnation stage is particularly relevant to Katrina’s situation. This stage emphasizes an individual’s interest in guiding the next generation, which is crucial for one’s career and sense of purpose (Broderick & Blewitt, 2015). Katrina has devoted much of her life to raising her children and maintaining a full-time job. She continues to provide emotional support and financial assistance to her children as they navigate their developmental stages.

Additionally, she had a successful career as a programmer at a large company, but her productivity declined due to personal distractions and life challenges, leading to her layoff. Katrina is uncertain about when she will find another job, and such a career change can significantly affect an individual’s identity (Infurna et al., 2020). Her commitment to caring for her family has impacted her sense of identity and mood, leaving her feeling unproductive and disconnected from her familial and societal contributions, which may have contributed to her suicide attempt.

Interventions for Katrina’s Case Study

Lee et al. (2019) highlight that loneliness has become a global health epidemic with serious health implications. The reduction in lifespan associated with loneliness is comparable to the effects of smoking 15 cigarettes daily and is more significant than obesity. Their research identified three critical time points associated with loneliness: young adulthood, middle age, and late adulthood. Loneliness correlates with poor mental health and negative psychological traits. To combat loneliness, the researchers suggest enhancing an individual’s wisdom, which encompasses emotional regulation, self-reflection, compassion, tolerance for differing viewpoints, and decisiveness. They advocate for building a wiser society to address these issues, fostering a more connected, less lonely, and happier community.

Katrina’s suicide attempt raises significant concern, as the various stressors in her life are taking a toll on her mental health. Her lack of social support may further exacerbate her suicidal tendencies. A community-based multi-modal intervention could be beneficial in preventing future suicide attempts. This intervention would focus on strengthening social support and relationships within the community while providing access to health-related resources. Education and awareness initiatives would aim to improve the recognition of risk factors and suicidal behaviors (Ono et al., 2008). Additionally, establishing social support networks for individuals facing similar challenges would create an environment conducive to discussing life struggles and developing problem-solving strategies (Ono et al., 2008). Ono et al. (2008) found that suicide rates decreased with this intervention, particularly among older adults.

According to Dotson et al. (2020), depression adversely affects neurocognitive functions, especially those governed by the frontal-subcortical networks, such as executive functions. This meta-analysis focused on cognitive control, which is essential for goal-oriented behavior, including goal selection, response selection, and performance monitoring. The researchers identified a significant relationship between depression and cognitive control deficits, noting that both clinical and subthreshold depression were associated with impairments in cognitive control. This study underscores the importance of clinicians screening for cognitive control dysfunction in patients with depression, particularly in the later stages of adulthood.

Interventions in Psychedelic Therapy for Katrina’s Case Study

A prevalent theme in research on psilocybin for depression is the significant reduction in depressive symptoms following its administration. Davis et al. (2021) aimed to investigate the effects of psilocybin on major depressive disorder and reached this conclusion. Similar findings were reported by Carhart-Harris et al. (2017) and Carhart-Harris et al. (2021), who studied psilocybin’s effects on patients with treatment-resistant depression and conducted a comparative analysis of psilocybin and escitalopram. Both Davis et al. (2021) and Carhart-Harris et al. (2021) noted that psilocybin produced immediate and sustained antidepressant effects, leading to decreases in depressive, anxious, and suicidal symptoms.

Another significant theme in psychedelic research is the concept of connectedness. Forstmann et al. (2020) hypothesized that transformative experiences and social connectedness mediate the mood-enhancing effects of psilocybin and other psychedelics in naturalistic settings. This study is noteworthy as it demonstrates that the use of psilocybin and other psychedelics in natural environments is associated with personal transformation, increased feelings of social connectedness, and enhanced positive mood. Utilizing psilocybin as an intervention for Katrina’s depression and low levels of connectedness aligns with my area of specialization. Psilocybin can serve as a powerful adjunct to therapy, yielding effective and lasting outcomes for patients.

Conclusion

Katrina is a dedicated 45-year-old woman who has experienced several recent events that have altered her behavior and led to a suicide attempt. Her Mexican cultural values of Familismo significantly influence her decisions, as she consistently prioritizes her family’s needs over her own. Implementing social support interventions, such as a community-based multimodal intervention or potential psychedelic therapy, could provide Katrina with the necessary support to grieve her mother’s loss and alleviate her feelings of isolation. These interventions would offer her a platform to express her concerns and collaborate with a support group to develop strategies for overcoming her challenges.

References

Broderick, P. C., & Blewitt, P. (2020). The Life Span: Human Development for Helping Professionals. Pearson Education, Inc.

Carhart-Harris, R. L., Roseman, L., Bolstridge, M., Demetriou, L., Pannekoek, J. N., Wall, M. B., Tanner, M., Kaelen, M., McGonigle, J., Murphy, K., Leech, R., Curran, H. V., & Nutt, D. J. (2017). Psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression: FMRI-measured brain mechanisms. Scientific Reports, 7(1), 13187. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-13282-7

Davis, A. K., Barrett, F. S., May, D. G., Cosimano, M. P., Sepeda, N. D., Johnson, M. W., Finan, P. H., & Griffiths, R. R. (2021). Effects of psilocybin-assisted therapy on major depressive disorder: A randomized clinical trial. JAMA Psychiatry, 78(5), 481-489. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2020.3285

De France, K., & Hollenstein, T. (2019). Emotion regulation and relations to well-being across the lifespan. Developmental Psychology, 55(8), 1768–1774. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000744

Dotson, V. M., McClintock, S. M., Verhaeghen, P., Kim, J. U., Draheim, A. A., Syzmkowicz, S. M., Gradone, A. M., Bogoian, H. R., & Wit, L. D. (2020). Depression and cognitive control across the lifespan: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Neuropsychology Review, 30(4), 461-476. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11065-020-09436-6

Infurna, F. J., Gerstorf, D., & Lachman, M. E. (2020). Midlife in the 2020s: Opportunities and challenges. American Psychologist, 75(4), 470–485. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000591

PSY FPX 6015 Assessment 4 Adult Development Case and Intervention Analysis

Lee, E. E., Depp, C., Palmer, B. W., Glorioso, D., Daly, R., Liu, J., Tu, X. M., Ho-Cheol, K., Tarr, P., Yamada, Y., & Jeste, D. V. (2019). High prevalence and adverse health effects of loneliness in community-dwelling adults across the lifespan: Role of wisdom as a protective factor. International Psychogeriatrics, 31(10), 1447-1462. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1041610218002120

Leopold, T., & Lechner, C. M. (2015). Parents’ death and adult well-being: Gender, age, and adaptation to filial bereavement. Journal of Marriage and Family, 77(3), 747–760. https://doi.org/10.1111/jomf.12186

Morel, G. M., & Sanchez, O. (2014). Latinos, perceived discrimination, and depression: The moderating effects of Familismo. PsycEXTRA Dataset. https://doi.org/10.1037/e540652014-001

Ono, Y., Awata, S., Iida, H., Ishida, Y., Ishizuka, N., Iwasa, H., Kamei, Y., Motohashi, Y., Nakagawa, A., Nakamura, J., Nishi, N., Otsuka, K., Oyama, H., Sakai, A., Sakai, H., Suzuki, Y., Tajima, M., Tanaka, E., Uda, H., & Watanabe, N. (2008). A community intervention trial of a multimodal suicide prevention program in Japan: A novel multimodal community intervention program to prevent suicide and suicide attempts in Japan, NOCOMIT-J. BMC Public Health, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-8-315