Assignment: Final Project

The sign of an effective clinician is the ability to identify the criteria that distinguish the diagnosis from any other possibility (otherwise known as a differential diagnosis). An ambiguous clinical diagnosis can lead to a faulty course of treatment and hurt the client more than it helps. In this Assignment, using the DSM-5 and all of the skills you have acquired to date, you assess a client.

This is a culmination of learning from all the weeks covered so far.

To prepare: Use a differential diagnosis process and analysis of the Mental Status Exam in the case of Sandra to determine if the case meets the criteria for a clinical diagnosis.

• Provide the full DSM-5 diagnosis. Remember, a full diagnosis should include the name of the disorder, ICD-10-CM code, specifiers, severity, and the Z codes (other conditions that may need clinical attention).
• Explain the full diagnosis, matching the symptoms of the case to the criteria for any diagnoses used.
• Identify 3 of the close differentials that you considered for the case and have ruled out. Concisely explain why these conditions were considered but eliminated.

Must be Original Work and contain at least 4 references and citations.Must reference the following:

Morrison, J. (2014). Diagnosis made easier (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Guilford Press.

• Chapter 15, “Diagnosing Substance Misuse and Other Addictions” (pp. 238–250)

American Psychiatric Association. (2013r). Substance related and addictive disorders. In Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: Author. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596.dsm16

Capuzzi, D., & Stauffer, M. D. (2016). Foundations of addictions counseling (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Pearson Education, Inc.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SMHSA). https://www.samhsa.gov/