The Family Psychiatric Assessment

The Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders 5th edition of the American psychiatric association focuses on patient's interpersonal relationships to diagnose mental illnesses. Unlike most systemic diseases, psychiatric illness history taking and mental status examination derive their basis and concepts from the patient's family history, birth, milestones, education history, social history, occupational and psychosexual history. This paper focuses on assessing a family within which a member was diagnosed with anxiety disorder and multiple psychiatric illness risk factors.

Family assessment form

Conduction of family assessment helped me utilize the assessment tools and theories that were taught in class. While doing the family assessment, I applied the Friedman Family Assessment Model in gathering the information about the family and exhaust the interceptions that are likely to enable the interactions between the family members and the health care provider or the family therapist. Outlined below is the information that was obtained from the family.

1. Name of the Family: Johnson family; This name has been modified for privacy and confidentiality protection

2. Family Address:43002 Amlin, Franklin County, Ohio. Address modified for confidentiality and privacy protection.

3. The composition of the family has been shown in the genogram

4. Family Form: The family form revealed a mixture of stepfamily and a blended type. Mr. Johnson has two children he had with his previous wife before they divorced, while Mrs. Johnson has one child she got from her last relationship before she got married to Mr. Johnson. Together, Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have two children.

5. The Cultural Background: The Johnson family is identified as Black-American or Blac-Caucasian.

6. Religion: Johnson's is a Christian family from a catholic denomination.

7. Social group: Johnson's family is an upper middle-working class.

Background family information

Mr. Johnson is a 60-year-old male from African-American cultural background; he works with a textile company in Ohio state. Mrs. Johnson is a 56-year-old female from an African-American origin envelope manufacturing company in Ohio. The couple both have a blended family comprising two 27 and 21 years old and three sons 35, 25, and 19 years old. All the children have their birth and life in Franklin, Ohio. The couple has both been married for 30 years. Mrs. Johnson was married before she got engaged with Mr. Johnson; she was a single mother of one, a child she gave birth to while in her previous marriage. Mr. Johnson grew up in a stepfamily with a step farther. Mrs. Johnson's mother passed on when she was two years old; she was raised by her uncle and aunt, who later died in a car accident, leaving her at the age of 22 years; she was forced to live on her while in university. The oldest son, 35, lives in New York, married with two children. The son is currently working as a lecturer at a university. The elder daughter, 27, lives in North Carolina, just concluded her master's degree, and is now in a relationship but not married yet. The other three children are currently studying two 25 and 19 in the university while 21 in a college, both children are healthy and doing well. The Johnson family lives in a mid-sized house in Ohio; they have lived in this house for 21 years.

GenogramMrs. Johnson

56-year, Hypertensive

Mr. Johnson

60 years, diabetic

27

21

19

25

35

The genogram applied proved very effective in the assessment and analysis of the family concerns. The orientation of the genogram was adopted from the Bowen family theory from many generations behind (Majhi et al., 2018). Mr. Johnson was diagnosed with anxiety disorder, has a history of diabetes. Mrs. Johnson has a history of hypertension with no known psychiatric illness. This genogram representation provides a...

…major conclusion is the interaction between the family members and the aspects of emotions, relationships, and the cognitions that evoke the behaviors. Cognitive behavior therapy should be done to this family at least twice every month by reconstructing the family. This therapy will particularly foster the relationship between the elder daughter and her stepmother. Also, pharmacological treatments should be administered to Mr. Johnson were necessary because of his diagnosed anxiety disorder.

Theories and therapeutic interventions

Bowens family theory is primarily relatable to this kind of family system. The approach has the most significant influence on family therapy and marriage. During my interaction with the Johnson family, there was differentiation based on the relationship maturity and the individuals themselves. Bowen's theory argues that every individual can respond while choosing their reaction and actions (Rajaratnam et al., 2021). The elder daughter appeared very straightforward with her words without thinking about the consequences; she responded based on her emotions rather than rational thinking.

Therapeutic interventions recommended for the Johnson family are to write down their thoughts; this will provide therapeutic relief and enable us to discuss their issues in our next session. Another therapeutic recommendation is a role-playing technique; this will allow them to identify how they are perceived by other family members and will encourage them to be more considerate and living harmoniously.

In conclusion, developing a family plan requires identifying the specific goals that are realistic and obtainable from the family; through this, a psychiatric therapist can acquire the information that will finally officiate the plan for the treatment. The Johnson family is a typical representation of the issues that occur in different families. However, some families take the initiative to solve these issues while others generally wait for complications; therefore, they credit this family for coming forward and exposing their problems to see them live…