Parenting Stress Index - Report Example

Running Head: SCREENING PROJECT Screening Project Introduction Ethical factors to Consider Having the obligation of conducting a family therapy would call for the therapist to employ the skills and knowledge in understanding and impacting the necessary measures that creates the expected change to the stressed up family. In order that one carries out the most appropriate therapy for such families there are some ethical factors to be put into consideration before administering the therapy to each family member under the subject. While conducting these kind of therapy, the ethical issues put into consideration demands one to be self-critical and open continually. First, there is the need to consider your own personal requirements as the therapist, examine whether you have any unfinished business or potentiality of individual conflicts which could interfere with the assistance you are supposed to offer the client. One still needs consider their prejudice areas as well as their vulnerabilities. Also, there is need to consider the potential impairment which could result to counter transference (American Counseling Association, 2008). According to Fawcett and Neukrug (2006), Impairment in this case would include: Having professional isolation, a self-esteem which which is fragile, having problems in creating intimacy in your individuals social life, the need for rescuing your customers, abuse of drugs and substance and having reassurance regarding our competence. As far as therapy services are concerned, counter transference would include ethical issues such as dealing with your clients in such a superficial and benign approach, rejecting to listen to the clients, having overprotective behavior towards certain clients, calling for reinforcement as well as approval occasionally, having romantic or sexual approach to you clients and providing a compulsory advice and consultancy. It has includes development of social relationships with your clients and having delayed terminations (Fawcett and Neukrug, 2006). American Counseling Association (2008) holds that, while providing therapy to the family members, ethical issues needs to be considered in a certain procedure and steps. These include: Identification of the clients problems or challenges, consider if they are clinical, professional or mainly ethical and moral. You also ought to check at the laws and regulations pertaining that challenges brought forward by the client and look at the issues which are potential to both of you and your customer. In this case one needs to look back at the ethical codes regarding the profession. Your individual values and ethics needs to be in line but not in conflict with the provided guidelines. There is need to seek for other professionals consultancy where necessary. The therapist also needs to check on the possible aftermath as a result of the course of action and as well follow up these effects in order that they examine the outcomes. The family members need to be given the necessary information which would be necessary in order to make informed choices. They also need to have their rights as well as responsibilities which have to be written in papers, read and signed by each individual in to whom the therapy is being carried out. They have to agree with the information provided. The information includes the aim of the therapy, various responsibilities of the therapist to the client, clients responsibilities, exceptions and limitations to confidentiality, ethical and legal therapeutic parameters, the therapists background as well as qualifications, demanded fees and the time to be taken to complete the therapy process. Confidentiality is essential in conduction therapy. This would imply that the information which would be shared between the therapist and the individual family members must remain private unless otherwise provided by each family member. This further implies that the private information would only be given to other family members in case one family member is likely to cause some vital harm to themselves or any other family member. In cases the children have found to be abused, there is then the legal requirement to report the parents. Even for the young children, they would have to be informed in case the therapist need to discuss the information they provided with their parents. Conducting the Assessments/tests There would be need to carryout deferent tests/assessments to every family member concerned. This would depend on their individual situation and challenges they are facing as well as their relationship with other family members. As a qualified therapist, i would carry out the necessary tests/assessments from the three children, evaluate each of them, each their parents and get the necessary information of the teachers and their doctor. I would consult any qualified therapeutic professional for any assistance. Necessary Evaluation Tests i). Family Stress Checklist (FSC): Psychological interviews According to Schmitt and Carroll (2005), Psychological Interview refers to a kind of test which is used in helping the person or child affected and for the therapist to plan carrying out of the therapy process. It employs interviews by the therapist to the affected individual. This is best used for evaluation of childrens behavior. this would be most appropriate when examining the behavior of the three kids. it would help in examining various domains including the childrens care history, the attitudes and perception pertaining the children, their individual disciplines and the level of stress indicated by the parents because of their behaviors. It would need careful consideration of the parents review of care given to the children and their emotional behavior. The assessment would assist in establishing clinical judgment to the individual children. Psychological interview as a therapy process would include answering various questions which targets establishing the absence or presence of various issues such as : Abuse or neglect in the children by both parents. Mental illness, Substance abuse and juvenile delinquency among the children. Depression, low self-esteem, isolation and some indicated law level of coping skills. The parents exercises which might be too harsh to the childrens The childrens negative perceptions of life. Unwanted or poor bonding between the children and either of the parents. Various consistent crises or stresses by the childrens Any substance abuse that might have been abused by the either of the parents. Resources and Stress Questionnaire. This is used in addressing some matters such as pessimisim partaining the childrens mental development, their future anxiety, any financial challenges they might be facing, dependency and over protection, any parental affliction, the burden given to other family members due to their behavior, the three childrens individual social isolation, intellectual and physical incapacitation as well as the care needed by each of them. It helps in examination of the ecological causes due to stress of the children and their family members. It also helps in accessing the familys general stress level. The test, if well conducted would be suitable as it fulfills the demands for validity acceptance level (California Departments of Education and Developmental Services, 1997). Necessary Tests for the Parents Parent Satisfaction Scale This test is useful in evaluation of the relationship between the children and the parents. Each of the parents would be examined individually to access their respective relationship with their children. The process s essential in finding out if the children or any of them has some troubled relationship with either of the parents. The response the parents have showed due to the effect of intervention and therapy healing process would also be examined. As per California Departments of Education and Developmental Services (1997), conducting this test would assist the therapist in evaluating, comparing, defining and communicating the level of satisfaction in parenting the parents have in bringing up the children. For the therapist to improve the therapy as well as communication in the family and the childrens teachers and family doctor, there would be need to examine the parents performance level as far as their commitment and parenting roles to the family affairs are concerned. Parenting Stress Index Parenting stress index is termed by California Department of Education and Development Services (1997) as an approach of evaluating the most stressful areas as far as interaction of the parent and their children is concerned. It is a diagnosis and a screening instrument that creates the believe that the parents total stress due to their childrens behaviors parents perception of the children are relevant to the behavior of individual children and the care given to them. Schmitt and Carroll (2005) asserts that the childrens stress to the parent would be examined in terms of destructibility, acceptability, demanding behavior and moods. The test would be helpful in examination of the understanding of various dysfunctional systems regarding the parent-children relationship, plan for relieving of high stress ares and necessary intervention, improving the skills of parenting and examination of any possible cases of child abuse. References America Counseling Association. (2008). Retrieved on Jan 10 2009 from http://www.counseling.org/resources/ethics.htm#ce Fawcett, R., & Neukrug, E. (2006). Essentials of testing and assessment: a practical guide for counselors, social workers, and psychologists (2nd Ed.) Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole. California Departments of Education and Developmental Services. (1997). Autism Resources: Assessment Procedures. Retrieved on Jan 8, 2009 from http://www.behavior-consultant.com/aut-dx-devices.htm Schmitt, B. D and Carroll, C. A. (2005). Family Stress Checklist (FSC). London: Routledge Read More