UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTHERN CARIBBEAN
MARACAS ROYAL ROAD, MARACAS, ST. JOSEPH.
Case Study 1
An Assignment
Presented in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Course
EDPC590-Behavioral and Emotional Assessment
INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Carla Copeland-Joseph
By
Dharsanie Rampersaud
May 5, 2024
Based on the information provided about Abby, it is likely that she has social anxiety
disorder. Many symptoms that she showed such as physical complaints of
stomachaches and headaches, avoiding social situations, and difficulty speaking in
class are symptoms of social anxiety disorder (Jefferies & Ungar, 2020). Even her
preferring written work over oral work suggests that she has the disorder.
The diagnosis of social anxiety disorder is likely to affect Abbey in her educational
environment in the following ways. Firstly, anxiety can interfere with her focus and
concentration thereby impacting her ability to learn. This is evident in her declining
grades. Secondly, her avoidance of social interactions affects the development of social
skills, which makes doing group work and having friends challenging. These are
important aspects of any educational environment. Next, the fear of judgment or
embarrassment may prevent Abby from participating in class discussions or asking for
help- this limits her learning as well. Furthermore, anxiety can lead to other mental
health issues such as depression or low self-esteem which can further affect academic
performance (Vilaplana-Pérez et al., 2020).
To assist this student, certain interventions can be put in place. First, positive behavior
support can be implemented on a school-wide basis to promote positive behaviours.
First, school counseling can be done to build her coping strategies to manage anxiety,
and to build her social skills. Pairing Abby with a compassionate peer can also help
improve her social and academic skills. Teachers can also adjust their instruction to
cater for her needs so that her anxiety will be reduced during instruction time. They can
also use alternative assessment strategies for her to accommodate her needs. Finally,
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy could also help Abby in managing her anxiety by
changing negative thought patterns and behaviors.
References
Jefferies, P., & Ungar, M. (2020). Social anxiety in young people: A prevalence study in
seven countries. PloS One, 15(9), e0239133.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0239133
Vilaplana-Pérez, A., Pérez-Vigil, A., Sidorchuk, A., Brander, G., Isomura, K.,
Hesselmark, E., Kuja‐Halkola, R., Larsson, H., Mataix‐Cols, D., & De La Cruz, L.
F. (2020). Much more than just shyness: the impact of social anxiety disorder on
educational performance across the lifespan. Psychological Medicine, 51(5),
861–869. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0033291719003908