Depression in the family : a clinical case study

Abstract

‘Depression in the family – clinical case study’ presents a family’s struggle with depression. The family, taking part in this study is composed of five members, the parents and their three sons whose age vary between twenty-five and nine. The ‘identified patient’ as Satir refers to that family member who carries the symptom of the family, is the family’s second son, Mark twenty years of age. Mark has been suffering from this disorder for the last three years, so one can say that Mark developed this disorder in his late adolescence. Working with adolescents is an importune. Adolescence is a period where all aspects of personality, being physical, mental, emotional and even social undergo major developmental changes. This point of view has been expressed by Piaget. Psychotic depression is classified as an affective disorder. My objective in the clinical case study is to see whether Mark’s family together with his environment have contributed in any way to the development of Mark’s disorder. To arrive at this objective, I intend to go through the family’s history, thus explore the various stages the family went through. I also intend to analyse the family’s structure and consequently its parameters, that is do other individuals for instance members of the extended family have a say in the running of this particular family. While doing this I will also give account of the dynamics of the family – relationships, communication, patterns, cohesiveness interactions, rituals if any, roles, feelings, pressures, etc. These and others will be viewed throughout the family’s development. Eventually I also intend to see the effects this situation is leaving on the entire family. Now that Mark is considerate to be the sick one, is he being granted extra attention? Is he given preference over the other kids? Are the parents blaming each other as they feel they are responsible for the entire situation? Thus is the finger of blame pointed to the parents with the consequence that the parents rather than Mark end up as victims (Satir 1972).