Three Individual Behavioral Case Studies: Max, Onur, and Violet

Case One: Max's Behavioral Patterns in Relationship Therapy

You are completing your graduate work at a local university by participating in an internship at a private mental health clinic. As a part of your internship, you were asked to cofacilitate a group for men and women with relationship difficulties.

While cofacilitating the group, you meet Max, who was court ordered to participate as a result of allegations of assault. After a careful review, you find that he has six past charges of assault. Max is an attractive man in his mid-thirties. He is charming with both the males and female in the group. Although it is clear that he does not feel he should be in the group, you find that he adds dimension to it. 

After some time, Max discloses that he has been involved in multiple sexual relationships and says he “can get in any woman’s pants.” He also brags that he is smarter than anyone in the group, regardless of the fact that one person has a PhD in physics. When you challenge him, he reminds the group that he has been on television (in a commercial for a local car dealership) and is just waiting for a contract from a major television network. He says, “Anyone can go to college, but how many of you have been on TV?”

He also states that he has a unique ability to be the center of attention and that people are drawn to him. He has been a successful salesman, but is not able to maintain a job for more than about 1 to 2 years. He brags about his sexual conquests almost nonstop. After several group sessions, he does acknowledge some history of depression.

One day, you hear him discussing a “great investment opportunity” with the other group members prior to the start of the session. You ask him to stop his discussion and he agrees. However, after concluding the session, he asks you if you would like to invest in his Internet company. He says that he knows you told him to stop because you were interested in joining him at the beginning and watching it grow. After you tell him no again, he cusses at you and leaves the group. 

You have been asked to evaluate a 25-year-old man named Onur who is presented before the court following charges of embezzlement. An evaluation is requested pending investigation. He had been working at a savings and loan company. During the past 2.5 years, a number of older adults in nursing homes had unexplained transfers made to an off-shore bank.

Case Two: Onur's Behavioral Patterns and Embezzlement

There are significant indications that Onur was directly involved in the missing funds. There is, however, little physical evidence to tie him to the crime. He has agreed to resign and participate in therapy in lieu of charges. 

After several sessions, he asks specific questions about confidentiality and reminds you that you cannot report past crimes. You agree, and he brags about his ability to move money. While he is not specific, it is clear that he has no remorse for stealing more than 3 million dollars.

According to collateral information and past records, Onur has been involved in crime for many years. At the age of 15, he was charged with theft. He also was reported as a runaway three times. He is reported to have stolen items and cash from his parents and grandparents. He was also charged with under-aged drinking. He has a unique ability to be very convincing and brags about being able to get away with anything.

Violet is a 20-year-old woman with a history of difficult relationships. She was in foster care from 12 to 18 years old. She attended a career college and is employed as a dental assistant. This is her first real job. She was referred to you after a patient at her dental office had a stalking complaint. She apparently began dating a young man (John) after meeting him at the dentist’s office. 

When she arrives for her appointment with you, she is dressed provocatively in a low-cut blouse and tight pants. She has heavy eye makeup on and seems to be very needy, becoming tearful several times during the session.

At the start of the interview, she states that this thing would not be a problem if those “idiots” in the office were not jealous. She reports feeling like they were talking about her and feeling like they were out to get her. When asked why they would want to get her, she states that all girls are like that. She reports early sexual abuse in her home by an uncle. She also reports conflict with her mother. Apparently she had been in an incestuous relationship and had gained favor from her uncle. She would receive cash and get to go out to eat with her uncle, who was abusing her. She stills denies any abuse and claims that he was only 12 years older than she was at the time of the abuse. After some reluctance, she admits that she was 12 and he was 24 when the abuse started. 

When asked about depression, she stated that she has a hard time knowing what she is feeling. She says that she needs to have a man to feel safe and secure. She reports that she has been in a number of relationships with men and several with women. She usually becomes sexual early on in the relationship. She has used self-harm in an attempt to regulate her emotions.

After some conversation, she stated that she met John at her office while she was helping the dentist prepare for a filling. She said that she always flirts with the customers and that John asked her out on a date. She agreed and reports a short fling. They met for dinner, and she ended up going to his apartment where they had sex. She reports that they saw each other every day for about 3 weeks, which often ended in sex. She states that he said he needed more space and asked that they not see each other any more. She then reported trying to get him back and calling him up to 20 times a day. He asked for a restraining order and phoned the dentist’s office asking for a referral to another dentist—he no longer felt comfortable coming into that office. Violet has had five other restraining orders in the past. 

Required

Choose one of the following case studies from the Individual Case Studies: Case 1: Violet Case 2: Max Case 3: Onur Complete the Behavior Plan Template based on your selected behavioral theory for your selected case-study patient —Violet, Max, or Onur.