Social workers take particular care when diagnosing anxiety due to its similarity to other conditions. In this Discussion, you carefully assess a client with anxiety disorder using the steps of differential diagnosis. You also recommend an intervention for treating the disorder.

To prepare: Read the case provided by your instructor for this week’s Discussion. Review the decision trees for anxiety and OCD in the Morrison (2014) text and the podcasts on anxiety. Then access the Walden Library and research interventions for anxiety.

Post a 300- to 500-word response in which you address the following:

• Provide the full DSM-5 diagnosis for the client. Remember, a full diagnosis should include the name of the disorder, ICD-10-CM code, specifiers, severity, and the Z codes (other conditions that may be a focus of clinical attention).  Keep in mind a diagnosis covers the most recent 12 months.
• Explain the diagnosis by matching the symptoms identified in the case to the specific criteria for the diagnosis.
• Discuss other disorders you considered for this diagnosis and eliminated (the differential diagnoses).
• Describe an evidence-based assessment scale that would assist in ongoing validation of your diagnosis.
• Recommend a specific intervention and explain why this intervention may be effective in treating the client. Support your recommendation with scholarly references and resources.

Required Readings

Morrison, J. (2014). Diagnosis made easier (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Chapter 12, “Diagnosing Anxiety, Fear, Obsessions and Worry” (pp. 167–184)

American Psychiatric Association. (2013a). Anxiety disorders. In Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: Author. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596.dsm05

American Psychiatric Association. (2013k). Obsessive compulsive and related disorders. In Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: Author. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596.dsm06

American Psychiatric Association. (2013d). Cultural formulation. In Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: Author. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596.CulturalFormulation

Diáz, E., Añez, L. M., Silva, M., Paris, M., & Davidson, L. (2017). Using the cultural formulation interview to build culturally sensitive services. Psychiatric Services, 68(2), 112–114. doi:10.1176/appi.ps.201600440

Required Media

TEDx Talks. (2015, May 29). Living with #OCD | Samantha Pena | TEDxYouth@TCS [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btO3kE2RrEY&feature=youtu.be

TEDx Talks. (2016a, October 11). My hidden OCD exposed | Anne Swanson | TEDxVermilionStreet [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3f4Gf5Q_2w

Optional Resources

American Psychiatric Association. (2013h). Glossary of cultural concepts of distress. In Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: Author. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596.GlossaryofCulturalConceptsofDistress

Dominguez, M. L. (2017). LGBTQIA people of color: Utilizing the cultural psychology model as a guide for the mental health assessment and treatment of patients with diverse identities. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Mental Health, 21(3), 203–220. doi:10.1080/19359705.2017.1320755