Character Analysis Assignment PDF

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The character analysis assignment. The character chosen was Shawn from the Good Doctor....

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Character Analysis Paper

Grand Canyon University PSY-452-0500: Abnormal Psychology Christine Dargon November 14, 2021

2 Character Analysis Paper The show The Good Doctor is about a character named Shaun Murphy, who has been diagnosed with autism and Savant syndrome. It follows his journey through surgical residency and the obstacles that he encounters along the way. Most of these obstacles are a reflection of the social deficits that he has due to the Autism Spectrum Disorder. Shaun encounters a number of obstacles, including patients refusing to be treated by him and poor behavior of those around him, including doubt of his skills and abilities. The purpose of this paper is to reflect on the manifestation of behavior that is displayed by Shaun throughout the show, a possible diagnosis including the DSM-5 code, the psychological model that best fits the diagnosis and a possible treatment plan for Shaun. Manifestations of Behavior Shaun displays a number of social difficulties. Shaun shows an extreme difficulty in connecting with those that are around him. When giving families difficult or unfortunate news he tends to be blunt, which ultimately frightens the family. Shaun shows an extremely high-level of intelligence, specifically in the categories of memory, math and mechanical skills. Additionally, Shaun displays a difficult in picking up on social ques. Furthermore, Shaun also struggles to understand the emotions and feelings of other people. In the first episode, Shaun did not understand why people got upset when he worded or said things in a certain way and had a difficult time communicating. Possible Diagnosis The possible diagnosis for Shaun Murphy would be Autism Spectrum Disorder and Savant Syndrome. In order to meet the diagnostic criteria for ASD, a child must have persistent deficits in each of the three areas of social communication and interaction in addition to at least

3 two of the four types of restricted, repetitive behaviors (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020). Shaun exhibits deficits in social-emotional reciprocity, displayed by a failure of normal back-and-forth communication, reduced sharing of emotions and deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors that are used for social interaction, displayed by poorly integrated verbal and nonverbal communication, deficits in understanding and use of gestures. Additionally, Shaun displays deficits in developing, maintaining and understanding relationships. This deficit is displayed by difficulties in making friends and difficult in adjusting behavior for various contexts. When giving news to families, Shaun has an especially difficult time in adjusting his behavior. These symptoms cause significant impairment in both social and occupational functions for Shaun. The DSM-5 code for Autism Spectrum Disorder is 299.00 (F84.0) The second part to Shaun’s diagnosis is Savant Syndrome. Savant Syndrome is not considered to be a mental disorder, therefore there is no code in the DSM-5 for it, but it is notable as part of Shaun’s character. Savant Syndrome is a rare condition where an individual with a serious mental disability has extraordinary abilities or talent. Generally, these skills are related to memory. This condition can either be congenital or occur in later adolescence or adulthood. Although the condition is rare, one in 10 autistic individuals show savant skills. Also, males are more likely to have autism and savant syndrome. Savant skills are generally found in music, art, calendar calculating, math and mechanical or spatial skills. Skills that are less common but still occur are unusual sensory discrimination and incredible knowledge of specific fields, which is what Shaun displays (Treffert, 2009). Shaun would be described as a prodigious savant, as his skills would be extraordinary even if he did not have impairments.

4 Psychological Model and Treatment Plan The best psychological model that would fit the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder would be cognitive-behavioral. Savant syndrome is not considered a mental disorder, therefore, there is no treatment for it. There is no medication that specifically treats Autism Spectrum Disorder or Savant Syndrome. While there are no treatments to reverse autistic pattern, treatment aids in the adaptation to the environment. Treatment is typically started when the individual is a child. Treatment for Shaun includes cognitive-behavioral therapy, communication therapy and community integration. Cognitive-behavioral therapy would teach new and appropriate behaviors to replace dysfunctional behavior. The skills in focus here would be speech. The therapist would model the desired speech and Shaun would imitate them. Another part of the treatment plan would be communication training. Shaun is verbal, so this training would focus on joint attention. The clinician teaches the individual with Autism to look into the eyes of others while making reference to other objects. Ideally, this is done in the preschool years but it can be integrated now. This would be done slowly, as eye contact is something that Shaun struggles with. In order to be effective, Shaun would needs to be in a comfortable setting and this would need to be done in short increments, so he is not overwhelmed. The final part of the treatment plan would be community integration (Comer & Comer, 2018). Social and work skills would be integrated into this plan. Sheltered workshops would be beneficial for Shaun and provide him with opportunities to learn and practice these skills in a setting that is both safe and comfortable. Focusing on social skills will benefit his personal relationships and his relationships within the occupational setting. These treatments could significantly improve Shaun’s social skills, therefore improving his bedside manner and the way he talks to patients in addition to strengthening and building new relationships.

5 In conclusion, with the right therapy and treatment individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder can still lead integrated and full lives. Individuals may struggle with certain aspects, especially social aspects, but there is a variety of therapies and resources that are available and beneficial to both the individual that is diagnosed and the families of those individuals.

6 References Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, June 29). Diagnostic criteria. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved November 13, 2021, from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/hcp-dsm.html. Comer, R. J. (2018). Abnormal psychology (10th ed.). Worth Publishers. ISBN-13: 9781319066949 URL: http://www.gcumedia.com/digital-resources/bedford-freeman-and-worth/2017/abnormalpsychology_10e.php Treffert, D. A. (2009, May 27). The savant syndrome: An extraordinary condition. A synopsis: Past, present, future. Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences. Retrieved November 13, 2021, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2677584/....