Imagine a 13-year-old female client is brought by her parents to see you. Her parents are concerned because they report their daughter is very unhappy with being a girl. She is increasingly being teased at school because she looks, dresses, and tries to act like a boy. She is an active athlete, but will only play contact sports with boys. The client states she does not like her breasts and wishes she could have them removed. She reports that she has always wanted to be a boy for as long as she can remember. Give a DSM diagnosis for the presenting problem. Include an assessment of the client’s ability to function in daily life. Be sure to pay particular attention to the symptoms of the disorder and the influence it has on the client, as well as the client’s family.
A DSM diagnosis of each client
An explanation of your rationale for assigning these diagnoses on the basis of the DSM
An explanation of what other information you might need about each client to make an accurate diagnosis
A brief description of additional individuals you might include in your assessment and explain why
Discuss how you would produce a comfortable environment to lead your clients to discuss their issues