Imagine you are the counselor for the family in the casedescribed in the Sudden Underachievement seebelow.
1)Identify the biopsychosocial dimensions of identity for eachfamily member that you would consider in applying multiculturalcounseling and advocacy strategies.
2} What systemic factors are salient to the client/familyresilience and ability to engage in self-advocacy?
Sudden Underachievement :
When a gifted 12-year-old underachieves academically for severalweeks, his parents feel panic and seek family counseling. In thefirst session, the counselor quickly directs attention away fromthe \"problem child\" by exploring each family member's perspectiveson general family functioning. Informal assessment reveals that thenormally high-functioning four-member family has recently facedseveral challenges: the mother's significant health concerns anddifficulty reentering her career; a grandparent's need for eldercare; the formerly high-salaried father's unexpected unemployment;and high mortgage payments on their new home. The 9-year-oldsibling shows symptoms of trichotillomania--that is, pulling outhis own hair, with noticeable hair loss (American PsychiatricAssociation, 2000). The mother admits to doing some of herunderachieving son's homework in order to protect his future.During the next four sessions, the counselor identifies familystrengths and explores, among many, the hypothesis that themother's actions are about control at a time when many aspects oflife seem out of control. The family faithfully completes weeklyassignments, which are largely geared to helping the family membersengage with each other, express and validate feelings, andestablish appropriate boundaries (e.g., regarding the son'sschoolwork). As boundaries improve and family tension decreases, sodoes the hair loss and underachievement.
