Adolescent Depression in a Context of Disorganized Family Functioning: A 16-Year-Old’s Case

Abstract

A nurturing family environment serves as a protective factor buffering adolescents from stresses and uncertainties of the formative stage. The primary aim of this study was to understand the associated factors leading to depression in the 16-year-old patient and provide psychosocial intervention to aid in his recovery. The case was selected purposefully from the outpatient department of LGBRIMH, Tezpur, Assam, India. A single-subject case study design was employed for an in-depth qualitative analysis. Data was collected through interviews, case record files, observations. The study focused on recognizing the patient’s illness; assess the patient’s primary support system and develop coping skills. Results indicate disorganized family functioning aggravating the patient’s illness, thereby extensive sessions of psycho-education was planned for the treatment process. The study highlights the importance of psycho-education, as a subset of health education to restorative health and prevent relapse of mental illness.