Risk and Resilience
Pham (2014) conducted a study aimed at examining to enable school psychologists to understand the model and be able to apply it when assessing the academic and behavioural functioning of children at school. This framework can be helpful for school psychologists as they address the mental health needs of linguistically and culturally diverse children who have Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The study features a case study of Alejandro, a 6-year-old 6-month Hispanic child with ADHD who recently moved from Puerto Rico to the United States with his biological father and stepmother. Alejandro presents several issues that can be primarily attributed to the adaptation of his new environment as well as leaving his mother in Puerto Rico. The main issues presented by Alejandro as expressed by his stepmother include aggressive behaviours such as hitting his friends, depression, difficulties with maintaining attention, and learning difficulties as he is unable to identify numbers and letters in Spanish which is his first language. Furthermore, a recent neurological report revealed that electroencephalograph (EEG) of Alejandro was abnormal, indicating a sign of cerebral dysrhythmia.
Alejandro’s behaviours were analyzed and evaluated using a biopsychosocial-cultural model. The assessment included language and ADHD assessments. The results of the evaluation from language assessment revealed that Alejandro’s English proficiency was minimal (2 out 5). However, he had stronger Spanish ability. Unlike his stepmother’s claims, Alejandro was able to identify and recognize numbers and letters both in Spanish, thereby demonstrating stronger skills in school readiness. Although Alejandro’s Spanish language was much stronger than English, he made regular attempts to communicate in English by code-switching, which is typical and appropriate for a person who is trying to learn a second language. The assessment also revealed that Alejandro was depressed mostly when at home. The psychologist attributed this to continuous communication between him and his mother in Puerto Rico. Surprisingly, in school, Alejandro was seen to be adjusting well as he reported to be engaged, attentive, and cooperative in classroom instructions. In general, the ADHD symptoms of Alejandro were not demonstrated across the settings (Pham, 2014).
Among the three interventions, that is, home-school collaboration, social support, and psychopharmacological treatment, I would recommend home-school intervention. The technique requires both school professionals and parents to frequently converse about the social, academic and behavioural progress of the child over the school year. The techniques that can be used in this intervention to enable improvement in Alejandro’s behaviour include making a visual chart that constitutes clear and consistent house rules that Alejandro must follow. Also, there should be a daily positive reinforcement whenever Alejandro adheres to all house rules (Power et al., 2012).