Delmirian Saturnino: A case study

• Main Author: Firaza, Maria Dominga B., RVM
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 1973
• Subjects: Counseling in elementary education—Case studies; Counseling
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_masteral/321; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=7159&context=etd_masteral
• Institution: De La Salle University

Delmirian is a 13-year old grade six pupil in St. Mary's Academy, Pasay City. She is the president of her class. She had been referred by her teachers to the sister principal and finally to the grade school counselor. Teachers complained of her undesirable behavior in class. She was reported to be bossy, aggressive, clowning in class disrupts lessons and disrespectful to some teachers. The counselor discovered that these significant adults merely want to shift the responsibility. They believed that the girl is unmanageable and acts abnormally having a crush with one of her teachers. Initially, the counselor perceived clarified and identified the problems of the counselee through the interviews, written autobiography, data gathered from the grade school principal, teachers, and parents. Psychological tests (Otis-Lennon Mental Ability Test, Thematic Apperception Test, Draw-a-Person Test, Sacks Sentence Completion Test and the Junior-Senior High School Personality Questionnaire) were also administered to help understand her better after the problem had been identified. The counselor helped the counselee established her goal, which is the specific behavior change. After the two desired goals were mutually established, the counselor worked with the counselee to design an action program to achieve the specific goals. The behavioral approach used is the SPAM treatment. After the behavior to be eliminated and desirable behavior to be promoted was identified, a systematic observation and recording of the behavior was made to obtain a baseline rate. It was continued throughout the treatment period to determine the extent to which procedures are effective as well as to make necessary adjustments. Periodic checking of the charts was also made. The length of the reinforcement varied in the two charts. It was noted that as the child's behavior began to change, the significant adults began to respond more positively to the child and the new behavior began to be self-reinforcing.