After her birth, Joan was adopted into a wealthy family. Her birth mother had a history of emotional problems, and it is unknown whether she had problems with alcohol/drugs. Joan, now 16 years old, was coming to counseling for an alcohol/drug evaluation. She was drunk at a party at her private high school. The parents described Joan’s behavior as erratic, sometimes very loving and sensitive, and at other times explosively angry and out of control. Joan was not adhering to simple boundaries that her parents had established (e.g., ignoring curfew, not calling if she is going to be late). They knew Joan was smok-ing marijuana but were unable to prevent her from using it. The evaluation revealed that Joan is out of control. She blatantly told her parents that they were awful, and she was not going to listen to anything they said. Joan had a new older boyfriend (a 20-year old) and she was staying out overnight with him, doing cocaine and drinking alcohol. She had told her parents she was staying with friends. Joan told the counselor her parents can’t do anything. Joan did not see herself as having a drug problem, but did admit that she frequently lost her temper. Her grades in school were very good (3.8 GPA). She stated: “I just want to do what I want to do, and I am tired of my parents nagging all the time.”
Discussion Questions 1. What role do you think being adopted plays in Joan’s behavior and alcohol/drug use? Explain. 2. Do you think Joan has personality traits that are problematic? Explain. 3. Do you think Joan has an alcohol/drug problem? If so, explain with examples. 4. What kind of treatment counseling would you recommend for Joan and her family?