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Case Study - Social Difficulties

Name: Jeff
Age: 30
Diagnosis: Learning disabilities, primarily affecting math skills and social perception. 

Jeff is an only child who was born and reared in Georgia. He lives at home with his parents, who are in their late sixties. Both parents are high school graduates with some college. Both have been retired for several years. Jeff dropped out of school when he was sixteen and has lived a secluded life at home ever since. He held one part-time janitorial job through a temporary job service. He is unable to drive because of his difficulty with spatial perception, and he has limited ability to manage money. Until a year ago he seldom left the house and had no friends. 

Jeff has been treated off and on for depression since leaving high school, but recently he started showing progress with a combination of psychotherapy and drug treatment. He recently began working with Rehabilitation Services in hopes of receiving assistance in finding an appropriate job and gaining independent living skills. A recent evaluation revealed the following information:

Strengths:
 

	Tests of short-term and long-term memory indicate average ability.
	Tests of language indicate clear speech, above average vocabulary, somewhat rambling but intact conversation.
	Visual and auditory processing skills are intact.
	Verbal abilities are a strength.

Weaknesses:
 

	Tests indicate poor eye/hand coordination.
	Tests indicate deficits in nonverbal skills (e.g., picking up cues, like body language, facial signals, voice tones).
	Tests show a deficit in spatial perception.
	Tests of social/emotional functioning indicate extreme dependency on others to handle the normal functions of daily living.
	Tests of social/emotional functioning indicate poor social interaction skills with some anxiety associated with social situations.

With appropriate job training and placement, Jeff's chances for successful job placement are fair. Jeff has come to his local Adult Basic Education Center at Rehabilitation Services’ recommendation primarily to work on basic math survival skills, especially money management. Jeff thinks he might like to try for his GED. Because of his learning disability in math, he would be able to obtain appropriate accommodations. What kinds of things can you do to help Jeff reach his goals? 

Problem: Social Skills

• Low Technology Solutions

  • Videos and TV (To observe social behavior)

  • Personal organizers/voice organizers

  • Time beepers 

  • Voice recorder/Answering machine

Sample Programs
BeCool + Video Program (Stanfield)
Skills for Living (Hartley)

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