Case Study: Anthony Bryan

Anthony Bryan is a smart young boy who has demonstrated unfavorable school behaviors because of the lack of attention he is getting at home. Given the provided information, I believe that it is imperative to focus on Anthony’s family dynamic and how they interact with each other. Based on Anthony’s upbringing and his family’s history, he will most likely have issues with emotional development, and social development. Even though Anthony seemed cognitively ready for school, he was not emotionally prepared to cope with the stressors that come with entering school. Anthony is misbehaving in school, starting fights with his classmates, and not listening to his teacher. This may be because Anthony is unable to regulate his emotions. Hutchison (2014),
34). Emotional intelligence theory focuses on self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and social skills. Goleman explains that the more you are in control and are able to manage each of these elements, the higher your emotional intelligence will be. Anthony is acting out in school for seemingly no reason at all, which leads me to believe he is not able to understand and control his emotions which means he is lacking self-awareness. Anthony’s fighting in school may be due to his inability of self-management. His parents encouraged him to be rough and tough his whole life. They only punished him when he was getting on their nerves. They did not teach him right from wrong but rather scared him into not breaking things or making messes. This parenting style essentially made Anthony not be able to hold himself accountable for his actions. Anthony is unable to get along with his classmates, getting into fights and continuously does not follow the school rules. This suggests that he is lacking in social awareness. Lastly, Anthony exhibits negative social skills. He is bad at effective communication and would rather endure threats of punishment instead of discussing his issues in a reasonable manor. Goleman suggests that social and emotional intelligence are key components of both moral reasoning and moral conduct (Hutchison, 2014). Implications for social work practice include teaching Anthony how to articulate his emotional experiences and become accountable for his actions. It is crucial that Anthony not internalize his feelings but rather express them to others in ways that do not result in acting out in school. Hutchison (2014) supports this notion by stating, children need to be taught that their emotions are linked to the