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PYC3712 Assignment 1 Semester 1 Memo | Due March 2026

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PYC3712 Assignment 1 Semester 1 Memo | Due March 2026. All questions fully answered. Question 1 [15] Classify Simmony’s abnormal behaviour according to the DSM-5-TR classification system and justify your answer. Question 2 [10] Provide two differential diagnoses that should be considered based on Simmony’s behaviour and discuss why these diagnoses are less suitable.

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, PLEASE USE THIS DOCUMENT AS A GUIDE TO ANSWER YOUR ASSIGNMENT

1. Classify Simmony’s abnormal behaviour according to the DSM-5-TR classification system
and justify your answer.

To classify Simonny's abnormal behavior according to the DSM-5-TR, I would look at his behaviors
and symptoms in light of the relevant diagnostic criteria. Based on the case study, Simonny's
behavior might indicate a personality disorder, specifically Avoidant Personality Disorder (AVPD),
though further professional assessment would be required for a definitive diagnosis.

Avoidant Personality Disorder (AVPD)

DSM-5-TR Criteria for Avoidant Personality Disorder:
AVPD is characterized by patterns of social inhibition, feelings of inadequacy, and hypersensitivity
to negative evaluation. The diagnostic criteria from the DSM-5-TR include the following:

 Avoidance of occupational activities that involve significant interpersonal contact due to fear
of criticism, disapproval, or rejection.
 Unwillingness to get involved with people unless certain of being liked.
 Restraint within intimate relationships due to the fear of being shamed or ridiculed.
 Preoccupation with being criticized or rejected in social situations.
 Inhibited in new interpersonal situations due to feelings of inadequacy.
 Views self as socially inept, personally unappealing, or inferior to others.
 Reluctance to take personal risks or engage in new activities because they may prove
embarrassing.

Simonny shows several characteristics that align with these criteria:
 He is extremely uncomfortable interacting with others, especially in social situations such as
shopping.
 He avoids socializing and has no desire for intimate relationships or friendships, further
supporting social inhibition.
 His lack of emotional response and difficulty providing reasons for his actions, such as leaving
his parents' house, suggests feelings of inadequacy or social discomfort.
 He spends time alone, and although he participates in farming activities, this may be due to the
solitude it offers, which aligns with avoiding interpersonal contact.

Justification:
Simonny's lack of desire for social interaction, avoidance of public spaces, emotional bluntness, and
preference for solitary activities suggest traits consistent with AVPD. This disorder typically
manifests in early adulthood and is associated with long-term patterns of social withdrawal and
self-perception of inadequacy (Derald Wing Sue, Sue, Sue & Sue 2024).

His discomfort in social settings, coupled with his lack of close relationships, supports this diagnosis.
It's important to note that these observations would need to be evaluated further through clinical
assessment to rule out other conditions, such as schizoid personality disorder or social anxiety
disorder, which may have overlapping features but differ in other aspects of social interaction and
emotional detachment.

In conclusion, based on Simonny's behaviors, Avoidant Personality Disorder could be a fitting
diagnosis under the DSM-5-TR criteria. However, a more comprehensive clinical evaluation would
be necessary for confirmation.

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