Please shortly respond to this discussion:

What types of behaviors would one possibly see from Alex during childhood?

Whether good or bad, a parent's actions can affect their children. In Alex's case, he is the one that has to endure his parents' irrational behavior and their abuse. The abuse that has been inflicted on him can be detrimental to his emotional, social, behavioral, and physical development (Bakoula et. al., 2019). The harmful interactions that Alex has been exposed to for an extended period of time can lead to long-term behavioral issues. His maltreatment has also put him at risk for mental health problems (i.e., depression, anxiety) (Chung et. al., 2020). His lack of trust and low self-esteem can cause making friends very difficult for him.

Describe the possible effects of the abuse in terms of the HPA axis, including brain structures and neurotransmitters.

Within the three categories of emotional stress (autonomic, behavioral, and endocrine responses), autonomic and endocrine can have long-lasting health effects. This includes damage to brain structures, hormones, and neurotransmitters. A lot of the energy utilized to activate transmitters, hormones, and other functions are provided by glucocorticoid secretion (Carson & Birkett, 2021). The release of glucocorticoids at the level of the brain, pituitary, and adrenal glands is regulated by the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis. Emotions, however, are controlled by the brain's limbic system (Bakoula et. al., 2019). The maltreatment that Alex has experienced at the hands of those who were supposed to love and protect him has compromised his ability to trust others and open up to them.

How might a psychologist approach working with Alex to address any maladaptive behaviors you identified?

If it has not already occurred, Alex would need to be removed from the abusive situation for any therapy process to work effectively. Once a therapist has been chosen, they would need to gain his trust and reassure him that they are there to help and support him. Alex may benefit from TF-CBT which would help him manage his feelings as well as help him cope with the traumatic memories and experiences. Support groups could also be beneficial for Alex to work through the abuse he dealt with for so long. Hearing and seeing others who have gone through similar experiences would help him to realize that he is not alone in his PTSD (Lyons et. al., 2014).