CASE STUDY OF CHILD AGE 16 McKenna Gault

EDU 220- 1003-1004

 OVERVIEW OF 16-YEAR-OLD OBSERVATION
Physical Development Cognitive/Intellectual Development
•Tall and in shape for sports and activities •Can do well if effort is made
•Eats unhealthy but metabolism helps keep •Hard to focus
skinny
Psychosocial/Social Development
Emotional Development
•Very outgoing, many friends
•Drastic mood changes depending on
situation •Needs peer approval
•Wanting approval and reacts positively Moral/Character Development
to kindness •Willing to try
•Respectful and good listener
 TYPICAL PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
•Male height may continue to develop, but body basically done
(Ellsworth, 1999)

•Obsessive attention to diet, weight building or exercise

(Ellsworth, 1999)

•Boys' growth spurt tends to end around 18

(Medline, 2017)

•Voice deepens and hair growth tends to slow in boys

(Medline, 2017)

•Acting on sexual desires increases

(University of Washington, 1993)
 TYPICAL PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT LEVEL ACCORDING
TO SNOWMAN
•Reach physical maturity and puberty
•Almost all girls reach their maximum height, some boys continue growing
•“Late-maturing boys seem to have considerable difficulty adjusting to their slower
rate of growth”
(Snowman, J. & McCown, R., 2015, pg. 101)

•There are variations in height, weight, and maturity level

•Self-conscience about physical appearance
•Sexual activity at an all time high

(Snowman, J. & McCown, R., 2015)

 16-YEAR-OLD PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
CHARACTERISTICS (OBSERVATION)
Examples of meeting milestones:
•The 16-year-old boy I observed is at the median, if not taller, height of his
classmates
•He is actively participating in sports such as Baseball and during lunch he plays
Basketball everyday. He stays very active throughout the day and always moving
around.
•He has grown a slight amount of facial hair that he shaves periodically.
Example of NOT meeting milestones:
•He tends to eat whatever he wants as he has a very fast metabolism.
 PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT RECOMMENDATIONS
•Encourage teen to get enough sleep
(Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019)
•Eat healthy, balanced meals
(Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019)
•Family Involvement
• Communication
• Family activities
(Child Development Institute, 2015)
•Encourage physical activity
• Prepare for more independence and responsibility
• Positive extracurricular activities
• Community involvement
(Child Development Institute, 2015)
 TYPICAL EMOTIONAL BEHAVIORS
• More independence from parents and spend more time with friends
(Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019)
• Mood change rapidly which can lead to:
• poor grades at school
• alcohol or drug use
• unsafe sex

(Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019)

• More conflict with parents
(Child Development Institute, 2015)
• More serious relationships
(Child Development Institute, 2015)
• Emerging sense of self identity
(Ellsworth, 1999)
 TYPICAL EMOTIONAL BEHAVIORS ACCORDING TO
SNOWMAN
•Approval from others is important
•“Many high school students, girls, experience periods of depression, loneliness, and
anxiety.”
(Snowman, J. & McCown, R., 2015, pg. 105)

•Psychiatric disorders appear during adolescence

• eating disorders
• substance abuse
• schizophrenia

•Most common emotional disorder is depression

(Snowman, J. & McCown, R., 2015)

16-YEAR-OLD EMOTIONAL BEHAVIOR CHARACTERISTICS
(OBSERVATION)
Examples of meeting milestones:
•The 16-year-old has very important friendships and has taken a strong interest in
girls.
•His mood can fluctuate drastically when having friendship problems or problems
understanding lesson
• Leads to irritation and frustration

Examples of NOT meeting milestones:

•He enjoys when I can monitor him working through his math problems to make sure he
completes them right.
•The more I treat him like an equal and an adult, the more willing he is to learn.
 EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT RECOMMENDATIONS
•Respect need for privacy
(Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019)

•Encourage developing solutions to problems or conflicts

(Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019)

•Show affection and spend time together

(Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019)

•Be available to talk/listen

(University of Washington, 1993)

•Accept feeling of anger/moodiness but don’t overreact by disciplining

(University of Washington, 1993)
 TYPICAL COGNITIVE/INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENTS
•Worry more about future school and work plans
(Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019)

•Understand their choices and know the difference between right/wrong

(Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019)

•Work for goals and ambitions

(Child Development Institute, 2015)

•Self-centered, only their viewpoint is right

(Child Development Institute, 2015)

•Higher level of learning with less structured directions and more self-reliance
(Child Development Institute, 2015)
 COGNITIVE/INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENTS ACCORDING
TO PIAGET AND VYGOTSKY
Piaget Vygotsky
Formal Operational Stage
• “Culture, social interaction, and formal
•Capable of problem solving by using their
instruction” all shape how a child thinks and
own knowledge to figure it out
learns
•“Understand and use complex language: (Snowman, J. & McCown, R., 2015, pg. 50)
proverbs, metaphors, sarcasm, and satire.”
(Snowman, J. & McCown, R., 2015, pg. 43)
 16-YEAR-OLD COGNITIVE/INTELLECTUAL
CHARACTERISTICS (OBSERVATION)
Examples of meeting milestones:
•The 16-year-old worries about grades due to the problem of ineligibility for sports
and hopes for a good college to recruit him.
•He only needs to be redirected back to his work once every now and then (distracted
easily).
•He can be very stubborn when he is upset or tired.
Example of NOT meeting milestones:
•He likes constant support and help to complete classwork
• after he feels confident, he can work through problems fast and with efficiency
 COGNITIVE/INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENTS
RECOMMENDATIONS
•Teach them life skills as an adult
(Child Development Institute, 2015)

•Treat them as the adult they are or soon to become

(Child Development Institute, 2015)

•Support and safe place for teen

(Child Development Institute, 2015)

•Always have contact with school counselors

(University of Washington, 1993)

•Encourage talking and planning for the future

(University of Washington, 1993)
 TYPICAL PSYCHOSOCIAL/SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
• Forming more intimate relationships
(Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019)
• Peer approval is one of the main focuses
(Ellsworth, 1999)

• Needing a group of friends for social acceptance

(Ellsworth, 1999)

• Looks are not as important as one's personality

(Ellsworth, 1999)

• Parent relationship: friendly/hostile

(University of Washington, 1993)

• Start to feel parents are too interested

(University of Washington, 1993)
 TYPICAL PSYCHOSOCIAL/SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS
ACCORDING TO ERIKSON
Identity Versus Role Confusion
•"The goal at this stage is development of the roles and skills that will prepare
adolescents to take a meaningful place in adult society.”
(Snowman, J. & McCown, R., 2015, pg. 30)

•Confusion of favorable behavior

•If there is no sense of stability in life, role confusion occurs
•When others respond positively to behavior, self-identity develops

(Snowman, J. & McCown, R., 2015)

 16-YEAR-OLD PSYCHOSOCIAL/SOCIAL
CHARACTERISTICS (OBSERVATION)
Examples of meeting milestones:
•He can have bad days if he is having friend trouble or other personal problems.
• Class work may not be completed

•My 16-year-old prefers to work with friends and in groups or with my personal help.
•He can be somewhat of a class clown in order to get his peers’ approval.
•Parents are very supportive for his education
• when there is concern, they always keep him on track

Example of NOT meeting milestones:

•In high school, appearances are everything and it is the same for him as well.
 PSYCHOSOCIAL/SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS
RECOMMENDATIONS
•Give important social skills (what to do/not to do)
(Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019)
•Maintain good relationship
• always be respectful/supportive
(University of Washington, 1993)
•Give distance that is needed
(University of Washington, 1993)
•Be accepting/open about conversations about relationships and friendships
(University of Washington, 1993)
•Avoid negative connotations and disapproval
(University of Washington, 1993)
 TYPICAL MORAL/CHARACTER DEVELOPMENTS
•Student is becoming an active member in his/her society
(Ellsworth, 1999)
•Will start to establish beliefs and values based on personal preference
(Ellsworth, 1999)
•Start to respect rules and understand importance of order
(Ellsworth, 1999)
•Confusion when family and friends are upset with them/something they did
• feelings of frustration, anger, sorrow, and isolation occur
(University of Washington, 1993)
•May show interest in sexual activity because of urges and to seem more mature
(University of Washington, 1993)
 TYPICAL MORAL/CHARACTER DEVELOPMENTS
ACCORDING TO KOHLBERG
Level 2: Conventional Morality
•Follow rules of society
•Stage 3: Good boy- nice girl orientation
• Using certain behavior or action to please others
•Stage 4: Law-and-order orientation
• Using behavior or action because of respect for authority and rules

(Snowman, J. & McCown, R., 2015)

16-YEAR-OLD MORAL CHARACTERISTICS (OBSERVATION)
Examples of meeting milestones:
•The 16-year-old has started to think about getting a job to save up for college.
•He has talked about certain issues and opinions he has that has to do with what is
going on in the world.
•As I have gotten to know him, he listens to me more now because of our good
teacher/student relationship.
•He is more respectful and still puts forth effort even if he does not feel motivated that
day.
•He does notice girls in school and his mood can fluctuate frequently if any
disturbance occurs with friends or girls, he may have a crush on.
 MORAL/CHARACTER DEVELOPMENTS
RECOMMENDATIONS
•Encourage teen to develop solutions to problems or conflicts
(Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019)

•Encouragement and positive feedback will help confidence and self-esteem

(Child Development Institute, 2015)

•Be sensitive to feelings and thoughts

(University of Washington, 1993)

•Accept and discuss interest in sexual experimentation as normal and healthy

• discourage unprotected sex
• provide correct information for sexual experimentation
(University of Washington, 1993)
 REFERENCES
Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2017). Child development. Retrieved
from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/childdevelopment/facts.html
Child Development Institute (2015). The ages and stages of child development. Retrieved
from https://childdevelopmentinfo.com/ages-stages/#.WR3Id_QrLrc
Ellsworth, J. (1998). Online lesson: PEPSI as a screening tool. Retrieved from
http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~jde7/ese504/class/pepsi/lesson2-1-1.html
Medline (2017). Adolescent Development. Retrieved
from https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002003.html
 REFERENCES CONT.
PBS (2019) Learn & grow by age. Retrieved
from https://www.pbs.org/parents/learn-grow/age-3
Snowman, J. & McCown, R. (2015). Psychology applied to teaching, (14th ed.)
CT: Cengage Learning.
University of Washington. (1993). Child development: Using the child development
guide. Retrieved from http://depts.washington.edu/allcwe2/fosterparents/trainin
g/chidev/cd06.html