Running head: CASE STUDY 1

Case Study

Angelique Cameron

Community College of Southern Nevada

CASE STUDY 2

Introduction

The child being observed is five years old, but will be six on March second. The child is

female, and she is the second born in the family. She is sixteen years younger than her male

sibling. Her father was born in a South American country called Guyana. He was raised in a

family where the children did the majority of the housework. The child’s mother was raised in

Las Vegas, Nevada. She was raised to be helpful and to clean up after herself, but not to do all of

the cleaning. The child’s mother and father are approximately the same age, one is 41 and the

other will be 41 in May. There are some differences in-between the mother and father, one of

them is that the father comes from a large close-knit family. His family will drop everything to

go help another family member, and that includes brothers, cousins, and sisters. The mother of

the child is also from a large family, but the family is not close knit. An aunt of the mother will

come into Las Vegas, and not tell anyone that she came and left. The mother of the child is only

close to her mother. The other difference is that the mother is Caucasian, and the father is

African American. The observation for physical and intellectual characteristics took a period of a

few weeks, and lasted for approximately two to four hours a day. Social and emotional

development was witnessed on a daily basis, for a few hours a day. Lastly, moral development

was something witnessed on a day to day basis as well.

Economically, the family would possibly be considered middle class. The child has not

been affected by a lack of money. She is well fed, and clothed. There is nothing affecting her

wellbeing with regards to the socioeconomic status in the home. English is the only language

spoken in the home. Even though her father is from South America, he only speaks English. The

mother is partially of Hispanic descent, but was raised in a Caucasian home, and her primary

language is also English. In the child’s home there are two different cultures. Both parents love a
CASE STUDY 3

variety of music, and maybe because of that the child loves music as well. She spends time with

both parents’ families, so she is exposed to both cultures often. The entire observation took place

in the child’s home.

Physical

In regards to the physical aspect of PRISM, the child can dress and undress herself,

although she occasionally needs assistance tugging a shirt off of her head or taking her boots off

(DSHS Fosterparentscope Training, n.d.). Sometimes she has difficulties putting her shoes on,

depending on the type of shoe it is. Amazingly, this child has perfect eyesight. Her mother has

extremely bad eyesight. She has no coordination problems that are caused by eyesight. This child

can completely take care of her own toilet needs. She has a genetic disease that makes it hard for

her to keep on weight, so she must eat food even when she does not want to. The child complains

of stomachaches from time to time, but it is more complicated than the typical child her age that

does not want to eat. Due to a genetic disease, she must eat more than the typical child her age

must, and to the dismay of her parents she does not like to eat. The parents offer every kind of

food but it does not always work. She will say she has a stomachache to avoid eating, but if the

parents allow her to say that every time, it will lead to weight loss.

According to Snowman, and McCown (2013, p. 49) the child I observed should be

exhibiting the average physical developmental characteristics of a child in kindergarten. A child

at this age typically has coordination problems. The child I observed was not able to tie her shoes

when asked to do so, and she sometimes had trouble with buttoning her clothing. However, she

was capable of completing more than one command at a time. When she was asked to throw

something away, put something in the sink, and then asked to wash her hands, the child was able

to complete all three commands.

CASE STUDY 4

Abraham Maslow’s theory of human motivation states that if the child’s deficiency needs

are not met, she will have a difficult time proceeding to the next level. She will have a hard time

feeling safe and secure if she is hungry. (Snowman & McCown, 2013, p. 249). The parents

consistently attempt to feed her, even though she does not want to eat the majority of the time.

Food is always available for her if she ever expresses her hunger, which is a rare event. In

regards to water and oxygen included in the lowest level of the hierarchy, she has plenty of both

at her home, therefore; her physiological needs are being met (Snowman & McCown, 2013, p.

249).

Additionally, the characteristics in PRISM state that the child will continue to be clumsy

from age six to seven. The child will also become restless, and unable to hold still. (DSHS

Fosterparentscope ). In order for the child to move to the next level, it would be a good idea for

her to be introduced to sports. It will help her improve her coordination, and at the same time

will allow her to release pent up energy.

Emotional

In addition, the emotional aspect of PRISM states that the child should be reliable and

well adjusted (DSHS Fosterparentscope). As an illustration of emotional development, she seems

to be reliable and well adjusted for her age. She does not seem to like the dark too much, and she

gets frightened easily. The child has two dogs, but she seems only to fear the bigger one. When

the child has the smallest of cuts or bruises she tells both parents what happened in detail. The

blinking of her eyes has occurred when the parent’s reprimand her or when she is pretending to

be innocent of wrongdoing.

The child has sucked her thumb since she was a baby. Her parents have talked to her

about this issue. They have told her that it is not a good habit, and that there are germs on her
CASE STUDY 5

thumb. At some point, the parents plan to seek outside assistance to help her stop this habit. Her

parent’s reactions to her are very important. She seems disturbed when her parents are not

pleased with her. The child has shown concern about people laughing at her, but that is the only

concern she seems to show regarding embarrassment.

As stated by Snowman & Mccown (2013, p. 51), the observed child should be showing

the emotional characteristics of an average child in kindergarten. The observed child was able to

control her emotions for the most part. She was also aware of how she felt during the

observations. If the child was angry, sad, or happy, she would immediately tell her parents. At

school, she was mostly aware of how other students were feeling, and on occasion would come

home from school to tell her parents that a child in class was sad or happy that day. Lastly, many

times the child would show her immaturity by telling a child at school to go away and leave her

alone.

Maslow’s interpretation is equally valid. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs also includes

feeling safe and nurtured (Snowman & McCown, 2013, p. 51). The child has been frightened

easily, but the parents quickly assure her that she does not need to be frightened. She has sucked

her thumb since she was a baby. That may be her way of feeling safe and comforted, but she

only does that while sleeping. The observed child will run to the adults whenever she has the

smallest of injuries. On those few occasions, the child wants to feel safe and nurtured. All the

parents can do is reassure her that she is safe, and to nurture her.

Furthermore, the developmental milestones for PRISM, age six to seven, states that the

child will be insecure, selfish, demanding, and will have a hard time accepting responsibility

(DSHS Fosterparentscope). The observed child has been observed with those developmental

milestones already. The child will be insecure in her struggle with independence (DSHS
CASE STUDY 6

Fosterparentscope). The family will need to be supportive in order to help the child move on to

the next level. Regarding the last four milestones, the parents will have to be strong and

consistent with the child, so that she knows those behaviors are not okay.

Intellectual

In addition to the physical development, the next thing to discuss would be her

intellectual development. According to the intellectual aspect of PRISM, there were no

noticeable lisps, and the child has not stuttered (DSHS Fosterparentscope ). She was very

articulate starting from the age of three. She dislikes not knowing how to spell a word, for in her

kindergarten class she has to learn how to spell phonetically, and when she does not know a

word she becomes annoyed. She has mastered most skills required in school, for example, she

has learned how to write from one to one hundred. Her parents have made her learn how to write

from one hundred to one hundred fifty, so they can continuously challenge her.

She follows most rules, but is stubborn and sometimes chooses not to follow the

instructions given by her teacher. The observed child knows the required colors, and she knows

all of her numbers from one to one hundred. Pennies, dimes, nickels, and quarters are being

studied in the house, but she sometimes forgets which one is which. She can neatly print all of

her letters, upper and lower case. Reading is a skill she has learned on her own, and her parents

continuously challenge her with new books.

Piaget states that the child observed should be exhibiting characteristics of the

preoperational stage. In the preoperational stage, humans are born with the tendency to organize

and adapt (Snowman & McCown, 2013, p. 26). In the child’s house, one of the parents

conducted an experiment similar to Piaget’s example. The parent used a short, wide glass, and a

tall wine glass. The child watched the parent pour eight ounces of water into each glass. Then the
CASE STUDY 7

parent asked the child if the amount of water was the same in each glass. The child stated that

there was more water in the short, wide glass. The parent asked why the child thought that. She

said that the water was closer to the rim in the short, wide glass. Due to this explanation, the

observed child exhibited the obstacle of perceptual concentration because she only focused on

one detail (Snowman & McCown, 2013, p. 26). After the explanation, the parent asked the child

if she could pour the water back into the measuring cup, and the child was worried the water

would not fit. In fact, the child was adamant that the water would not fit; she felt there was too

much water. In this case, the child reflected the irreversibility obstacle (Snowman & McCown,

2013, p. 26).

A child’s cognitive development comes from culture, spontaneous concepts, and

instruction from more intelligent people according to Vygotsky (Snowman & McCown, 2013, p.

32-35). Regarding culture, an example may be to expose a child to puzzles, and/or memory

games. In the child’s home, she has put together many puzzles, and she has learned certain

cognitive abilities with the use of these puzzles. In her classroom, she learns new words by

singing songs that include these words. This process seems to help the children learn the words

quicker. Socially, the child learns from her parents, grandparents, and from her teacher how to

behave. Lastly, her intelligence comes from learning math concepts and reading skills both at

home, and at school. She also learns spontaneous concepts at school during playtime, and in

class (Snowman & McCown, 2013, p. 32-35).

Sternberg argues that an intelligent child should exhibit the following abilities; practical,

creative, and analytical (Snowman & McCown, 2013, p. 82).If she was practical, she would

conform to the ways of school, so she would receive rewards. The observed child does not

conform well in school, meaning she sometimes has problems following rules. For that reason,
CASE STUDY 8

he would not consider her intelligent. Sternberg’s second sign of intelligence states that she must

be creative (Snowman & McCown, 2013, p. 82). The child has shown her parents that she is

creative. On one occasion, she reflected her creative side by using her own clothes to make a

friend to play with. She laid out her shirt and skirt on the couch as if to make a body, and then

put her sunglasses where the face would be. Afterwards she put her tights under the skirt to make

legs, and at the bottom, she put her shoes. The third sign of intelligence, according to Sternberg,

is an analytical ability (Snowman & McCown, 2013, p. 82). The child can perform a task that

she learned previously, and she shows initiative in learning new things. For example, she is

adamant about learning new words, and gets upset if she does not know how to spell a word.

After she learns a new word, she remembers it.

As reported by Gardner, a child can exhibit up to eight intelligences (Snowman &

McCown, 2013, p. 75). Gardner’s eight intelligences are; logical-mathematical, linguistic,

musical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, naturalist.The observed child

has shown she has up to three of the eight intelligences. Some of her linguistic intelligence lies in

the articulate way that she speaks, and her talents with spelling words correctly. She also has

shown her musical intelligence by dancing and singing. The child remembers many rhythms

well. Lastly, she may also reflect spatial intelligence with her ability to play with Legos. She can

work on them for hours, and she loves to create new shapes.

Equally important would be to include Maslow’s perception of what the child should be

able to accomplish at this age (Snowman & McCown, 2013, p. 249). According to Maslow, if

she cannot accomplish the goal she has in mind, she will not be able to reach self-actualization.

The child gets very upset when she cannot spell a word on her own, so at this young age she

would not be able to reach the growth need.

CASE STUDY 9

According to PRISM, in the next age group she may develop stuttering, find it difficult to

make decisions, and will develop reading and writing skills (DSHS Fosterparentscope). The

observed child has mastered many words, and she writes well. In order for her to move ahead,

challenging books should be required of her. In addition, she should practice writing whenever

possible because her handwriting needs improvement. As mentioned by Sternberg, in order for

her to be successful in school she must learn to conform. He also states that if the child is

intelligent she will be analytical and creative (Snowman & McCown, 2013, p. 82). For her to

grow analytically and creatively, the parents need to nurture those abilities. The observed child is

extremely stubborn and strong willed, therefore; her parents need to encourage her to conform in

school.

Social

In contrast to the physical development of the child, there is also the social development.

According to the social aspect of PRISM, the child may be fearful of her mother not returning

home (DSHS Fosterparentscope ). The child can be quite clingy to her mother, but she is also

extremely independent. She becomes agitated at times when her mother leaves, and begs to go

with her but quickly recovers. The child loves to copy and repeat what the adults in the house

say, and she is very happy when she pleases them. The observed child loves to play with boys

and girls. She is not always calm or friendly. She is bossy and demanding at times. For example,

if a child runs off without her, she will yell at the child to wait for her. The child is particular

with who she likes or wants to play with on a daily basis. She has no preference on the sex of the

child. One day she plays with a boy from her class, and the next day she will play with a girl.

The decision she makes depends on her mood that day.

CASE STUDY 10

When the child eats, she loves to talk. The parents believe this is another strategy to get

out of eating. The child is aware there is a difference between her mother and her father, but she

is not shy or ashamed of her body. She seems to be more curious than before about the

differences. She has asked her father what his male organ is called, and embarrassed him

accordingly. Questions about babies have been few if any. There have not been any calls from

the school stating that she was ill with a stomachache or anything else. She seems to be

interested in being a unique individual. She does not like to conform, though she needs to

because of school rules, and things of that nature. She has trouble understanding when to

socialize, and when to listen in class. Currently, the parents and the child are working with the

teacher to help the child understand how to behave in class.

Erikson states that the child being observed may fall into one of her mentioned social

developments; initiative versus guilt (Snowman & McCown, 2013, p. 18, 19). For initiative

versus guilt, the child asks many questions in general, and the adults always try to answer them.

She is a naturally curious child, typical of this age.

The observed child may fit into three social categories; foreclosure, identity diffusion,

and impulsiveness as reported by Marcia (Snowman & McCown, 2013, p. 21). Regarding

foreclosure, she is dependent on her parents, and other adults for approval. After she finishes a

drawing, or homework, she would go to her parents for praise. The child may fit into a

characteristic of identity diffusion, and was not self-directed. At this age, she does not do her

homework, or clean up her mess without instruction. Lastly, the child was impulsive at times.

She would randomly tied her shoelaces together. The parents suspect she has done this out of

boredom.
CASE STUDY 11

Maslow’s theory states that in order to achieve growth, the child must feel loved. His

theory also points out that the child needs to feel that she belongs (Snowman & McCown, 2013,

p. 249). The parents of the observed child show her love in many different ways, though she may

be too young to realize all of the ways. For example, when her parents tell her that they love her

she lights up with happiness. In regards to belonging, she is well cared for by family members.

At school, many kids like her, so at this point in her life she should feel like she belongs.

The social section of PRISM states that a child in the six to seven year age range will

have trouble accepting responsibility, have unstable friendships, and have trouble concentrating

in school (DSHS Fosterparentscope). For her continued success in school, the parents of the

child should continue to work with her on accepting responsibility. As far as the other two

developmental milestones, she has unstable relationships and misbehaves in class (DSHS

Fosterparentscope). Her parents should help her to understand how important it is to behave well

in school, and how important friendships are.

Moral

Additionally, the observed child seemed to be maturing normally in regards to the moral

developmental characteristics of PRISM (DSHS Fosterparentscope).The child loves attention,

especially from doing well on a picture she has drawn, or her homework. She has taken each of

her parent’s phones and then will say she did not take them. She tends to be mischievous at

times. She rarely thinks what she did was wrong, but if she did, there was no indication of it. The

exception was when she was caught doing something she has been warned not to do.

According to Piaget the observed child has shown an example of morality of constrain.

(Snowman & McCown, 2013, p. 40). The child knows what is right or wrong, but will often

choose to do the wrong thing. She has caused a dramatic scene over something she knows was
CASE STUDY 12

wrong, and then she was caught, and was punished. For example, when she has been caught in a

lie, she then admits to the lie, even though she knows it was forbidden.

Kohlberg reports that the child should be showing characteristics of the preconventional

stage of morality (Snowman & McCown, 2013, p. 41). The child’s parents have been working

with her teacher to improve her behavior in class. Together, they have been able to implement a

plan that entitles the child to a reward if she behaves properly in class, and so far, it has worked.

Adolescent females value qualities of understanding, helping, and cooperation more than

preserving individual rights, as reported by Gilligan (Snowman & McCown, 2013, p. 43). The

observed child is not an adolescent, but she usually likes to cooperate, and she is usually helpful.

She seems to be this way because she likes to please the adults, and the parents are unsure if she

behaves that way for a moral reason.

Noddings states that the feminine perspective is based on the human desire for goodness,

and moral attitude (Snowman & McCown, 2013, p. 44). The child did not seem to be inclined to

desire fairness or justice at this point of her development. The observed child seemed to have a

desire to please the adults in her life, but at this developmental stage, the parents think this was

mainly to stay out of trouble or to receive a reward. In general, she tends to be a very caring

child. She shows this by making her parents lovely pictures, and by giving affection.

In order for the child to proceed to self-actualization, she must first have a strong sense

of esteem according to Abraham Maslow (Snowman & McCown, 2013, p. 44). At this point in

her development, she loves attention, so she seems to hold herself in high esteem at this age of

maturity.

Equally important is the moral stage of development in PRISM. As stated by PRISM a

child six to seven years old will be very concerned about her personal behavior, and will
CASE STUDY 13

sometimes blame others of wrongdoing (DSHS Fosterparentscope). The observed child takes

things that do not belong to her and then will lie about it. The parents tell her each time that is

not appropriate behavior. The child will often blame others for the trouble she gets into. The

parents then tell her that she is responsible for her right or wrong choices. In order for to go on to

the next level in her development, the parents must consistently correct her behavior so that she

knows and behaves appropriately in the future.

Summary

In conclusion, through my observation according to PRISM, the physical development of

the child seems to be appropriate for the age level (DSHS Fosterparentscope). Whether or not

the child was offered her favorite foods or if it was something new, she behaved the same. She

has tried to avoid eating anything in most circumstances. Intellectually, she seemed to meet the

developmental milestones (DSHS Fosterparentscope). She becomes impatient when she does

not know how to do something, but seems happy when she learns to do something new. The

child seems to be developing appropriately in this division of milestones as well (DSHS

Fosterparentscope). As far as the social development of the observed child is concerned, the

only issue she may have is conforming. The parents are working on incentives at home, as well

as working with the teacher at school.

Lastly, the child seems to be reliable and well adjusted for her age. She is fearful of some

things like the dark, and her dog that is much bigger than she is. She has been seen blinking her

eyes when she gets into trouble, or pretends to be innocent of her actions. The child has had an

issue with thumb sucking since she was a baby, and her parents are aware of the problem. She is

thrilled when she makes her family happy. Regarding the moral milestones, she seems to be on

schedule with her development (DSHS Fosterparentscope).

CASE STUDY 14

References

Child Development: Using the Child Development Guide. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://depts.washington.edu/allcwe2/fosterparents/training/cdevguid/cdg07.htm

Snowman, J., & McCown, R. (2013). Ed psych. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
CASE STUDY 15

Appendix A

Physical Development
Can dress and undress herself
Needs occasional assistance
No vision problems notated
Can handle all toilet needs
Food is constant source of stress
Because the child does not like to
Child is offered a variety of food
But it makes no difference

Intellectual
Development
Tries to accomplish
offered tasks
Usually follows directions
Accepts supervision
Knows required
colors&numbers
Sometimes makes mistakes
on coin differences
She can print all
letters&numbers. She can
read well

Emotional Development
Afraid of her bigger dog
Gets upset over miner
scrapes&bruises
Blinks eyes rapidly when
in trouble or dramatizing
Sucks thumb when
sleeping
Showed no concern over
Embarrassing situations
CASE STUDY 16

Appendix A

Social Development
No fear of mother abandoning
her, but can be clingy
Copies adults and lavishes in praise
Plays with both girls and boys
Not always calm.Usually friendly
Can be demanding. Loves playing with all kids
Does not prefer boys vs girls. Talks a lot during
meals, to avoid eating. Knows theres adifference
between boys and girls, shows curiousness.
Not shy about her body

Moral Devlopment
Is interested in being good
She does tell untruths
She does like to please adults in her life
She argues a lot, has attitude a lot
She will tell her parents they are wrong and she
is right