Case Study of a

13 Year Old
By: Amanda Peters
EDU 220
Monday, October 22, 2018
 Abstract
This is a psychological development study of a 13 year old boy.
Lucas is my neighbor’s son; I watch him and his little sister
occasionally. This powerpoint examines traditional development
stages from physical, emotional, cognitive and intellectual,
psychosocial and social, and moral characteristics. It also will
discuss Lukas’s development and give parent recommendations
to anyone who would need it. An objective for this project was to
include information from the class textbook, ED Psych by Jack
Snowman and Rick McCown, and other resources provided. With
the extensive research conducted for this project, I now feel
more confident in my ability to help adolescents grow and
become motivated about their education.
 Typical
Physical Behaviors
A rapid growth period: Puberty

Body image is used in three ways. These children have a preoccupation with
their physical appearance, while being critical of themselves. They start to
compare their bodies to those of their peers to determine “normal” or
“standard” development. They also have anxiety about their sexual
characteristic changes.

•Boys: have growth in their testicles and penis, wet dreams start to manifest
or become more consistent, deepening of their voice, and massive growth in
height and weight.

•Girls: breast and hips fully develop, and menstruation begins or becomes
regulated.

(Child Development Institute, 2015)

 Typical Physical
Developmental Level
By Snowman
Physical growth is rapid and uneven, growth spurts begin, and as puberty hits these
children become more curious about sex. With puberty, comes a wide variety of late or
early maturing.

Boys:

• Typical ages of puberty are from 9-13 1/2

• Ages 11-13 pubic hair starts to develop and testicles and scrotum grow.

Girls:

• Typical ages of puberty are from 7-13

• Ages 11-13 breasts develop and hair starts to develop under the arms and pubic area.

(Snowman, J. & McCown, R., 2013)

 Lucas’s
Physical Characteristics
and Behaviors
Lucas is in the 7th grade,
and just recently turned
13. He is a little shorter
than some of his other
male friends, but taller than
all the girls in his class. His
voice hasn’t changed, but
there are cracks in his voice
often. He is very lean and
not athletic. I have also
noticed his hair becoming a
darker shade of blonde.
 Physical Development
Recommendations
This rapid physical change can cause some issues. These changes will cause the
child to feel self-conscious, for maybe the first time in their life. They will start to
compare themselves to their peers.

Be sure to keep an open and honest communication about any changes your child
is going through. Also, warn your child ahead of time about things that might start
to occur, such as: hair growth, wet dreams, and menstruation.

Also communicate about sex. Your child will be very curious, but maybe too
embarrassed to ask which, can lead to problems with safety. If your child is aware
of the risks with sex, drugs, alcohol, etc. They will be less likely to partake in
dangerous activities.

(Medline, 2017)
 Typical
Emotional Characteristics
and Behaviors
Children have an intense emotional development at this stage of their life. They start to
struggle with their identity, and feel awkward about their bodies. They realize their parents
are human and not perfect. There is a desire for independence and an increase of peer
influence. When stressed they may start to revert to childish behavior at times, and are
down right moody. They have a greater interest in privacy, and test and question rules and
authority more often.

Autonomy: challenge authority (anti-parent, as well), wide mood swings, feelings of

loneliness, argumentative and disobedient, and rejecting of childhood things.

Peer groups serve as a developmental purpose. They develop intense same-sex friendships
and contact with the opposite sex.

Identity Development: ‘am I normal?’, daydreaming, goals frequently change whether in

profession or education, start to develop own values system, sexual feelings and exploration,
imaginary audience, desire for privacy, and magnify own problems ‘no one understands!’.

(Child Development Institute, 2015)

 Typical Developmental
Emotional Level
By Snowman
Period of ‘storm and stress’ feeling. This is the stage where
children start to develop anxieties, depression, mood swings, and
low self-esteem; this is due to the rapid physical changes and rush
of hormones introduced to their bodies.

These children also have a self-centered attitude. Highly concerned

with their appearance and what they where. The want to be
accepted by peer groups or an individual at the cost of, maybe,
their own identity.

The biggest emotional change is the child no longer feels like the
parent can understand them.

(Snowman, J. & McCown, R., 2013)

 Lucas’s
Emotional Characteristics
and Behaviors
Lucas exhibits the softer
emotions of adolescence. He is
filled with anxieties of fitting it, or
finding friends. He often will cry
rather than become angry when
confronted with frustration. He is
very concerned about following
rules and reacts positively to
structure and organization. At
times he doesn’t think his parents
will understand his emotions, but
tries to express himself to them
anyway. He tends to have a vivid
imagination and exaggerate minor
information.
 Emotional Development Recommendations
This is a very hard time for children. This is the age where depression can emerge. It is extremely important to
talk to your child about mental health, and the risks and after effects of depression and suicide. Depression
can be brought on by a number of things: peers, home complications, academic pressures, and complications
in intimate relationships. This is also a time of self-discovery and developing an ego (sexual identity, within
certain peer groups, with certain people, etc.). Talk to your child about different identities and which ones
they relate to the most, then accept them for who they are or what they struggle with.

(Medline, 2017)

During this time your child might start to pull away, this is a good thing. It’s always harder on the parent to let
the child start being independent. At this stage they are trying to find their own identity, encourage
independence and expand their peer group. If you do not let the child be independent, it can cause the child to
feel inadequate and/or resentful. Set boundaries, not a power struggle. They are looking to be heard since
they now have opinions.

(Medline, 2017)

Do not dismiss your child’s concerns, they are real to them and need reassurance. Respect and accept their
feelings, and expect them to do the same for other’s.

(University of Washington, 1993)

If any behaviors become overbearing there is always professional help, school counselors will always be
grateful to help families who don’t know how to set up mental health care for their child.
 Typical
Cognitive And Intellectual
Characteristics and Behaviors
At this stage children have more ability to convey thoughts and feelings more accurately.
They will start to develop more complex thoughts and thinking.

(Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017)

They are more interested in the present, rather than focused on the future. Intellectual
interests expand and become more important. Deep thinking happens more frequently.

(Child Development Institute, 2015)

They thrive on arguments, engage in introspective and probing thinking of one’s self, may
read more often, able to memorize and think logically more easily, and needs to believe in
something and feel important.

(University of Washington, 1993)

They are better at problem-solving and thinking in abstract terms. They are better at applying
with their decision-making skills when it comes to their social and academic situations.

(Child Development Institute, 2015)

 Typical
Cognitive And Intellectual
Developmental Levels
“Because the psychological demands of early adolescence, middle school students need a
classroom environment that is open, supportive, and intellectually stimulating.” (pg. 62)

“Self-efficacy becomes an important influence on intellectual and social behaviors.” (pg. 63)

Piaget:

• Formal Operational Stage: able to engage in mental manipulations, can deal with abstract
thoughts or situations, and solve problems systematically.

Vygotsky:

• Their culture passes down how they think every day, and/or in an academic setting. Who
they interact with can alter their thinking; example, hang out with more intellectually
advanced or older peers and you will expand your intelligence. Formal instruction replaces
spontaneous concepts with scientific ones.

(Snowman, J. & McCown, R., 2013)

 Lucas’s
Cognitive And Intellectual
Characteristics and Behaviors
Lucas is well ahead of his curve
when it comes to intellect. He is
the top of his class, and in
advanced classes as well. His
reading level is years above his
physical age. He handles all areas
of academics with ease.

Lucas also invests his time into

tutoring other students at his
school, and being helpful caring for
his elderly grandfather living with
him. Lucas earns money by doing
simple chores around the house,
and is creating his own app.
 Cognitive And Intellectual
Development Recommendations

Don’t let discussions become arguments, and respect your child’s

ideas. Encourage exploration of thought and action processes.
Offer suggested books, if your child is interested in reading more
often. Inspire your child to join causes they are passionate about,
community groups, and any other organization where they can
expand their knowledge and peer groups.

(University of Washington, 1993)

 Typical
Psychosocial and Social
Characteristics and Behaviors

Child starts to withdraw from parents, due to embarrassment or

for them being ‘old fashioned’. Boys usually resist any affection. At
this stage they need less family companionship and interactions,
the children usually feel parents are too restrictive. They tend to
have less intense relationships with those of the same sex, and
usually have a whole slew of friends. They tend to get annoyed
with younger siblings if they have any. Girls tend to be more
sexually interested in the opposite sex than boys until later
teenage years.

(University of Washington, 1993)

 Typical Psychosocial and Social
Developmental Levels By Snowman
Erikson: Identity v. Role Confusion

• Learning various roles, such as: academic, occupations, sexual, political, etc., so they can
create one cohesive ego they will need for their adult life. Lack of stability in playing so
many roles can lead to role confusion, and not having an identity going into adulthood. “In
common terms, they know who they are.” (pg. 19)

John Macia:

• There are four identity statuses with this theory and it’s all dependent on the individual.
Identity Diffusion is where there is no crisis and no commitment; little self direction or self-
esteem, and impulsive behavior. Foreclosure is no crisis with a commitment made; often
closed-minded and accepts and endorses parental choices and values. Moratorium is where a
crisis has been experienced but no commitment has been made; anxiety driven and changes
academic goals often, and often feels dissatisfied. The last stage is Identity Achievement
where a crisis was experienced and a commitment has been made; often with high self-
esteem, playful and logical, and introspective.

“They found that high school students who had attained the identity achievement status
scored higher on measures of career planning and career certainty than did students in the
moratorium or identity diffusion statuses.” (pg. 21)

(Snowman, J. & McCown, R., 2013)

 Lucas’s
Psychosocial and Social
Characteristics and Behaviors
This is the area Lucas struggles
with the most. He struggles with
his identity after being relentless
teased in elementary school. He
fears he still doesn’t quite fit in at
school. Church, he is very
comfortable and plays with the
others. At home he is respectful
and mindful of his role as son, older
brother, and grandson. He gladly
accepts affection from mom, but
no one else. He only has two
friends, and they are the neighbor
children who live across the street
and attend a different school.
 Psychosocial and Social
Development Recommendations
Meet and get to know your child’s friends and show an interests in their life
(school). Be clear about your goals and expectations of them, and show
them how to reach their goals.

(Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017)

Don’t feel hurt or take it personally when your child starts to pull away from
you, you are still important but so are other things in their life now. Respect
boundaries and be affectionate when able. Set clear, firm, but flexible rules.
Allow your child to be more independent and spend more time with their
peers, and participate in independent activities. Don’t criticize your child’s
friendships. Accept your child’s feelings for need of space from younger
siblings, reassure the younger sibling and help cope with rejection.

(University of Washington, 1993)

 Typical
Moral and Character
Characteristics and Behaviors
By Snowman

At this stage children start to develop a stronger sense of right and wrong.

(Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017)

This stage, children become more aware of other’s feelings and are concerned about fairness, and
they are unlikely to lie. They have an intense desire to fit in morally with their peer group’s view.

(University of Washington, 1993)

Kohlberg:

For this age group the children tend to sit in both the third and fourth stages.

Stage 3 Good-Boy, Nice-Girl: This stage is the pleasing stage, where the child chooses an
impressive action rather than logical. An example would be altering a belief to fit in with a group.

Stage 4 Law-and-Order Orientation: This is where children think that law is detrimental to societal
function. If you don’t obey the rules, everything falls apart.

(Snowman, J. & McCown, R., 2013)

 Lucas’s
Moral and Character
Characteristics and Behaviors
Lucas is a stickler for rules
and being fair. After being
teased and bullied at his
last school, he makes it an
important point to value
his friends and make sure
everyone is happy and
treated fairly. He will not
break the rules, and will
try to talk another child
out of a bad decision when
he can.
 Moral and Character
Development Recommendations

Be proactive in facilitating your child’s decision making, praise

them for doing right and explain why they were wrong if they make
a poor choice in a non-belittling way. Demonstrate your
acknowledgment and respect for your child becoming and
independent adult, and teach them not to change their morals for
the sake of their peer group.

(University of Washington, 1993)

 Reference Page
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/agesstages/#.
WR3Id_QrLrc

Medline (2017). Adolescent Development. Retrieved from

https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002003.htm

Snowman, J. & McCown, R. (2013). ED PSYCH. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth,

Cengage Learning.

University of Washington. (1993). Child development: Using the child

development guide. Retrieved from
http://depts.washington.edu/allcwe2/fosterparents/trai ning/chidev/cd06.htm