Case Study Analysis

CASE STUDY ANALYSIS

Running Head: CASE STUDY ANALYSIS

ID: 1734445

LEDU 330: Psychology of Education

Biola University

November 18, 2018

 Case Study Analysis

Abstract
Scenario 1-D
A high school grade boy in one of your classes was recently cut from the basketball team for
which he was trying out. He had been a fairly good student in your class of 31 (14 boys
and 17 girls). Up to this point he was getting A’s and B’s. Suddenly, he stopped doing
most of the homework assigned. He stopped hanging out with the other well-behaved,
academically strong students and seemed to withdraw in your class. When you called
home, his mother confided that his dad had recently left the home (within the last 2
months). Her son seemed to be trying to make a new set of friends that worried her—
the family is not hurting financially nor does the boy seem abused in anyway (physically,
emotionally). He has had little interest in school, and seemed to make many foolish
decisions. When she tried to talk to her son, he seemed to blame her for his dad’s
leaving and said that his new friends were all he had. She did not know what to do and
asked you if you could suggest anything. She also asked if you could talk with her son.
You heard a couple of other students in your class talking about the young man in your
class having gone to a party where they were smoking pot. Recently, when you were
walking by in class they quieted down when they noticed that you were near them and
did not want to explain what they said when you asked them.
 Case Study Analysis

Outline

I. Case Study Scenario D- Introduction

II. Possible reasons for behaviors

I.                  Home Situation/Parental Separation

II.                 Negative influence of peer pressure and not making the basketball team

III.              Coping with parental separation through substance use

III. Possible solutions by teacher

I.                    Improve self-esteem and sense of efficacy through recommendation to therapy and

promotion of Mindfulness Skills

II.                 The Boomerang Bunch Approach to navigating parental separation

III.              Parent-teacher-student conference to discuss ways to combat negative peer pressure

and teach self-regulation skills and positive coping mechanisms

IV. Conclusion
 Case Study Analysis

Introduction

        It is impossible for educators to separate the intersection which occurs between a

student’s personal life and their academic performance. Life events which occur outside of the

classroom setting can greatly impact a student’s experience within the school setting. This paper

explores a presented scenario where a student is struggling as a result of a difficult home/parental

situation, the influences of negative peer pressure within school, and illegal substance use. The

paper will delve into the psychological characteristics of a high school level male student along

with reasons and solutions to the problematic behaviors he presents. Considering the unique and

special role the Christian educator plays in the school system, integration of methods to convey

Christ-like love along with emotional and academic support will be explored throughout this

text.

I.  Possible Reasons for Behavior: Parental Separation and Navigating Broken Home

        In the given scenario, the student’s father had recently left home within the last two

months. Research indicates that parental separation is a highly stressful life event for families to

navigate (Smith & Galop, 2001; Butler, Scanlan, Robinson, Douglas & Murch, 2003; Smart et.

al. 2001). Adolescents do not merely observe parental separation or divorce like passive

bystanders, but are emotionally invested in the entirety of the process (Robinson, Butler,

Scanlan, Douglas, & Murch, 2003). For the life of the student, the added stress of parental

separation can elicit a myriad of negative emotional responses which consequently reflect onto

their coursework. The correlation between parental separation and school failure is even more

alarming (Corras, Seijo, Farina, Novo, Arce, & Cabanach, 2017) and research shows that the

damage that results from maladjustment increases with the age of the student. An important

variable to mention in this case study is that the father (the parental male role-model) had left his
 Case Study Analysis

son and wife two months prior the situation occurring. According to Sapharas, Estell, Doran,

and Waldron (2016) in adjusted student models, parental divorces and separations where the

father leaves the home predicated a 41% decreased odds of high school completion for males.

The turbulence and poor performance that comes as a result of this parental separation is

evidently a contributing factor to the student’s poor performance in the classroom.

II.  Possible Reason for Behavior: Negative influence of peer pressure

Within the scenario described in the case study, the student tried out for the basketball

team yet was cut from try-outs. Afterward, that student stopped hanging out with the other well-

behaved students and began to withdraw from the class. His mother noted that he is also making

new friends that “worry her” and he was later discovered to have attended a party where

marijuana use was evident.

The adolescent age is accompanied with a plethora of psychosocial changes, with a

prominent theme among them being a desire to be accepted and belong with peers. An increase

negative influence from peer pressure results in a lowering of general and academic self-efficacy

expectations within adolescents (Kiran-Esen, 2012). Essentially, this explains how a shift in the

friend groups the student associated with resulted in lower academic progress, as the expectation

for self is reduced in relation to the expectations his peers of themselves. Consequently, this

negatively affects the student’s sense of self-worth and self-efficacy within the classroom setting.

The negative influence of peer pressure is especially susceptible to students who may be socially

anxious or coping with difficulties in their home life (Blote, 2016). The Bible goes further to

describe the necessity of being mindful in the peers a person may have in life, along with the

influence they may bring, as written in Proverbs 13:20 which states “He who walks with the wise

grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harms.” This passages stresses the importance of
 Case Study Analysis

choosing positive influences in your circle of companions, as the influence of peers plays a role

in the development of your own character.

III.  Possible Reason for Behavior: Coping with parental separation through substance use

The student in the scenario was also seen to have attended a party where students were

using marijuana. Aside from the significant influence peers and peer pressure may have on the

student, substantial evidence can be surmised that the usage of cannabis was also a means of

emotional coping. Adolescents who face adverse situations in their home life, including parental

separation, are shown to have increased likelihood for usage of marijuana or other substances to

cope when faced with adversity (Duke, 2018). Even further, Arkes (2013) noted how youth are

12.1% more likely to use marijuana specifically following a divorce or parental separation.

Furthermore, research asserts that the likelihood of an adolescent to use substances like

marijuana is significantly associated with their perceptions of their closest peers using it as well

(Mason, Zaharakis, Rusby, Westling, Light, Mennis, & Flay, 2017). The fact that the student’s

father left the home also produces a significant variable within the case study. Research shows

that “The association between peer pressure and drug use also increased as a function of…

adolescent distress among adolescents who were not living with fathers or stepfathers” (Farrell &

White 1998, p. 248). It is evident that the student’s usage of marijuana is due in part to his

difficulties navigating and processing the aftermath of his parents separation, along with the peer

group he currently associates with.

I.   Solution 1: Improve self-esteem and sense of efficacy through recommendation to CBT

Therapy and Promote Mindfulness Skills

A referral to a licensed psychotherapist or counselor can be made to help instill more

positive means of coping with parental separation within the student. Roux (2007) notes how
 Case Study Analysis

interactions with a counselor or therapist is an effective means of coping with a parent’s divorce.

Through counseling, the student will be equipped with tools such as mindfulness, self-

compassion, and greater understanding of self-care which will ultimately serve as positive

coping strategies in face of his parent’s separation (Scarlet & Alves, 2017).  

Promoting an environment where mindfulness is practiced in the classroom would serve

to be extremely beneficial for the student in the above scenario. Mindfulness is proven to

improve student concentration as it requires for students to bring their awareness to the present

moment rather than past or future events (Estrada, 2017). This would be of great benefit to the

student in increasing positive emotions including joy, peace, contentment, optimism, and

gratitude in contrast to the depressive, anxious, and morose feelings the student is navigating

through. Mindfulness cognitive behavioral therapy is a proven antidote for challenges regarding

mental health and offers coping mechanisms which help to reduce stress, burnout and fosters a

positive learning environment (Oaklander, 2016). Jesus Christ says in Matthew 6:34 during the

Sermon on the Mount “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about

itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” The teachings of Christ implicitly suggest a

focus on the present moment, which is the very premise of mindfulness-based CBT.

II.  Solution 2: The Boomerang Bunch Approach to navigating parental separation

A unique approach to recovering from parental separation and divorce is a method of

group counseling titled “The Boomerang Bunch”. This approach to group counseling leverages

the assets already present within the school system, namely school counselors, as parents and

student alike adjust to the life change of parental separation. There are several benefits to using

the Boomerang Bunch approach. The benefits include 1. Parents are included in the counseling

process, where they would usually be separate. 2. The approach provides a safe space for other
 Case Study Analysis

students processing divorce or parental separation to work through the life transition with

professionals and other students. 3. The approach includes several other families, allowing for a

sense of belonging in both parent and student in the challenge of navigating parental separation.

4. At times, the Boomerang Bunch method may be the only mental health service present in the

community. (Ziffer, Crawford, & Wietor, 2007). Typically, school counseling has had the focus

of planning academic and career paths. The Boomerang Bunch method allows for school

counselors to offer effective school-based mental health services for students and parents alike

(Atkins, Graezyk, Frazier, & Abdul-Adil, & Bierman, 2003). As asserted by the article, “without

emotional and social well being, academic progress will slow or stall altogether (Ziffer, et al.,

2007, p. 155).

There are several practical benefits to The Boomerang Bunch approach to navigating

parental separation and divorce. One main benefit includes meetings outside of schooling and

work hours, allowing for the parent to not miss work for sessions and for the student to be able to

attend other classes while attending the sessions. The student will be able to navigate the issues

related to coping with parental separation with students facing similar circumstances. From there,

the student will develop healthy coping mechanisms and utilize other expressive means of

processing emotions including art therapy, puppets, drama, sand, and play (Ziffer, et al., 2007).

These coping mechanisms can be used as a replacement to the negative coping mechanisms the

student is currently using, namely substance use and disengagement from the classroom setting.

Being in a setting of group therapy like “The Boomerang Bunch”, which is specifically aimed

toward families navigating divorce, would also reduce feelings of isolation within the student

regarding their parents’ separation. Students within Boomerang Bunch groups have been

recorded to share that they felt that their families were alone in navigating parental separation
 Case Study Analysis

and divorce, until they joined a Boomerang Bunch session. (Ziffer, et al. 2007) The effectiveness

of The Boomerang Bunch means of group therapy for students and families regarding parental

separation is an effective means of providing mental health services for families who may

otherwise not have access.

III.  Solution 3: Parent-teacher-student conference to discuss ways to increase parental

involvement

A parent-teacher-student conference can be enacted to respond to the student’s academic

and behavioral issues in therapeutic ways. The conference can be used to emphasis greater

parental environment in the student’s education, develop a plan and set goals for improving

within the classroom and among fellow students, and create accountability between the student

and parents (Simon 1984). Parental involvement, especially that of the father, despite the

conflict occurring between himself and his spouse would certainly improve the student’s

academic performance. Research regarding parenting after divorce or parental separation argues

that high father involvement is a protective and preventive measure against behavioral or

academic issues for a child following divorce or parental separation (Amato, 2010; Jeynes,

2005). A parent-teacher conference would benefit the student in allowing for a support network

to be created for the student between the parents and teacher. “Partnering with families in ways

that support children’s learning is a skill that is central to high-quality teaching.” (Khasnabis,

Goldin, & Ronfeldt, 2018, p. 78).

Parental involvement within a student’s education is crucial not only for a student’s

academic success, but their holistic development emotionally and behaviorally (Wang, Sheikh-

Khalil 2014). A parent-teacher conference would allow for the parents to make a crucial personal

investment in their child’s education. Parental involvement in an adolescent’s education

 Case Study Analysis

contribute to a successful transition into adulthood and instills more positive methods of coping

with challenges both in and beyond the classroom (Anguiano, 2004; Wang, et al. 2013).

Furthermore, should the situation warrant, an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) can also be

installed to benefit the student’s learning in this difficult time.

Conclusion

From the research presented, it is evident that the student in this scenario is navigating

issues regarding his parent’s separation, his own sense of self-esteem and self-identity in relation

to his peers, and attempting to cope in his own way with the stressors within his home life

through substance use. These assertions are supported by the data presented in the case studies

regarding adolescent development and also the documented emotional responses adolescents

typically have in dealing with adversity and parental separation. In this scenario, the teacher

holds great leverage in acting as a vessel for the love of Christ through implementing the

solutions described above. A focus on mindfulness-based cognitive behavioral therapy, the

Boomerang Bunch Approach group therapy, and greater parental involvement in the student’s

education despite the personal conflicts they may have against each other would greatly benefit

the overall learning experience.

Beyond the desire for academic and professional achievement, the Christian educator is

motivated by a deep-sense of Christ-like love and care toward the students in their classroom

setting. Echoing Christ’s golden mandate in Matthew 22:39, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as

thyself.” This call for love is especially important in the teacher-student relationship, as the

psychosocial, emotional, and mental health of a student along with the personal circumstances

they may bring into the classroom are inseparable from them as a person.
 Case Study Analysis

Bibliography

Arkes, Jeremy. “The Temporal Effects of Parental Divorce on Youth Substance Use.” Substance

Use & Misuse, vol. 48, no. 3, 2013, pp. 290–297., doi:10.3109/10826084.2012.755703.

Atkins, M. S., Graczyk, P. A., Frazier, S. L., & Abdul-Adil, J. (2003). Toward a new model for

promoting urban children’s mental health: Accessible, effective, and sustainable school-

based mental health services. School Psychology Review, 32, 503–514.

Blöte, Anke W., et al. “Adolescent Social Anxiety and Substance Use: The Role of Susceptibility

to Peer Pressure.” Child Development Research, vol. 2016, 2016, pp. 1–8.,

doi:10.1155/2016/9468972.

Corrás, Tania, et al. “What and How Much Do Children Lose in Academic Settings Owing to

Parental Separation?” Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 8, 2017,

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01545.

Farrell, A. D., & White, K. S. (1998, April). Peer influences and drug use among urban

adolescents: Family structure and parent-adolescent relationship as protective factors.

Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9583328

Firsick, Dylan. “Family Involvement, Parental Monitoring and Peer Influence as Predictors of

Adolescent Alcohol, Tobacco, and Marijuana Use.” PsycEXTRA Dataset, 2010,

doi:10.1037/e741372011-261.
 Case Study Analysis

Halpenny, Ann Marie, et al. “Children's Perspectives on Coping and Support Following Parental

Separation.” Child Care in Practice, vol. 14, no. 3, 2008, pp. 311–325.,

doi:10.1080/13575270802041720.

Kiran-Esen, Binnaz. “Analyzing Peer Pressure and Self-Efficacy Expectations Among

Adolescents.” Social Behavior and Personality: an International Journal, vol. 40, no. 8,

2012, pp. 1301–1309., doi:10.2224/sbp.2012.40.8.1301.

Khasnabis, Debi, et al. “The Practice of Partnering: Simulated Parent–Teacher Conferences as a

Tool for Teacher Education.” Action in Teacher Education, vol. 40, no. 1, 2018, pp. 77–

95., doi:10.1080/01626620.2018.1424658.

Mason, Michael J., et al. “A Longitudinal Study Predicting Adolescent Tobacco, Alcohol, and

Cannabis Use by Behavioral Characteristics of Close Friends.” Psychology of Addictive

Behaviors, vol. 31, no. 6, 2017, pp. 712–720., doi:10.1037/adb0000299.

“The Mindful Classroom: Creating Supports and Structure for Mindful Teaching and Learning.”

Mindfulness and Yoga in Schools: A Guide for Teachers and Practitioners,

doi:10.1891/9780826131737.0005.

Sapharas, Nicole K., et al. “EFFECTS OF PARENTAL DIVORCE OR A FATHER'S DEATH

ON HIGH SCHOOL COMPLETION.” The Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering,

Wiley-Blackwell, 12 July 2016, onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pits.21947/full.

Sapthiang, Supakyada, et al. “Mindfulness in Schools: a Health Promotion Approach to

Improving Adolescent Mental Health.” International Journal of Mental Health and

Addiction, 2018, doi:10.1007/s11469-018-0001-y.

Scarlet, Janina. “Superhero Therapy: Mindfulness Skills to Help Teens and Young Adults Deal

with Anxiety, Depression, and Trauma.” Superhero Therapy: Mindfulness Skills to Help
 Case Study Analysis

Teens and Young Adults Deal with Anxiety, Depression, and Trauma, New Harbinger

Publications, 2017.

Ziffer, J. M., Crawford, E., & Penney-Wietor, J. (2007). The Boomerang Bunch: A School-

Based Multifamily Group Approach for Students and Their Families Recovering from

Parental Separation and Divorce. The Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 32(2), 154-

164. doi:10.1080/01933920701227141