Pepsi Screening 1

Pepsi Screening of Haley Kiarra

Jaecyn Salomon

EDU 220

Dr. Hooks

College of Southern Nevada

February 23, 2022

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Biography

Haley Kiarra is an 18-year-old female born on October 21, 2003, in Maui, Hawaii. She

has a fraternal twin named Jonah. Haley is a senior student at a private Hawaiian school in

Hawaii. She currently lives at home with her twin brother, mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, aunt,

and three cousins. Her mom works from home for an electric company and her dad is

unemployed. Growing up, Haley went through trauma that no one should ever experience.

Haley’s parents tried to have a baby for years until they found out that her mom had

PCOS and cannot get pregnant naturally. After going through IVF, Haley and her twin brother

Jonah were conceived. Unfortunately, the pregnancy was rough, and Haley and Jonah were born

pre-maturely at just 32 weeks. Haley was born at just 2 pounds and 2 ounces. Because of the

premature birth, Haley spent her first two months of life in a hospital, had to undergo physical

therapy, and has always been smaller than the rest of the kids her age.

Later in life, around the age of 10, Haley experienced family trauma. Her father became

an alcoholic which led him to becoming abusive toward himself and his family. Under the

influence, her father made a bad choice and was sent to jail in California. After spending 2 years

in California, her dad came back home and started drinking again. This time, he attempted to

commit suicide. Haley and her brother found him in the garage with a rope around his neck.

Being only 12 years old at the time, Haley called the police in hopes to save her father’s life. Her

father was put in a mental institution and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and ADHD. Now

at home and on medication, Haley and her family cares for her father.

Though Haley has gone through some trauma in her life, she has come a long way. Haley

is an honors student at a private Hawaiian institution, the head cheerleader of her cheer team, one

of the top students in her class, and a soon to be graduate with 7 college credits.
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Physical Development

Of the many obstacles that Haley has faced, her physical development is one that she still

struggles with until this very day and probably for the rest of her life. As said before, Haley’s

mother has PCOS. Unfortunately, PCOS runs in her family to which most of the women in her

family has PCOS. According to the website, “Johns Hopkins Medicine,” PCOS, or Polycystic

Ovary Syndrome, “is a condition which the ovaries produce an abnormal amount of androgens,

male sex hormones that are usually present in women in small amounts.” Because of the

androgens, women like Haley experience insulin resistance, irregular periods, weight gain, and

infertility. If you do not manage PCOS, you have a greater risk of being diabetic and infertile.

Haley has been affected by PCOS so badly that she had to be put on birth control to manage her

period, follows a strict diet to manage the insulin resistance, and exercises daily. She worries that

if she gains extra weight, her PCOS will become unmanageable, have no chance at having

children in the future, and have diabetes in the future. Another physical development issue that

Haley faces is her size. Haley was born at 32 weeks, at just 2 pounds. She was small when she

was born, and she is still small today. At 18 years old, Haley is exactly 5 feet, or 152.40

centimeters in height. The average height for an 18-year-old female is 175.7 centimeters, or 5

foot and 7 inches (“Disabled World,” 2021). Haley is about 7 inches shorter than the average

female her age which she is self-conscious about. Moreover, between managing PCOS and

struggling with her size, Haley is constantly worried about her body image and physical health.

Late adolescence around Haley’s age have acquired “acceptance of the body,” or has

“anxiety about the body” that “may result in obsessive attention to diet… or exercise”

(Ellsworth, 1998). As said, Haley does struggle with the fact that she has PCOS and is smaller

than most females her age, which factors into Ellsworth’s findings. Along with acquiring sexual
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characteristics, appreciating the opposite sex, and primping, Haley both meeting and exceeding

the normal physical behaviors for children her age.

Emotional Development

Emotional development is something that a person works through every day but

especially for Haley. As said, Haley has gone through more emotional trauma than any child

should. To help Haley, she attends therapy sessions twice a week. Therapy helps her overcome

her family trauma, focus on her personal needs, and supports her through everyday struggles.

One of her current struggles is loss of self and trying to figure out who she is and what she wants

to do in the future. Haley is graduating in just three months and is unsure of what she wants to

do after graduation. Many 18-year-olds have mixed feelings about their future especially because

“There are a lot of decisions to be made about life after graduation, including potential careers

[and] college plans” (Vanbuskirk, 2022). Haley fits right into this because she has many options

for after high school; she wants to take a gap year; she wants to go to esthetician school; she

wants to go to community college; she wants to start her journey of becoming a pediatric nurse.

She is so unsure of what she wants to do that she is losing herself amid everything.

In addition to losing herself and being unsure of her future, Haley is currently struggling

with problems that include her freedom and own decisions. Because of family experiences, her

family has become very sensitive to the outside world. With this being said, her parents became

very strict and controlling with what Haley can and cannot do. This interferes with Haley desire

of freedom of her own decisions. However, this is normal for children at this age because they

“want more control over more aspects of their lives” and “often push the limits of adults to assert

their independence” (“The Whole Child,” 2018). Because Haley voices that she wants her
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independence and feels that she is being controlled, she struggles to find a relationship with her

parents on an emotional level.

According to J’Anne Ellsworth, late adolescence around Haley’s age tend to lose

themselves and “an emerging sense of self identity.” Although Haley has fit into the category by

losing herself and trying to find her identity, she does align with everything that is listed. For

example, the list states that “self-reliance becomes important.” Although Haley does have a job

and makes some money on the side, she heavily relies on her parents and brother for many things

including money, school support, and everyday tasks. In addition to this, unlike the chart, Haley

has a very hard time taking “no” for an answer for which she takes it directly to heart. Moreover,

although Haley does not meet every level of emotional behaviors for her age, she is working on

her emotional development with a therapist weekly.

Philosophical Development

Society expects teenagers to be completely out of control, lacking all moral values.

However, that is completely wrong. According to the textbook, Educational Psychology, author

Robert Slavin demonstrates “Piaget’s Theory of Moral Development.” Piaget found that late

adolescence acquires what is called “autonomous morality” which means that rules are made,

and people are expected to follow those rules. Haley does not like to break rules like staying out

too late or drinking with her friends, not because she fears the consequences that follows rule

breaking, but because she feels tremendous amounts of guilt after she does break the rules. Most

of the children her age is the same way; they do not necessarily think about the consequences

that follow rule breaking, but they more so focus on breaking their own moral intentions.

(“Piaget’s Theory,” 2022.)

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One behavior that stood out was the fact that Haley constantly argues with her parents

that their rules are not fair. As said before, Haley’s parents are strict and Haley views them as

controlling. Piaget found that late adolescence at this age “can assess whether a rule is fair or

not” even though they know that “it is important to follow the rules.” Although Haley does not

like to break school rules, society rules, or even government rules; she still finds that her parents’

rules are unfair. She, along with other adolescence, are always willing to “negotiate and suggest

rule modifications” (“Piaget’s Theory,” 2022.) Haley’s philosophical development was by far the

hardest to study because she has great moral values, cares for her peers, and dislikes breaking

rules; however, she is at a constant battle with her parent’s rules.

Social Development

A person’s teenage years is when social life is what matters most. Teenagers tend to

“spend more time with friends and less time with family” (“The Whole Child,” 2018). Haley has

not met this expected social behavior. Haley has had a hard time making friends since she was in

elementary. When she tried socializing with people her age, she found herself having awkward

interactions. As she got older, she tried to do hang out with peers her age. However, she never

liked the partying scene that her peers would be interested in and therefore would always feel

uncomfortable around them. Because of this, she would be pushed away or isolated from

everyone else. The only person that she would consider her close friend is her boyfriend,

Hanson. She and Hanson have been together for two years. Hanson is Haley’s life; the person

who she spends most of her time with. Late adolescence at Haley’s age begin to “have strong

sexual urges and may become sexually active” (“The Whole Child,” 2018). Hanson allowed

Haley to being exploring her sexual life like most 18-year-olds do at this age.
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Unfortunately for Haley, she experiences a lot of depression. As said before, she goes to

therapy twice a week. Most children in this age group feel sadness and depression

(“Adolescence,” 2022). Her depression can stem from the family trauma that she has been

through, not having a great social life, and even her distant relationship with her parents, but it

could also stem from all the hormones and emotions that most 18-year-olds go through.

Intellectual Development

Haley is a student at a private Hawaiian school. She excels in all things English and

Science. She is currently enrolled in Advanced Placement classes and has already obtained 7

college credits. Her achievements in school will help her later in life. According to “Intellectual

Development,” teenagers at this age will “continue to develop logical thinking” which will then

be applied in the workplace. Because she excels in all thing’s science, her science achievements

will eventually help her succeed in nursing school.

In addition to the school concept, Haley is aiming to graduate in just three months.

However, Haley has been confused on what she wants to do after high school and where she falls

in society. Does she want to go directly into nursing school, take a gap year break, or enroll into

esthetician school? According to the website, “Cincinnati Children’s,” the cognitive development

of late adolescence is primarily focused on personal decision making, including career options,

and a future role in society. Furthermore, Haley is not the only 18-year-old who feels this way.

Now is the time in her life that she can make plans and focus on her future.

Along with focusing on her future, Haley is focused on finishing school. Teenagers at this

age have great organizational skills when it comes to managing school, sports, and work (“The

Whole Child,” 2018). This describes Haley very well. As said, Haley is an AP student who excels

in school. Haley is also the head cheerleader of her cheer team and works weekends at a nursing
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home. Although she does have some difficulty balancing school, cheer, and work, she feels proud

of herself after successfully finishing the week.

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Graph of Haley’s Pepsi Screening

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Recommendations

For Haley’s physical development, I recommend Haley to continue to exercise and eat

healthy. Instead of following a strict diet like she is doing, I highly recommend her talking to a

doctor and dietician to see what kind of diet she should have. A doctor would be able to guide her

through her PCOS journey, teaching her how to manage it more healthily. A dietician would

guide her to healthier eating habits and diets, instead of completely cutting out carbohydrates and

sugars like she is currently doing. With the help of a doctor and a dietician, Haley will have an

easier time managing her PCOS. In addition to this, I think that Haley should mention to her

therapist that she is self-conscious about her size so that she can work toward greater self-esteem.

Haley’s emotional health is what she needs to work on the most, which is the reason why

she sees a therapist twice a week. I recommend Haley to continue to see her therapist so that she

can work through her emotions that she experiences because of her past trauma.

To help with her philosophical development, I think that Haley should sit down and talk

to her parents. If both she and her parents learn to communicate with each other, they will

eventually better their relationship. With this, they can start building trust in each other and

eventually her parents may loosen up and let Haley make her own adult decisions. Haley will

learn how to be less defiant toward her parents’ rules.

To assist with her social development, I recommend that Haley start making friends.

Instead of always hanging out with her boyfriend, she should instead start hanging out with her

peers. She could have lunch with her classmates or have dinner after cheer practice with her

teammates. Little steps like this will allow Haley to make close friends which will increase her

social behaviors.
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Haley excels in her intellectual development. With this being said, I think she should

continue balancing school, cheer, and work because her own achievements make her happy. In

addition to this, I think that Haley should reach out to her school counselor or an academic

advisor for help with her plans after high school graduation.
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References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, February 22). Adolescence (15-17 years old).

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved February 27, 2022, from

https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/childdevelopment/positiveparenting/adolescence2.html

Cognitive Development. Cincinnati Children’s. (2020, December). Retrieved February 27, 2022,

from https://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/health/c/cognitive

Disabled World. (2021, June 13). Average height to weight chart: Babies to teenagers. Disabled

World. Retrieved February 15, 2022, from https://www.disabled-world.com/calculators-

charts/height-weight-teens.php

Ellsworth, J. A. (1998). Online Lesson: 'PEPSI' as a Screening Tool. Retrieved February 15,

2022, from https://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~jde7/ese504/class/pepsi/lesson2-1-1.html

Intellectual Development Through Adulthood and the Effects of Age on the Functions of

Memory. tutor2u. (2019, September 29). Retrieved February 22, 2022, from

https://www.tutor2u.net/hsc/reference/intellectual-development-through-adulthood-and-

the-effects-of-age-on-the-functions-of-memory

Piaget's Theory of Moral Development. Practical Psychology. (2022, January 25). Retrieved

February 02, 2022, from https://practicalpie.com/piagets-theory-of-moral-development/

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). Johns Hopkins Medicine. (n.d.). Retrieved February 02,

2022, from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/polycystic-

ovary-syndrome-

pcos#:~:text=Polycystic%20ovary%20syndrome%20(PCOS)%20is,that%20form%20in

%20the%20ovaries.
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Signs of Normal Development Stages Ages 13-18. The Whole Child. (2018, November 24).

Retrieved February 13, 2022, from https://www.thewholechild.org/parent-resources/age-

13-18/signs-of-normal-development-stages-ages-13-18/

Slavin, R. E. (2020). Educational Psychology. [VitalSource Bookshelf]. Retrieved

from https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/#/books/9780135752821/

Vanbuskirk, S. (2022, February 14). 18-Year-Old Child Development Milestones. Verywell

Family. Retrieved February 20, 2022, from https://www.verywellfamily.com/18-year-

old-developmental-milestones-2609030