CASE STUDY OF A

CHILD AGE 17
PIER A. SHOATES
EDU 220 - 1002
 BRIEF SUMMARY OF 17-YEAR-OLD OBSERVATION

Physical Development Psychosocial Development

• Girls Mature faster than boys • Peer group includes romantic
• Boys continue to develop muscle relationships
• Body hair develops, more for boys • Spends less time with parents

Emotional Development Moral/Character Development

• More independent • Greater sense of right and wrong
• Strong sense of sexual identity • Identifies as member of the
• Strong sense of personal community
• Peer relationships very important identity • Begins to focus on personal
growth
Cognitive/Intellectual Development
• Self-centered
• Deeper understanding of potential consequences
• Exhibit risk taking behavior
• Aware of their goals/ambition to work towards those
goals
 TYPICAL PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENTS

• Fully reached physical maturation

• Increased probability of engaging in sexual activity
(University of Washington, 1993)
 TYPICAL PHYSICAL
DEVELOPMENT LEVEL
ACCORDING TO
SNOWMAN
• Physical maturity
and puberty fully
attained
• High school
students may
engage in sexual
activity
(Snowman, J. & McCown, R.,
2013)

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

 17-YEAR-OLD PHYSICAL
DEVELOPMENT CHARACTERISTICS
(OBSERVATION)

The 17-year-old young lady that I

observed is tall and slim and has fully
reached maturation. She is an athlete, so
she is more muscular than most females
her age. She is very conscious of her
looks and takes pride in her clothing,
make-up, and hair. She has a boyfriend
with whom she is sexually active. She
runs track and plays on the soccer team.
 PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT RECOMMENDATIONS
• Allow your child to have privacy (such as their
bedroom) to deal with the physical changes
taking place within their bodies.
(Medline, 2017)
• Try not to make your child feel uncomfortable
about their curiosity regarding their sexual
orientation.
(Medline, 2017)
• Compliment your child’s physical maturity and
attributes.
(University of Washington, 1993)
• Discuss birth control, sexually transmitted
diseases, teen pregnancy, and other relevant
information about engaging in sexual activity.
(University of Washington, 1993)
• Encourage your child to eat healthy and get
enough rest at night. This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND
 TYPICAL EMOTIONAL
BEHAVIORS
• Self-Awareness
• Will start to have more interest in romantic relationships
• Will show a deeper sharing and caring and capacity for
intimacy.
• May feel depression or sadness.

• Self-Control
• Will go through less conflict with parents
• Self-Confidence
• Will be more independent from parents
• Will spend more time with peers, and
boyfriend/girlfriend.

(Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017)

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

 TYPICAL EMOTIONAL
BEHAVIORS
ACCORDING TO SNOWMAN
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

• Adolescents may exhibit many psychiatric disorders. This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

• Eating disorders
• Substance abuse
• Depression/suicide
• Schizophrenic behavior

(Snowman, J. & McCown, R., 2013) This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-ND
 17-YEAR-OLD EMOTIONAL
BEHAVIOR CHARACTERISTICS
(OBSERVATION)

My 17-year-old shows signs of sadness when she

is not having a good relationship with her boyfriend.
She shows signs of extreme happiness when they
are getting along. She shows excitement when she
receives news that colleges are interested in her
because of her athletic ability. She also exhibits a
great deal of confidence and pride when her team
wins a game and she is instrumental in making that
happen. (She is an accomplished athlete and star
player on her soccer team). She also shows a great
These Photos are by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA
deal of anxiety when she has an important exam in
Anatomy or Math.
 EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT RECOMMENDATIONS

• Learn to accept your child’s need to be

separate from you.
• Do not overreact to your child’s feelings.
• Always be available to communicate and
listen to your child’s concerns.
(University of Washington, 1993)
• Be available to provide advice and support.
• Encourage your child to create solutions to
their problems.
• Celebrate your child’s accomplishments
and compliment them often.
(Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017) This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC
 TYPICAL COGNITIVE/INTELLECTUAL
DEVELOPMENTS
• Concern about their future emerges.
• Starts to gather information and knowledge to make decisions regarding the future.
(University of Washington, 1993)

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-ND

• Aware that there are consequences for their actions.
• They have a better sense of right and wrong.

• Work habits are more well defined.

(Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017)
 COGNITIVE/INTELLECTUAL
DEVELOPMENTS ACCORDING
TO PIAGET
Piaget
Egocentrism
• “Adolescents preoccupied with their
own view of the world
and how they appear to others.”
Formal Operational Stage
• “Child is able to deal with abstractions,
form hypothesis, engage in mental
manipulations.”

(Snowman, J. & McCown, R., 2013, p. 26)

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

COGNITIVE/INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENTS
ACCORDING TO VYGOTSKY
Vygotsky
• “Cognitive development is strongly influenced by
those more intellectually advanced.”
• “How we think is influenced by current social
forces and historical cultural forces.”
• “Technology connects people to people, and it
can do so in a variety of contexts that that allows
learners to gain knowledge and the
psychological tools that help them to grow
intellectually.”

(Snowman, J. & McCown, R., 2013, p. 26 & 33)

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

 17-YEAR-OLD COGNITIVE/INTELLECTUAL
CHARACTERISTICS
My 17-year-old exhibits characteristics consistent with Piaget’s view of adolescent
egocentrism. She is very preoccupied with her relationship, sports, and her appearance. She
has told me that I am mainly at school to support her and that I should never be absent!
She also fits the formal operational stage. She finds anatomy and physiology very
challenging, but she is mastering it despite the anxiety it causes. She attends tutoring and stays
up late after soccer practice to study.
She relies quite a bit on the knowledge of older women to guide her with her romantic
relationship. Like all teenagers, she uses social media constantly to connect to others and gain
knowledge/use online tools to assist with her schoolwork.
 COGNITIVE/INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT
RECOMMENDATIONS
• Talk to your Teen and encourage her to plan for her
future.
• Talk to her school counselor to make sure she is on
the right track.
(University of Washington, 1993)

• Encourage her to resolve conflict on her own.

• Always be available for advice and to talk.
• Encourage teen to be thoughtful about what she
posts on social media.
• Also encourage her to limit the time spent using This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

social media.
(Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017)
 PSYCHOSOCIAL/SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS
• Teen is strongly involved in a romantic relationship.
• May or may not enjoy the company of the opposite sex.
• May be very mature/or immature.
• Relationship with parents can be friendly or hostile.
(University of Washington, 1993)
• Shows more independence from parents.
• Teens spend more time with friends.
• Shows more interest in sexuality and romantic relationships.
(Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017)
 PSYCHOSOCIAL/SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS
ACCORDING TO ERIKSON
Identity Versus Role Confusion
• The Goal: At this stage, the adolescent develops the skills necessary
to take a meaningful place in adult society. In various aspects of their lives, role
confusion

• Role Confusion: Role confusion makes this stage dangerous. “Having

no clear conception of appropriate types of behavior that others will
react to favorably.” This Photo by Unknown
Author is licensed under CC
BY-SA
• “If unable to establish a sense of stability in various aspects of their lives, role
confusion results.”
(Snowman, J. & McCown, R., 2013, p. 30)
 17-YEAR-OLD PSYCHOSOCIAL/SOCIAL
CHARACTERISTICS
The 17-year-old that I observed is taking on responsibilities needed to take her rightful,
meaningful place in society. She seeks the advice of her counselors and parents to ensure that
she can graduate on time and attend college. She is being sought out by 3-4 colleges to attend
college on a full ride while playing sports. Recruiters are impressed by her athletic abilities in
both Track and Soccer.
She had many friends until she achieved several athletic and academic successes,
and a boyfriend who is also a popular football player. A lot of girls are jealous of her. She is
mature for her age and maintains a close relationship with both parents.
She is very focused on having an intimate/sexual relationship with her boyfriend,
although they experience many problems as a couple.
 PSYCHOSOCIAL/SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS
RECOMMENDATIONS
• Pay attention to changes in your Teen’s behavior.
• Encourage your Teen to partake in extra curricular activities and community service.

• Attend your Teen’s extra curricular activities (sporting events, etc.) and be supportive
• Partake in activities with your Teen that you both can enjoy.
(Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017)

• Try to avoid showing disapproval.

• Focus on explaining the needs and expectations that should be met in a relationship.
• Encourage your Teen to experience a variety of relationships, not just the one they have with
their romantic interest.

(University of Washington, 1993)

TYPICAL MORAL/CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
• Teens may become confused or disappointed in differences in the values they are
taught, vs. the behaviors they see displayed by family and friends.
• This value discrepancy may cause feelings of frustration, anger, and sadness.
• As a result, the Teen may engage in sexual activity to fit into the adult world.
(University of Washington, 1993)
• Teens sometimes feel “it will never happen to me,” when engaging in risky/immoral
behavior.
• Family values are questioned, which may result in a loss of identity.
(Medline, 2017)
 TYPICAL MORAL/CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
ACCORDING TO KOHLBERG

“MORAL KNOWLEDGE DOES NOT ALWAYS RESULT IN MORAL BEHAVIOR”

• Conventional Morality:
• Stage 3 – “Good boy-nice girl orientation. The right action is one that would be
carried out by someone whose behavior is likely to please or impress others.”

• Stage 4 – “Law and order orientation. To maintain the social order, fixed rules
must be established and obeyed. It is essential to respect authority.
(Snowman, J., & McCown, R., 2013)
 17-YEAR-OLD MORAL CHARACTERISTICS
(OBSERVED)
My 17-year-old is kind and compassionate. She is honest to a fault with family,
friends, and her boyfriend. She always admits when she is wrong or has hurt
someone. She sometimes engages in underage drinking at parties, which she
understands to be wrong. She is mature enough to realize that this is dangerous
and negatively affects her athletic performance. She engages in sexual activity but
is mature enough to protect herself from pregnancy and STDs.
It has been rumored that she has posted explicit photos of herself on the internet.
She knows right from wrong and this shows on her face when she talks about
wrongful behaviors that she committed. She gets real flush in the face and very
embarrassed.
 MORAL BEHAVIOR RECOMMENDATIONS

• Encourage your Teen to talk about their feelings without judgement.

• Accept your Teen’s sexuality as a part of life.
• Teach your Teen about safe sex and birth control.
(University of Washington, 1993)
 REFERENCES

Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2017). Child development.

Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/childdevelopment/facts.html

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/training/childdevlopment/cd06.htm