Case Study

Of a Child
Age 15
SAMANTHA ANGUIANO

EDU 220
 Abstract
Physical Emotional Development Cognitive Development
Development • Distance • Set Goals
• Physical Maturity • Disorders • Engage in formal thought
• Puberty • Depression • Political Thinking
• Concerns with • Increase Knowledge
appearance
• Sexual Characteristics

Social Development Moral/Character/Philosophical Development

• Popularity • Moral Reasoning
• Anxiety • Ponder the meaning of life
• Discipline • Reasonable
• Experimentation
 Typical Physical Behaviors at 15
• Physical Maturity is to take shape and become more prominent

(University of Washington, 1993)

• Acne starts to appear

(University of Washington, 1993)

• Male height may continue but rest of body is generally set

(Ellsworth, 1998)

• Sexual characteristics / desires start to arise

(Ellsworth, 1998)

• Styles and appearance become more of a focus

(Ellsworth, 1998)
 Physical Development According to Snowman

• Most reach physical maturity and all attain puberty

(Snowman, J. & McCown, R., 2015, pg. 101)

• Many could become sexually active, trends gone down

(Snowman, J. & McCown, R., 2015, pg.101)

• Sexually transmitted diseases

(Snowman, J. & McCown, R., 2015, pg. 102 )

• These factors can vary due to gender and race

(Snowman, J. & McCown, R.,

 Physical Observations
Meets Expectations:
Doesn’t Meet Expectations
• The 15-year-old boy I observed is 5 foot
• Not sexually active
and 5 inches tall and continues to grow.
• Although he has acne, he doesn’t know
• Takes care of himself by: Skateboarding
how to properly take care of it
and playing soccer
• Has friends of the opposite sex and starts to
find others attractive
• Developed his own style
• Eats at least 4 times a day with snacks and
drinks a lot of water
 Physical Recommendations
• Growing children need food / teach them to have a healthy relation w/ food
(University of Washington, 1993)

• Explain what’s going on / it is time to have ‘the talk’ / No comparisons

(University of Washington, 1993)

• Reassure to them acne is normal and there are ways and thing to treat it
(University of Washington, 1993)

• Comment on their appearance with good intentions

(University of Washington, 1993)
 Typical Emotional Behaviors Age
15
• Worries about school, appearance and popularity
(University of Washington, 1993)

• Worries of failure
(University of Washington, 1993)

• Moody (angry, sad, happy, frustrated etc.)

(University of Washington, 1993)
Emotional Development According to
Snowman
• Psychiatric disorders appear or become prominent (eating disorders, substance
abuse, schizophrenia, depression and suicide)
(Snowman, J. & McCown, R., 2015, pg. 104)

• Depression is most common in female students of color

(Snowman, J. & McCown, R., 2015)

 Emotional Observations
Meets Expectations:
• Trusts someone close to him and talks
about his emotions (his uncle)
• He cares for others but is able to put
himself first
• His worries and frustrations are present
but usually lets it out on the field
(playing soccer)
Doesn’t Meet Expectations:
• Gets angry at times and doesn’t let others
show it got to him
• Isn’t quite sure who he is trying to
become but knows things about himself
(likes and dislikes)
 Emotional Recommendations
• Accept your teens thoughts and feelings, and respect them
(Washington, 1993)

• Don’t dismiss their concerns

(Washington, 1993)

• As a parent you need to have the ability to talk AND listen

(Washington, 1993)

• Accept their need for separation

(Washington, 1993)
 Typical Cognitive/Intellectual Behaviors
Age 15
• Thrives on arguments and discussions
(Washington, 1993)

• May read a great deal

(Washington, 1993)

• Ability to memorize; plan realistically for their future; think logically about concepts
(Washington, 1993)

• Ability to reason
(Ellsworth, 1998)

• Problem solving
(Ellsworth, 1998)

• Better at communicating thoughts and feelings

(Child Development Institute, 2015)
 Cognitive/Intellectual According to Piaget

Piaget:
Formal Operational Stage:(Middle, High School and Beyond)
• “Able to generalize and engage in mental trial and error by thinking up hypotheses
and testing them in their heads”
(Snowman, J. & McCown, R.,2015, pg. 43)

• ”Ability to respond to the form of a problem rather than its content and to form a
hypotheses”
(Snowman, J. & McCown, R.,2015, pg. 43)

(Snowman, J. & McCown, R.,2015)

 Cognitive and Intellectual According to
Vygotsky
Vygotsky:
• He believed one’s culture and social interaction could enhance cognitive development;
“Psychological Tools”
• “Important things a culture passes on to its members (and descendants)... Procedures with which
we communicate and explore the world around us”
(Snowman, J. & McCown, R.,2015, pg. 51)

• “...Saw social interaction as primary cause of cognitive development...Children gain significantly

from the knowledge and conceptual tools handed down to them by those who are more
intellectually advanced, no matter the age”
(Snowman, J. & McCown, R.,2015, pg. 52)

(Snowman, J. & McCown, R.,

Cognitive/Intellectual Observations
Meets Expectations: Doesn’t Meet Expectations:
• Loves to argue!
• When you try to talk to him about his
• Has a strong and firm hold on his ideas and beliefs
(especially when comparing which soccer players future or his plans, he shrugs it off or
and teams are the best) dodges the question
• Was able to deescalate a situation between his
parents and sister • Although he trusts someone with his
• Knows how to distract his sister in moments he feelings it’s hard to get him to open up
wants times to himself at times
• Knows both his parent’s and grandmothers phone
numbers
 Cognitive/Intellectual Recommendations
• Have discussions not arguments; allow them to come up with their own ideas
(University of Washington 1993)

• Help them find out what works best them and allow them to keep growing
(University of Washington 1993)

• Encourage talking and planning for their future

• Help them set goals

 Typical Psychosocial/Social Behaviors Age 15

• Needs less family companionship and interaction

(University of Washington 1993)

• Annoyed by younger siblings

(University of Washington 1993)

• Boys resist any show of affection

(University of Washington 1993)

• Rebel
(University of Washington 1993)

• Plans to work for those who aren’t planning to go to college

(Ellsworth, 1998)

• Begin to integrate themselves more as ‘a citizen’ or become a part of a community

(Ellsworth, 1998)
Psychosocial/Social According to Erikson

Identity vs. Role Confusion (12-18 years):

• “Development of the roles and skills that will prepare adolescents to take a
meaningful place in adult society”
(Snowman, J. & McCown, R.,2015, pg. 30)
Role Confusion: having no clear conception of appropriate types of behaviors that others will react
to favorably
• “They know who they are”

(Snowman, J. & McCown, R.,

2015)
 Psychosocial/Social Observations
Meets Expectations: Doesn’t Meet Expectations:
• Surprisingly, he doesn’t let his friends • No plans about getting a job
define him
• Hasn’t stopped hanging out with
• loves to hang out with his friends
his family
• Is part of school events and likes to be
an active participant
• At times turns his youngest sister away
when he needs space, but looks up to his
older brother
 Psychosocial/Social Recommendations
• You’re important, just not in the same way and that’s okay
(University of Washington 1993)

• Respect their boundaries

(University of Washington 1993)

• Set clear, firm and flexible limits

(University of Washington 1993)

• Let them be more independent and don’t criticize their friends

(University of Washington 1993)

• Help their younger siblings cope with rejection

(University of Washington 1993)
 Moral/Character/Philosophical
Behaviors Age 15
• Knows right from wrong
(University of Washington 1993)

• Weighs options and has ability to arrive on a decision on their own

(University of Washington 1993)

• Concerned of fair treatment of others, usually thoughtful

(University of Washington 1993)

• No lies detected
(University of Washington 1993)

• Establish belief system for self, not a reflection of others or their feelings
(University of Washington 1993)
 Moral/Character/Philosophical
Kohlberg
Kohlberg’s Stages of 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

(Snowman, J. & McCown, R.,2015, pg. 61)

 Moral/Character/Philosophical Observations

Meets Expectations: Doesn’t Meets Expectations:

• I saw him pocket a $5 bill, but when our • Doesn’t ask for permission and just lets his
grandmother asked if he’d seen it, he gave it back parents know where he’s going and who he’s
to her without hesitation going to be with
• His favorite book at the moment is The Hobbit by
• Becomes head strong when people don’t see
J.R.R. Tolkien
things his way
• He’s very sentimental and trusts in ‘Treat others
the way you want to be treated’

• He nods his head as if saying ‘Thank you’ after

everything you do for him
 Moral/Character/Philosophical
Recommendations

• Make decision making easy

(University of Washington, 1993)

• Show respect to the forming young adult

(University of Washington, 1993)

• Teach them to tackle problems they’ll face and give confidence to make choices in
their near future
(Child Development Institute, 2015)
 References
Child Development Institute (2015). The Ages and Stages of Child Development.
https://childdevelopmentinfo.com/ages-stages/#.WR3Id_QrLrc

Ellsworth, J. (1998). Online lesson: PEPSI as a screening tool. 

https://jan.ucc.nau.edu/%7Ejde7/ese504/class/pepsi/lesson2-1-1.html

Medline (2017). Adolescent development.

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

Snowman, J. &  McCown, R. (2015). Psychology applied to teaching, 14th ed. Stamford,

CT:  Cengage Learning.

University of Washington (1993). Child Development: Using the Child Development Guide.
http://depts.washington.edu/allcwe2/fosterparents/training/chidev/cd06.htm