CASE STUDY OF A

CHILD AGE 16
EDU 290 CASE STUDY
BY: DAVIN L. BACH
PHYSICAL: TYPICAL BEHAVIOR
GIRLS:
BREAST ARE FULLY DEVELOPED
BETWEEN THE AGES OF 12-18
YEARS.
BY 16 YEARS MENSTRUAL PERIODS
HAVE HAPPENED.
GROWTH SLOWS AT AGE 16.
BOYS:
THE GENITALS ARE FULLY
DEVELOPED.
PUBIC, ARM PIT, AND LEG HAIR
REACH ADULTHOOD LENGTH
BOYS ARE STILL GROWING AT AGE
16.
(Medline 2017)
PHYSICAL: TYPICAL DEVELOPMENTAL LEVEL
ACCORDING TO SNOWMAN
Adolescence search for their own identity.
Friends start to become more important than parents.
Establishing a sexual identity becomes a priority.
Having a boyfriend or girlfriend becomes a priority.
Adolescence believe that their actions and appearance affect relationships.
May partake in risk-taking behaviors. For example, unprotected sex.
(Snowman & McCown 2013, pg. 65-66)
PHYSICAL: TYPICAL DEVELOPMENTAL LEVEL
ACCORDING TO SNOWMAN
Changes will occur at a faster rate during this age of adolescence.
Height and weight will increase significantly.
Sexual interest becomes a part of life.
The risk of sexually transmitted disease is increased as well as pregnancy.
(Snowman & McCown 2013, pg. 65-66)
PHYSICAL: CHARACTERISTICS/BEHAVIOR OF THE
CHILD I OBSERVED TO THE TYPICAL DEVELOPMENT

The 16-year-old female that I observed was wearing a JROTC Army uniform in a 10th
grade Psychology 1 class. She appeared to fit the normal physical appearance of a normal
teenager of her age. Furthermore, she looked Hispanic and wore glasses.
PHYSICAL: RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON THE
CHILDS AGE
Parents need to recognize and compliment physical maturity.
Inform the adolescence of the risks of unprotected sex and conceiving at an early age
could be detrimental to their adult-hood.
Parents should provide information on how to protect their child from sexual
transmitted diseases like HIV and forms of birth control to prevent pregnancy.
(University of Washington 1993)
EMOTIONAL: TYPICAL BEHAVIOR

The worry of failure begins to set in.

Feelings of anger, moodiness, loneliness, impulsiveness, confusion, stubbornness, and being
self-centered become more prevalent.
Feelings of independence and independence emerge.
(University of Washington 1993)
(Child Development Institute 2015)
EMOTIONAL: TYPICAL DEVELOPMENTAL LEVEL
ACCORDING TO SNOWMAN
A number of psychiatric disorders present themselves. For example, eating disorders,
substance abuse, schizophrenia, depression, and suicide are some of the few disorders.
Depression is the number one emotional disorder during adolescence.
38 % of youth have used marijuana in their lifetime.
7% of youth have used cocaine.
24% female and 27.8% male students engaged in binge drinking.
(Snowman & McCowin 2013, pg. 67-68)
EMOTIONAL: CHARACTERISTICS/BEHAVIOR OF THE
CHILD I OBSERVED TO THE TYPICAL DEVELOPMENT
Personally, the 16-year-old female that I observed didnt appear to have anything
emotional stand out that would lead me to believe she used drugs or had any psychiatric
disorders. Furthermore, during the time that I observed her in Psychology 1 class all
week long. She appeared to be very social, intuitive, and participated in all class
discussions.
EMOTIONAL: RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON THE
CHILDS AGE
Be able available to talk.
Establish limits, dont overreact, accept your childs feelings, and dont revert to childhood
restrictions.
Accept separation and avoid ridicule of inconsistent behaviors.
(University of Washington 1993)
COGNITIVE/INTELLECTUAL: TYPICAL BEHAVIOR

Lacks information or self-reassurance about personal skills and abilities.

Concerned about the future
Integrates knowledge leading to decisions about the future.
(University of Washington1993)
(Child Development Institute 2015)
COGNITIVE/INTELLECTUAL: TYPICAL DEVELOPMENTAL
LEVEL ACCORDING TO PIAGET AND VYGOTSKY
PIAGET
The formal operation stage, is the last
stage which students can generalize
from a particular instance to general
form.
Able to deal with abstractions
Able to use complex languages
(Snowman & McCown, pg. 27)
VYGOTSKY
Believes that how we think is influenced
by current social and historical cultural
forces.
Believes that the most important things a
culture passes onto its members and
their descendants are psychological
tools.
(Snowman & McCown, pg. 33)
COGNITIVE/INTELLECTUAL:
CHARACTERISTICS/BEHAVIOR OF THE CHILD I
OBSERVED TO THE TYPICAL DEVELOPMENT
The 16-year-old that I observed appeared to be an extrovert and had the ability to
perform multiple tasks at one time. For the most part, I noticed that she took notes
during class, texted on her cell phone, interacted with the teacher, and carried on a
conversation with the male student sitting behind her. She told me that she enjoyed
being in the Junior ROTC Army program at school because she wants to do something
positive in her life and has ambitions of being a female Officer in the United States Army
after going to college.
COGNITIVE/INTELLECTUAL: RECOMMENDATIONS
BASED ON THE CHILDS AGE
Attend a school conference meeting at your childs school
Encourage talking about the future with your child.
Sit down an make attainable goals with your child.
If your child participates in extracurricular activities be there for support to show you
care.
(University of Washington 1993)
PSYCHOSOCIAL/SOCIAL: TYPICAL BEHAVIOR

Relationships with parents range from friendly to hostile.

The child may feel that the parents are to intrusive and invading their private space.
May be invested in a single strong relationship.
May have many friends, and few reliable friends, dates actively, and varies greatly in levels
of maturity,
May be uncomfortable, or enjoys activities, with the opposite sex, and even interested in
marriage. (University of Washington 1993)
(Child Development Institute 2015)
PSYCHOSOCIAL/SOCIAL: TYPICAL DEVELOPMENT
ACCORDING TO ERICKSON/MARCIA
ERIKSON
Believes that personality development is
based on the epigenetic principle. This
principle belief is where biological
organisms develop sequentially, with
various parts of the organism before
others. For example, an apple tree
doesnt fully takes it form until it forms
the apple on the trees. (Snowman &
McCown 2017, pg. 17)
MARCIA
Believes that attainment of a mature
identity depends on two variables: crisis
and commitment.
Crisis and commitment has four identity
statuses: Identity diffusion, foreclosure,
moratorium, and identity achievement.
(Snowman & McCown 2017, pg. 21)
PSYCHOSOCIAL/SOCIAL: CHARACTERISTICS/BEHAVIOR
OF THE CHILD I OBSERVED TO THE TYPICAL
DEVELOPMENT
The 16-year-old that I observed was always on her cell phone in the classroom. She
spent more time paying attention to what was going on with her cell phone than anything
else going on in the classroom. Moreover, she did participate and paid attention during
the teachers lecture. For the most part, her attention was more on social media than on
classroom responsibilities, even though she was complying with the teacher to do work
in the classroom and participation.
PSYCHOSOCIAL/SOCIAL: RECOMMENDATIONS
BASED ON THE CHILDS AGE
Be respectful and friendly and try to maintain a good relationship.
Do not pry.
Discuss needs and expectations that get met in the relationship and avoid disapproval.
Encourage experiences with a variety of different people; for example, younger, older, and
different cultures.
Recognize and accept current level of opposite sex.
(University of Washington 2013)
MORALS: TYPICAL BEHAVIORS

Experiences feelings of frustration.

Anger, sorrow, and isolation.
Confused and disappointed about discrepancies between stated values.
May be interested in sex, but not mature intimacy.
(University of Washington 2013)
(Child Development Institute 2015)
MORALS: TYPICAL DEVELOPMENT ACCORDING TO
KOHLBERG
The Six Stages of Moral Reasoning:
Stage 1: Punishment-obedience orientation( The physical consequences of an action
determine goodness or badness.)
Stage 2: Instrumental relativist orientation(Obedience to laws should involve an even
exchange.)
Stage 3: Good boy-nice girl orientation(The right action is one that will impress others.)
(Snowman & McCown 2017, pg. 41,42)
MORALS: TYPICAL DEVELOPMENT ACCORDING TO
KOHLBERG CONTINUED:
Stage 4: Law-and order orientation(To maintain the social order, fixed rules must be
obeyed.)
Stage 5: Social contact orientation(Rules should involve mutual agreements; the rights of
the individual should be protected.)
Stage 6: Universal ethical principle orientation(Moral decisions should be based on
consistent applications of self-chosen ethical principles.)
(Snowman & McCown 2017 pg.42)
MORALS: CHARACTERISTICS/BEHAVIOR OF THE
CHILD I OBSERVED TO THE TYPICAL DEVELOPMENT
The 16-year-old student that I observed appeared to have her own moral agenda when it
came to the use of cell phones in the classroom. For example, school rules are posted
on the classroom wall stating that no cell phones are permitted to be used during
classroom periods. Also, she was constantly talking to other classmates around her, but
would do what the teacher asked her to do when it came to paying attention to the
lecture and completing class assignments. On the other hand, she would then be evasive
and begin to get on her phone or talk to classmates when the teacher wasnt paying
attention.
MORALS: RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON THE
CHILDS AGE
Be sensitive to feelings and thoughts.
Accept the fact that sexual experimentation is a normal thing.
Provide correct information on contraception, sexually transmitted diseases, intimacy, and
safe types of experimental sex.
Be open to discussion on with your child on sex.
Communicate your feelings about sexual relations.
(University of Washington 1993)
 REFERENCES
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/chidev/cd06.htm
Medline (2017). Adolescent Development. Retrieved
from https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002003.htm (Links to an external site.)Links
to an external site.
Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2017). Child development. Retrieved from
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/childdevelopment/facts.html (Links to an external site.)
Child Development Institute (2015). The ages and stages of child development. Retrieved
from
https://childdevelopmentinfo.com/ages-stages/#.WR3Id_QrLrc (Links to an external site.)