Case Study #3
Early Adolescence

Your 14-year-old daughter has become a problem recently. She has always been a good student, helpful around the house, active in sports, and has always shown good judgment in making decisions. Since last summer, she became a part of a peer group. Although the peer group is made up of basically good kids, lately they and your daughter have been getting into some trouble. They were caught drinking beer one evening in a public park. On several occasions your daughter has arrived home later than she was supposed to, and at least twice in the last three weeks, she has not been where she was supposed to be (she told you one thing, but did something else).

This peer group is very important to your daughter. Her best friend since grade school is also a member of this group. She tells you that she knows that may of things they do are wrong, but she doesn't feel that she can tell them what to do. She is afraid that they won't like her anymore. Decide what you could do to help your daughter.

1. In each case, the first issue you will write about will be an Erikson's stage of psychosocial development. Don't choose previous stages. Find and read about the appropriate Eriksonian stage in you book. Do not spend energy summarizing Erikson's stages in your paper (although you should be able to.) Once you understand the stage, explain why this stage is relevant to the discussion case, other than simply referring to the age of the child. The stage might be important to consider because of the unique circumstances of the case, or because of what the person does that shows he/she is struggling to resolve the crisis of development articulated by Erikson.

2. In addition to an Erikson stage of development, use your textbook to identify one other important developmental problem/issue that specifically applies to the case, or is clearly illustrated by the case. Only pick one other issue in addition to an Erikson stage. Be specific! "Psychosocial development" is too broad and general, as would "family relationships" because every case has a psychosocial development issue and a family relationship, so you must be specific while using your own words. Don't re-define the issue (that's already done in the case). You have limited space to convey a large amount of information, so you should spend your time and energy on relating the text to the case.

3. Suggest actions that would help with the case. The 2nd half of your paper will be to provide ideas in dealing with the developmental issue based on the analysis of the first part of your analysis of the developmental issues and stages relevant to the case comprising the first part of your paper. Each developmental issue (including Erikson's) is a problem, or crisis, that can be handled in a variety of ways with specific actions. Self-esteem might be an issue, so a suggested action would address how to deal with someone's self-esteem. Be specific and NOT vague. "Love the child more" does not cut it.

4. Once you have suggested an action, you must explain how the suggestion will effect the situation. You must spell it out and not rely on my powers of mind reading (however powerful they are) to help you.

4a. What alternatives might other parents considered that would NOT help their child? Describe 2 different approaches that would NOT help.

4b. In terms of developmental issues you selected for this case in section 1 (of the guidelines), why would or could these actions NOT be helpful?