THE ASSESSMENT OF PERSONALITY OF A CHILD

USING CASE STUDY METHOD AT THE TIME OF

SCHOOL INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME

INTRODUCTION
A case study in psychology is a description
research approach used to obtain in depth information
about a person group or phenomenon. Case studies
also tend or phenomenon. Case studies also tend to be
far more in depth than observation research in that
they use multiple measure or records and focus on a
single subject. The term case is used for a person or
matter put to examination observation or investigation
for the purpose of helping the concerned individual in
deciding who is confronted with an educational socio
psychological or personal problem is termed as case
study.
Case studies for the development of novel
hypothesis
for
later
testing
provide
detailed
descriptions of name events and can explore the
intricacies of existing theories of causation. Case
studies cannot directly indicate cause and effect
relationship or test hypothesis. In addition findings from
case studies cannot be generalised to wider population.
The case study presents a cumulative the picture of the
personality of individual, the information is gathered
from sources, such as cumulative records, observation,
interviews, autobiographies, self reports, test, teacher
reactions and other school records. The school

counsellor writes the case study which provides an

opportunity for the person to be understood and
treated as an individual

NEED AND SIGNIFICANCE OF CASE STUDY

Case studies focus on and gather in depth
information about a specific person, group,
community or events. It involves over all
investigation of the behaviour of the individual with
respect to this environmental surroundings.
It can provide very detailed information about a
person.
The method can play an effective role in the proper
identification, diagnosis and subsequent remedial
work, adjustment and rehabitation of the problem
children, maladjusted or maladaptive personalities,
emotionally or socially disturbed individuals,
delinquents, criminal or antisocial persons by
studying them thoroughly as individual cases.
In this method of behaviour study, the scope and
range of study is quite wide and comprehensive.
The information and data are collected from
various persons and information sources. The
behavioural data is subjected to repeated
observation. All such effects make the results of
the investigation more objective, reliable and valid.

OBJECTIVES OF CASE STUDY

To make child aware of his potentiality limitation,
interest, aptitude, personality traits etc.
To make better adjustments to life with more
effective and confident mentality.

 To help him to accept himself with his weakness

o To know his needs, ambitions, hopes and
dreams
To study how to give guidance and counselling to
children
To learn how to collect data with the help of various
tools and techniques
To learn how to analyse the data and develop
remedial measures
Increase efficiency in observing and interpreting
the pattern of individual behaviour
To assess academic performances

METHDOLOGY
For studying the human behaviour it takes the help
of various methods. The selections of a particular
method depends upon following factor
A)Nature of the problem to be studied
B)Orientation and resource fullness of the
investigator
C)Availability of the materials, subjects, time and
financial resources.
Case study aims at studying everything about
something
rather
than
something
about
everything. It is characterised by the detailed,
realistic, concrete description and explanation of a
case. The complete and detailed study of a case
may involve the use of observation, interview
medical examination, use of various psychological
tests etc. Information from all sources is pooled
together in a sequential order prepare a

comprehensive case history and locate the cause

of maladjustments.
The methods used for the assessment of
behaviour are often classified as:i.
ii.
iii.

Subjective method
Objective method
Projective method
Firstly there are techniques where we can find the
way an individual behaves in actual life situations.
The main techniques in this category area (a)
observation technique (b) situation tests
Secondly there are techniques by which we can
find what an individual says about himself.
The main techniques in this category are:(a) Autobiography
(b)
questionnaire
personality inventory (c) interview

and

Thirdly there are techniques by which we can find

what others day about the individual whose
personality is under assessment. The main
techniques in this case are:(a) Biographies (b) case study methods (c) rating
scale (d) socio metric techniques.
Fourthly there are techniques by which we can
find how an individual reacts to an imaginative
situation.

DATA COLLECTION

Numerous tools and techniques are available

to study the exact nature of the child at all
development stages. Some of the tool helps to reveal
the psychological aspects of the behaviour of child.
Among these I applied the technique such as
observation, questionnaire sociometry and interview to
know about my problem child.
1. Observation
I noticed the child from the first day of
second
week
during
the
school
internship
programme. Then I observed him in repeated times
both in the class as well as in playing ground and
observed his way of communication with friends. I
found that he is not interests in his studies. He was
quiet came less and looking angrily.
Observation
helped me to go deeper in to his case.
2. Data collection
In order to get more details from child I had a
pre-planned list of questions about all aspects of the
child while answering each questions. I understood the
psychological aspects of child. I found out that
questionnaire is an excellent tool for the case study.
3. Interview
Interview is an effective technique that i have
used for my child study is an informal way. Interviewer
the class teacher, the child his brother, his friends and
other training teachers also taught him to know more
about him. All of them gave proper answers and
directed me to the problem of child.

4. Sociometry
Sociometry is the method of
assessing social relationship among the member in a
social group. I measured the frequency of acceptance
or non acceptance between the students of VII B.
Through the analysis of sociogram, i found out that
answer is an isolated one.

ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

By the case study of a student I found
some tragic situations and painful experiences in his
life. He had lot of family problems and is not well
financially supported. He likely to study and his
ambition is to become a police
In those days i observed that he is arriving
early at the school and leaves lately from school. I
noticed it and asked him about it. The replay was
shocking. His father is alcoholic drunk. Father makes
quarrel at home. So for escape from family he spends
most time in school.
Another day I enquired him about his
angry he replayed that he cannot control his angry at
the time of dispute. The poor family background makes
his character most adverse and made him isolated in
the society.
While enquired about mother, he
violently respond in a threatend manner so i consulted
his teacher and realised that 2 years ago his mother
married another person and lives far away from home.
I analysed his situations in both society
and family. There is no one to come him and no one in

conscious about him. He lacks proper motivation an

encouragements from parents as well as from teacher,
it affected his studies and whole behaviour.
I was striking to know that his brother of
15 years old caught several times by teacher for
consuming alcohol. It affected this young child
adversely. He felt ashamed of his brother and made him
introvert. Form the analysis of sociogram i found that
he is isolated in class. By interviewing his peers they
respond that his angry makes the frightened. So
everyone frightens Sooraj in calm. He is restricted in his
sparrows and looks very unhappy. Thus he needs
special care and attention.

CONCLUSION
School is a miniature of society. Child spent
more times in schools. Thus school plays a very
important role in moulding the future generations.
Parents, teachers and friends influence the child. The
way the teacher treat the students the approach is
followed in the class either democratic or autocratic,
the chances to participate in co-curricular activities
influences the child very much. During the case study, i
realised how deeply all the above mentioned factors
influence the child.
During training, I studied the problems of
a student. I observed that lack of care, attention and
encouragement to the child from parents and teachers.
He is going through adolesnce period and it is the
correct time to channelize his energy to encourage his
potentialities in the most right test way. It is the
responsibility of parents and teachers to guide them.

Teacher should prompt the child to

express his feelings instead of bottling them up
encourage him to talk about what he going through,
and willing to listen over them
, encouragement
and support. Todays children are tomorrows citizen so
we, the teachers have mould them. Case studies are
more effective and supporting tool for this.