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Shalyn Helman
Edu 280
Introduction
Cassidy Reed is a seventeen-year-old female; she is the second oldest of five children to a
single mother. The culture in home is that of a German family, due to her grandparents. The
grandfather was stationed in Germany while in the military. The grandmother a natural born
citizen of Germany. Her mother was born in Germany, but given dual citizenship. She currently
lives with her three sisters, one brother, two great grandparents, grandfather, uncle, mothers
roommate, and mother. This seems like a lot of people in one house; to the contrary, they all live
in three separate apartments, all within a 30 second walking distance. Overall, they are a close-
Cassidy has always grown up in a lower income family. For majority of her life Cassidys
mother has never held a job and was previously a drug addict. She was in and out of the foster
system her entire life. The last time Cassidy was in foster care was when she was thirteen. At this
point in time, two of her family members are still on drugs. They do not share the same
apartment; however, it still deeply impacts her life. The money spent on drugs and gambling
Physical Development
At the age of seventeen the physical maturation of Cassidy should be complete (DSHS
Fosterparentscope, 1993). When asking her about weight and height gain in the last year, she has
told me that both her height and weight have increased and are still increasing. This is not
completely out of the ordinary because some people do experience body development at later
stages. Within her senior year and at the age of seventeen she should and does feel as if her
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sexual drive has increased; however, she has not actually had intercourse yet; she has only kissed
a couple of different boys. She fears the consequences of engaging in intercourse, such as
As far as both Snowman and the child development guide describe physically, Cassidy is
developing at a slightly slower rate than most seventeen-year-old girls. She should be finished
physically maturing (Snowman & McCown, 2013, p.65). However, her sexual drive meets where
she should be as she should be, feeling or indulging in sexual desires and she is as far as I can see
and have been informed by her older sister (DSHS Fosterparentscope, 1993).
Per Snowman adolescent males and females add pounds and inches at a prodigious rate.
The peak year for girls is about 12, when the average girl adds 14 pounds or so and about three
inches (Snowman & McCown, 2013, p. 65). As I have known Cassidy since about the age of
twelve I can say that she did not peak at the age of twelve, but it has occurred just recently at the
age of seventeen. This is abnormal due to both Snowman and the child development guide
reporting that adolescents at the age of seventeen have essentially stopped physical maturation
(DSHS Fosterparentscope, 1993). Cassidy recently has felt an increase in sexual desire. per
Snowman many adolescents become sexually active (Snowman & McCown, 2013, p. 65).
Although she has felt her sexual drive increase she has not engaged in sexual intercourse, due to
fear of pregnancy and or sexually transmitted diseases (S.T.D). The rate in adolescents between
fifteen and nineteen with S.T.D is higher than any other age group due to lower sexual education
standards (Snowman & McCown, 2013, p. 66). This means Cassidys fear is rightly placed.
Overall the fact that Cassidy is still physically maturing is a little odd, but she seems to be
healthy and happy with her body. Her sexual drive is normal for her age and will only increase
from here.
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Maslows theory of growth motivation is built on the idea that humans have different
kinds of needs. Some of these needs are very basic, some are more intellectual and some would
say spiritual (Snowman & McCown 2013 P.248). Maslow created a five-level hierarchy of needs
in order they are physiological, safety, belongingness and love, esteem, and self-actualization
(Snowman & McCown 2013 p. 248). The order reflects the levels of strength each need has, the
lower the need the higher the strength. This is because when a lower level need is activated
people will stop trying to satisfy the higher-level needs (Snowman & McCown 2013 P.248). An
example of this could be that someone is not feeling or receiving as if they belong or are loved,
so they are not able to focus or think about esteem. The first four needs are often called
deficiency needs because when unmet to some degree they motivate people to act. Self-
actualization is often called a growth need this is because people often try to satisfy it (Snowman
& McCown 2013, p.248). Throughout life we are always changing and striving to do better.
With Cassidys familys lack of money, it is hard for any of them to provide food and a
stable place to live. Many times, I have gone over to her house I see a lack of food and her
mother stressing on how to pay rent or other bills. I believe that Cassidy is bouncing back and
forth between safety and physiological needs. This is because at times Cassidy has food water
and shelter, when this happens she moves to safety however with money always being an issue
she can never move past safety and proceed further in Maslows hierarchy of needs (Snowman
Cassidys physical development is almost done she is now reaching the height she will be
for the rest of her life, her weight will still fluctuate throughout her life, but with proper care and
nutrition stay around the same. As she ages her sexual desires will grow and she will know what
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she wants. Her physical development seems to be coming along perfectly and I have no
recommendations.
Emotional Development
Cassidy was recently taken to jail for a fight with one of her younger sisters; she was told
she needed to take counseling for anger management and impulse control. While in counseling
she has now also been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, anxiety, and depression. With her
emotions vary day to day, more so than a normal 17-year-old girl. She has told me she fears
failing and wants to try harder, said she goes forward and does not put forth the actions to do
better.
Among these are eating disorders, substance abuse, schizophrenia, and suicide (Snowman &
McCown, 2013, p. 67). As mentioned above Cassidy is struggling with many different
psychiatric disorders. This can make her emotional state even more irregular than it is supposed
to be. May appear moody, angry, lonely, impulsive, self-centered, confused, and stubborn
(DSHS Fosterparentscopre, 1993). Though this may be normal and most of the time she reacts
with normal adolescent emotions other she is extremely full of one emotion or extremely
impulsive. Cassidy has tried stabbing her mom, younger sister, older sister, and uncle over small
arguments, one of which resulted in Cassidy going to jail. These are not the normal emotional
behavior for a girl her age. In conclusion, I think if she works hard in the therapy she is doing
now she may reach the point of normal emotional development. However, she is not quite there
yet.
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Cassidy does have a lot to work on emotionally. One recommendation I would suggest is
for her to continue doing her counseling and working on the psychiatric disorders she deals with
daily. I would also recommend that Sabrina (her mother) listen to Cassidy and really be there for
her and to accept her feeling (DSHS Fosterparentscope, 1993). I believe these things could help
Intellectual Development
From what I have read and observed, I do not think Cassidy is where she needs to be at as
far as intellectual and cognitive development go. Throughout high school, she has missed many
days of school and has fallen behind in the credits she needs to graduate. This is her final year of
school and she isnt sure she will graduate; she is becoming slightly more serious about attending
school almost every day within the week. When observing her, I noticed most the way she acts is
that of a child. I asked about her world views and feelings about the upcoming presidential
campaign. She has not given any thought to the questions and when asked had no solid answers.
Cassidy has given no thought to the future living in the now as most of her family does.
However, unlike everyone she lives with she has given thought to obtaining a job, not to
seriously but she has entertained it. Overall Cassidy lives in the present, and acts that way. She
has no abstract thinking or liberal thinking, and just thinks about having a good time.
Per the Child Development guide Cassidy is not meeting the normal intellectual
development of a child age sixteen to nineteen. She should be concerned about the future;
1993). Cassidy as I mentioned still acts like a child not like a young adult about to finish high
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school. She has no idea what she is going to do with her future and does not seem to worried
about it. I do not believe this is all her fault because of the people surrounding her influence her
thoughts. No one in her home has a job or has tried to excel intellectually, therefore I believe this
Per Piaget within middle school, high school, and beyond people should be in the formal
operation stage. Within this stage students can generalize from an instance to a general form
(Snowman & McCown, 2013, p. 28). An example given by Snowman is a student recognizing
that an algebra problem belongs to the general class of quadratic equations (Snowman &
McCown, 2013, p. 28). I believe that Cassidy is in the formal operation stage, however this does
not apply to school. The lack of attendance to school I think would make it hard for Cassidy to
be able to use formal operations like the other students with English, science, and math.
However, I do believe that she is street smart this means that she does use formal operations in
because it maintains that how we think is a function of both social and cultural forces
(Snowman & McCown, 2013, p. 32). As mentioned earlier Cassidys family is not the best
influences to have around. Many people within her family are drug addicts or jobless with no
long-term goals. This is not good for her cognitive development because it is said that parents
and schools shape childrens thought process to reflect that which the culture values (Snowman
& McCown, 2013, p. 32). Cassidy rarely attends school therefore most of her thought process is
coming from her mother and other adults around her. Majority of whom are on drugs or have
many other addictions. Cassidy is not forming helpful psychological tools which help aid and
change the thought process (Snowman & McCown, 2013, p. 33). All of this means that Cassidy
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is not developing at the rate that she needs to be because of her environment and will likely fall
further behind.
Sternberg triarchic theory of intelligence is unlike both Piaget and Vygotsky and I believe
fits Cassidy better. There are three main parts to this theory which are, practical ability which
involves applying knowledge to everyday situations, using knowledge and tools, and seeking
relevance, creative ability involves inventing, discovering, imagining and supposing, and
analytical ability involves braking ideas and products into their component parts, making
judgments, evaluating, comparing, and contrasting and critiquing (Snowman & McCown, 2013,
p. 74). Although Cassidy is not excelling at school and may not understand what she is being
taught. She takes what she is learning through her parents and life and applies it to her everyday
has plenty of room for improvement but she is by no means behind, because she knows how to
Gardner theorizes that there are eight different mostly independent intelligences they are
and naturalist. (Snowman & McCown, 2013, p. 75). When observing Cassidy, I did not notice
any of the intelligences mentioned. I decided to talk with her older sister (they spend a lot of time
together) I named each one and gave a description and some examples. She too did not find any
Cassidy will soon be turning eighteen years old. I do have recommendations for her
intellectual development, but she will not listen to them no matter who they come from. I believe
she needs to start attending school every day. Retaking classes that she has failed, and really try
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to understand what is being taught to her. She has missed so much her intellectual development
is extremely lacking. Therefore she needs to take the time to learn the information she hasnt yet
and finish high school. Her mother need to step up and make her go to school as well because
Social Development
Cassidy and her mother fight frequently. Their fights can be about school to normal
household chores. Cassidy does struggle with anger issues; normally she becomes violent, she is
seeing a counselor to work on that now. Overall she feels that her mother is too pushy, wanting
her to get a job, finish school, help clean, and many other things. I had a chance to experience
one of their arguments first hand. She has no respect for her mother or any choices she has made
thus far. Cassidy unlike most teenage girls has a very small number of friends, none of which she
considers her best friend. She is close to one male friend, who has been in and out of jail since he
was fifteen. She does not talk of any serious relationships, nor is she in one from what I can tell;
she has only had one serious relationship and that was when she was fifteen.
Cassidy does not meet the social development of an adolescent described by both
Snowman and the Child Development Guide. Cassidy should have many friends and few
confidence (DSHS Fosterparentscope, 1993). As sated before Cassidy has little to no friends and
certainly no one she confides in. She should be turning to parents for long-term goals and advice
(Snowman & McCown, 2013, p. 66). However, she does not she tends to keep to herself and
often fights with her mother not asking her for advice.
successful resolution of psychosocial crises (Snowman & McCown, 2013, p. 18). Cassidy has
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gone through several major life crises such as having a drug addict mother, going to foster care,
and having her close family members sell and do drugs. Although Erikson doesnt describe
psychosocial crises as extraordinary events that threaten well-being; but simply as when people
feel compelled to adjust to the normal guidelines and expectations that society has for them
(Snowman & McCown, 2013, p.18). I believe that these life changing events were huge
psychosocial crises that shaped Cassidys social development. Per Snowman, Cassidy should be
at a stage where she is developing roles and skills that will prepare her for a place in adult
society (Snowman & McCown, 2013, p. 19). From what I observed Cassidy is not developing
these skills and has no idea where she will fit into adult society. As of right now she will not
obtain her high school diploma, she spends her time doing drugs and staying in her room. It
seems to me because of the events places in her life, Cassidy has not developed a sense of
identity. Instead she has developed role confusion which means she has no clear conception of
appropriate types of behavior that other will react to favorably (Snowman & McCown, 2013,
p.19). This could be why her and her mother argue so frequently because Cassidy thinks that the
behavior she has now shouldnt be reacted to negatively, because it is a norm in their family and
neighborhood. As far as Erikson theory on social development Cassidy is at the normal stage for
her age. However, she has developed negatively and now she must work so that her self-identity
can develop and she may find her skills and roles in adult society.
James Marcia has extended Eriksons observation on identity with Marcias notion of
identity statuses of which there are four, are styles or processes for handling the psychosocial
task of establishing a sense of identity (Snowman & McCown, 2013, p.20-21). Cassidy would
fit into the third identity status which is moratorium. Moratorium is described as her crisis being
partially experienced, and that she has given some thought to identity-related questions.
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Cassidys commitment being weak and has not achieved satisfactory answer (Snowman &
McCown, 2013, p.21). As mentioned previously Cassidy is having problems in school, she has
anxiety, fights with her mother often, and she often daydreams. All listed are characteristics of
someone is within the identity status of moratorium (Snowman & McCown, 2013, p.21). Unlike
Erikson, Marcia doesnt specify what age each identity status should correlate with, to me this
I only have one recommendation for Cassidy. This is that she needs to take time to find
herself and what she wants to do. This could help her move towards finding her identity and role
in adult society. Right now, I see her being lost with what to do after high school is over and she
has no one to turn to as an adult. Finding herself and figuring out what she wants to do next will
help her start a plan on what steps to take and what she wants the end goal to be.
Moral Development
When observing Cassidy, I didnt notice any moral development at all. She has no actual
real views of her own on things. As far as moral development goes, she has a lot to work on and
improve on. To me this seems as if she is way behind where she should be as far as moral
development goes and I plan to look further into her moral development.
When observing Cassidy further and reading Piagets ideals on moral development of a
child I realized she is developing morally. Per Piaget Cassidy has the thinking of a child eleven
years or older called morality of cooperation, meaning that when thinking if something is right or
wrong you base it on flexible rules and consideration of intent (Snowman & McCown, 2013, p.
40). When observing Cassidy, I could see that she does understand that not every rule must be
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followed and have the same consequences. Cassidy is at the right stage and is developing
Kohlberg theory states that there are six stages of moral reasoning based on how a person
reacts to different moral dilemmas (Snowman & McCown, 2013, p. 41). When observing
Cassidy further and re-thinking her moral development, I decided to ask the common question
related to Kohlbergs work. This is question is about a mans (Heinz) sick wife whom is dying of
cancer, and a large company has the cure but it cost too much. Heinz ends up stealing the cure;
should he have done that? Cassidys response was that of someone in the stage of either social
contract orientation or universal ethical orientation. She realized that sometimes stealing is
needed especially when a company like this is doing something morally wrong. However, I do
not believe she weighed all the factors just knew if the drug didnt get to Heinzs wife she would
die, therefore she is most like social contract orientation. This means that she understands that
in some circumstances laws may have to be disregarded (Snowman & McCown, 2013, p. 42).
This means that she is ahead of people in her moral development because a small amount of
adult reach this stage and it seems as if Cassidy already has (Snowman & McCown, 2013, p. 41).
Carol Gilligan argued that both Eriksons view on identity and Kohlbergs view of moral
development more accurately described what occurs for adolescent males (Snowman &
McCown, 2013, p.43). Gilligan believes that overall females are more loyal to other through
expressing caring, understanding and sharing experiences. Given Gilligan views she believes that
overall females are more likely to resolve Eriksons crisis of identity role vs. role confusion
(Snowman & McCown, 2013, p. 43). For Cassidy, this is not true she has not resolved the crisis
of identity role v. role confusion as earlier stated. Gilligan argued that because females are
socialized to value more highly the qualities of understanding, helping, and cooperation they are
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less likely to be placed in Kohlbergs two conventional stages and be judged at a lower level of
moral development (Snowman & McCown, 2013, p.43). As to Cassidy none of this seems to be
true because she doesnt have the same characteristics as mentioned in Gilligans theory. Gilligan
would find her moral development slightly skewed and not that of an average adolescent female.
Noddings care theory starts with the idea that there is human desire for goodness which
she called a moral attitude. From the starting point care theory, has come to focus on
relationships and how those relationships function (Snowman & McCown, 2013, p. 44). As
stated before Cassidys has very few relationship and the ones she does have such as family and
small number of friends there is a lot of arguments and physical fights. Noddings care theory
doesnt just look at how the relationship functions but also if a caring relationship exists
(Snowman & McCown, 2013, p.44). when observing Cassidy, I do not believe she makes moral
calls on caring or understanding, but on what she believes is right or wrong. It does not see like
she cares to much for anyone but herself so I believe that Nodding would find her moral
Cassidy understands what she finds right and wrong her morals have developed in a way
that suits her and her beliefs. She knows there is a right and wrong and reasons as to why people
do the wrong thing or make mistakes. I have no recommendations for her moral development.
Summary
Based on my observation of Cassidy I can safely say that she is not meeting half of the
developmental milestones. I believe that this is because of the environment that she is in. The
fact that she has always dealt with drugs, gambling, alcohol, foster care, and more has stunned
her development to where she is behind or not at the same place as people her own age. What she
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deals with at home has not let her move pass safety on Maslows hierarchy of needs. I believe
that if her family was to become sober and steady Cassidy could grow as a person and her
References
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http://depts.washington.edu/allcwe2/fosterparents/training/cdevguid/cdg10.htm
Snowman, J., & McCown, R. (2013). Ed psych. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
Appendix A
Observation notes
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Cassidy
Female
Seventeen
Caucasian/German
Parents split/lives with mother and many other relatives
Lowe-income family
Fluent in English and knows some German
Observation
Physical
Intellectual
Social
Emotional
Uncontrollable anger
Impulsive
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Moral
Questioned Asked
Have you engaged in sexual activity if not do you have the desire to do so? Not she has
not engaged in any sexual activity except kissing, and yes she would like to but she fears
employment and many other things. Was there for a fight later.
How do you feel about making new friends? She told me it was easy for her to make new
bipolar.
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