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Case Study Analysis: Early Childhood

For this assignment, you will complete an analysis of a case study that deals with the early childhood stage of development. The case studies includes a set of questions that can guide your analysis of the pertinent issues for the particular case.

Expectations

Address the following in your case study analysis:

Analyze lifespan development theories to determine the most appropriate theory or theories to apply to the case study.

Apply the appropriate lifespan development theory to support an identified intervention process.

Describe the potential impact of individual and cultural differences on development for the current age and context described in the case study.

Write in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations for graduate-level composition and expression.

Content

The case study analysis should be a maximum of 5 pages in length, including the introduction and conclusion, each of which should be approximately one half-page in length. The body of the paper should not exceed 4 pages.

Provide the following content in your paper:

An introduction that includes an overview of the paper contents, including a brief summary and background information regarding the case study.

The body of the case study, including:

The presenting challenge or challenges and primary issue or issues.

The appropriate lifespan development theory and research-based alternatives that explain the presenting challenges.

The potential impact of individual and cultural differences on development for the current age and context described in the case study.

Evidence-based support from lifespan development theory and current scholarly research to support appropriate interventions.

A conclusion that summarizes what was introduced in the body of the paper, with respect to the case study context, challenges, and interventions.

Requirements

Submit a professional document, in APA style, that includes the following required elements identified with headings and subheadings:

Title page.

Introduction (half page).

Case study analysis (4 pages).

Conclusion (half page).

Reference page: Include a minimum of 5 scholarly resources from current peer-reviewed journals as references, in addition to referencing the textbook in which the case study is embedded.

Font: Times New Roman, 12 point.

CASE STUDY (DAWN)

Terry and Bill, married for 5 years, are a Black couple who live in a small suburban community. Terry graduated from high school and worked as a receptionist before her marriage to Bill, a communications company manager. Because both of them believed that mothers should stay at home with young children, Terry quit her job when she had her first child, who is now an intense and active 4-year-old daughter named Dawn. Both parents were very attentive to their daughter and enjoyed caring for and playing with her when she was a baby. As Dawn got older, she became more active and assertive. When Dawn fussed, resisted, or showed frustration, Terry was patient and affectionate with her. She was able to coax Dawn out of her bad temper by making up little games that Dawn enjoyed. Both Terry and Bill liked Dawn’s spirited personality. Because her parents wanted her to have access to playmates, Dawn attended a church-related program for toddlers and preschoolers three mornings a week.

When Dawn was 3 years old, Terry gave birth to the couple’s second child, a son named Darren. Soon after the baby’s birth, the family learned that Darren had a congenital heart problem that would require ongoing medical treatment and a specific regimen of care at home. Darren was an irritable baby. He fussed for long periods and was very difficult for Terry to soothe. Because of Darren’s need for medical care and the limitations of Bill’s medical insurance, the couple soon found themselves in financial difficulty. Bill began to take on overtime work at the company to subsidize some of the bills and was away from the home several nights a week and part of each weekend.

Terry found the care of two demanding young children and the worries about money to be increasingly more stressful. She was always tired and seemed to have less patience with her family. whereas she once had the leisure time to read to Dawn, to take her for walks, and to help her master tasks that proved frustrating, Terry now had to shift her attention to the care of her medically fragile infant. Because Dawn looked so grown-up compared to the vulnerable newborn, Terry began to perceive her daughter as able to do many things for herself. When Dawn demonstrated her neediness by clinging or whining, Terry became abrupt and demanded that Dawn stop. Many battles revolved around Terry’s new rule that Dawn have a nap or “quiet time” each afternoon so that mother and baby could get some rest.

One day, Dawn’s preschool teacher, Mrs. Adams, asked to speak with Terry. Mrs. Adams noted that Dawn’s behavior was becoming a problem in the morning preschool sessions. Dawn had begun throwing toys when she became upset and often refused to cooperate in group activities. Terry was greatly embarrassed to hear about her daughter’s misbehavior. Dawn was the only Black child in the small class, and her mother wondered if this was part of the problem. When Terry got home, she put her tearful, clinging daughter in her room for time-out for being bad at school. She loved Dawn, but she could not tolerate this kind of behavior, especially when Darren needed so much of her time. She began to wonder if she and Bill had spoiled their daughter. Terry feared that Dawn would have problems when it came time for her to enter kindergarten if they didn’t take a strong stand with her now.

Discussion Questions

1.

Explain Dawn’s behavior from an attachment point of view. How would you describe Dawn’s attachment history?

2. Describe Terry’s parenting style. Has the style changed? What suggestions would you make to Terry and Bill about handling this problem?

3. What are some of the contextual influences on Dawn’s behavior?

(Broderick 199-200)

Broderick, Patricia C., Pamela Blewitt. Life Span, The: Human Development for Helping Professionals, 4th Edition. Pearson Learning Solutions, 01/2014. VitalBook file.

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