PSYC FPX 3210 Assessment 3 Meet the Washingtons Case Study

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Capella University

PSYC FPX 3210 Human Lifespan Development

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Meet the Washingtons: Case Study

Introducing Kyla Washington

Kyla Washington is a 16-year-old girl. She is the older daughter of Bob and Lorraine, with two younger sisters and an older brother. Kyla resides with her parents, sisters, and great-grandmother. She attends school and enjoys cooking during her free time. Kyla shares a strong bond with her mother but frequently argues with her father. As she navigates adolescence, Kyla experiences various physical and psychosocial changes. Let’s examine these changes and the theories that can help us understand them.

Psychosocial Stage of Development

At 16 years old, Kyla is in the midst of her mid-adolescence. According to Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages of Development, identity formation is a key personality achievement at this stage. During this period, individuals explore their independence and develop a sense of self, including their values and vocational goals (Vogel-Scibilia, 2009). Kyla’s interest in cooking illustrates this exploration. She uses her free time to experiment with new recipes and techniques, and she is saving money to attend culinary school, reflecting her serious consideration of a future career as a chef.Kyla’s self-driven interest in cooking exemplifies the concept of niche-picking. She has gravitated towards this activity without external pressure, demonstrating her natural inclination. As a result, Kyla has developed both a passion and expertise in cooking, which can be considered domain-specific knowledge (Scarr & McCartney, 1983).

Kyla has chosen a culinary career path and is actively working towards it by learning the skills required to become a chef after high school and saving money for culinary school. This behavior could be categorized as identity foreclosure, where Kyla has committed to a particular course of action without further exploration of other options.When examining Kyla’s home environment and its influence on her passion for cooking, several factors emerge. She often receives compliments on her cooking, which can be seen as positive reinforcement. Behaviorism defines positive reinforcement as the introduction of a stimulus, such as praise after a well-prepared meal, that increases the likelihood of the behavior being repeated in the future (Scott, 2021). This positive reinforcement has fueled Kyla’s motivation and deepened her interest in pursuing a culinary career.

Parent-Child Relationship

Kyla’s relationship with her parents plays a significant role in shaping her personality. Her bond with her mother is strong, particularly because they connect through cooking, an activity that reinforces Kyla’s interests. This time together is also one of the few opportunities Kyla has to spend alone with her mother, which may contribute to the health of their relationship.

Conversely, Kyla’s relationship with her father is strained, as they frequently argue. As she matures, Kyla desires to be treated more like an adult, which can lead to conflicts. Adolescents’ evolving reasoning abilities often trigger family tensions, with parent-child arguments commonly revolving around everyday issues such as social media use (Adams & Laursen, 2001). Through positive problem-solving approaches, these conflicts are likely to diminish as Kyla progresses into late adolescence.

Social Media Influence

It is also important to consider the impact of social media on Kyla’s personality and behaviors. She appears to be influenced by the level of acceptance her posts receive, and her belief that social media content should be regulated often leads to disagreements with her father.

The physical and emotional changes Kyla is undergoing make her more self-focused. A common distorted perception during this stage is the “imaginary audience,” where adolescents believe they are the center of everyone’s attention (Elkind & Bowen, 1979). This heightened self-consciousness can make them more sensitive to public criticism. Research by Bell and Bromnick (2003) found that adolescents strongly believe that others’ opinions significantly influence their self-esteem, social support, and peer acceptance.

Ethical Considerations

Treating an adolescent like Kyla can present several challenges from a clinical perspective. Fostering her autonomy is crucial during this stage of development. As a child moves through childhood, adolescence, and into adulthood, their zone of privacy should expand, allowing for a more defined sense of self and increased autonomy. However, this presents a paradox: effective clinical treatment may require what the law typically prohibits, namely, a private zone. When working with Kyla, it is essential to continually reference the American Psychological Association (APA) Ethics Code.

Maintaining client confidentiality is a fundamental aspect of therapy, but there are circumstances where a service provider may be permitted to disclose personal information. According to APA’s Rule 4.05 Disclosures, psychologists may share information if it protects the client or others from harm.At the outset of services, it is crucial to discuss the limits of confidentiality with Kyla and clearly establish the therapist’s relationship with both the underage client and her parents or caregivers. This guidance is outlined in Rule 4.02 Discussing the Limits of Confidentiality (APA, 2017).While it is clinically and ethically appropriate to clarify how information will be handled, psychologists cannot guarantee that information will not be shared with a parent who has legal custody. Even if it is deemed unhelpful by the psychologist, a parent with a legal right to treatment information may choose to exercise that right.

Conclusion and Recommendations

After evaluating various developmental theories, it is evident that Kyla’s behavior aligns with typical adolescent development. Family conflicts, exploration of options and abilities, and the strong influence of social media are all part of this stage of growth.To ensure that this stage of Kyla’s life leads to positive outcomes, it is important to continue monitoring her social media use to prevent issues like depression. Additionally, effective parent-child problem-solving can help reduce family arguments and foster healthier, happier relationships.

References

Adams, R. G., & Laursen, B. (2001). The organization and dynamics of adolescent conflict with parents and friends. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 63(1), 97–110.

American Psychological Association. (2017). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct (2002, amended effective June 1, 2010, and January 1, 2017). http://www.apa.org/ethics/code/index.html

Bell, J. H., & Bromnick, R. D. (2003). The social reality of the imaginary audience: A grounded theory approach. Adolescence, 38(150), 205–219.

Elkind, D., & Bowen, R. (1979). Imaginary audience behavior in children and adolescents. Developmental Psychology, 15(1), 33–44.

Scarr, S., & McCartney, K. (1983). How people make their own environments: A theory of genotype environment effects. Child Development, 54(2), 424–435.

Scott, H. K., Jain, A., & Cogburn, M. (2021). Behavior modification. In StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459285/