Competencies
In this project, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following competencies:
Draw connections between research in lifespan development and lived experiences
Analyze theories of lifespan development
Evaluate factors that affect lifespan development
Scenario
For this project, you will be completing a case study analysis on the scenario below. The Module One and Module Two milestones and required reading have prepared you to complete this project. This type of analysis would typically be performed by a social worker as part of an interdisciplinary team focused on patient care. For more information on related career pathways, review the Project One Career Spotlights document, linked in the Supporting Materials area below.
Read this scenario to complete your project:
As you recall, Jan and Judi are identical twins who, tragically, were separated at birth after an administrative mishap in the hospital where they were born. Jan was raised in a warm, loving environment where her identity was allowed to flourish in authentic ways. Sadly, Judi was not as fortunate as her twin sister; she was raised in a psychologically abusive and chaotic environment that included parental neglect, substance abuse, and toxic relationships. Compared to Jan, Judi’s life has been anything but easy.
As previously discussed, Judi had two children with past partners; tragically, one teenage child died from addiction, while the other, nine-year old Jamie, is prone to angry outbursts and struggles with childhood anxiety and depression. Also, Jamie presents as fearful and distrusting, as evidenced by her tendency to retreat and isolate when in social situations. Given Judi’s history of excessive drinking, inattention to good health practices, and severe psychosocial trauma, she is reflecting on how her choices may have impacted Jamie’s development.
After Jamie’s teachers expressed concern about her ability to attend to tasks, recent follow-up psychometric tests conducted by the school psychologist revealed evidence of attention-deficit issues. In addition, Jamie has difficulty regulating her emotions when faced with challenging situations across a variety of contexts. According to her teachers, Jamie has exhibited angry outbursts when waiting for her peers to answer questions or losing at games, and when mistakes cause her to feel embarrassment. These circumstances cause exasperation and anxiety for Jamie, which often result in uncontrollable emotional outbursts that require intervention from school faculty and administrators. Judi believes that she has unknowingly internalized and passed many of the psychosocially dysfunctional qualities that she learned from observing her parents on to Jamie.
In a session with her guidance counselor, Jamie acknowledged that her quick escalation into intense displays of anger often results in feelings of guilt and shame. During the session, Jamie also acknowledged that her inability to control her emotions makes it difficult to sustain peer relationships. To cope, Jamie often seeks reassurance from peers by inquiring as to whether they will give her another chance. However, when her peers deny Jamie the opportunity to prove herself, she feels rejected, lost, and abandoned.
In an effort to help her daughter get the support that she desperately needs, Judi has reached out for help—and hopes for a miracle.
