The document provides a summary of the movie "5 Girls" which profiles five culturally and economically diverse girls facing the challenges of adolescence. It discusses the developmental issues faced by each of the five girls including issues related to sexuality, changes in family dynamics, peer pressure, parental discord, and cultural identity transitions. Each girl's story grants insight into the challenges of navigating adolescence and their journeys towards self-acceptance and personal growth.
Gender issues in psychology: Interaction Styles in Childhood and AdulthoodLaiba Aftab Malik
Interaction Styles in Childhood, prosocial dominance, egoistic dominance, gender segregation cycle, Prisoner’s dilemma task, the peer pressure, gender-consistent or gender-inconsistent language, the cultural influence
This month spotlights bullying behavior and what kids and parents can do to identify it and stop it. We thought this would be timely as the school year begins.
Today, bullying has become much more pervasive and has taken on new methods, tactics and impact that have led, in many cases, to serious physical and mental abuse and even suicide by traumatized victims. The latest bullying statistics should make every parent take notice and take appropriate action with their children and their schools
Please feel free to share with your colleagues, friends and family.
Regards,
Chris Carney
Gender issues in psychology: Interaction Styles in Childhood and AdulthoodLaiba Aftab Malik
Interaction Styles in Childhood, prosocial dominance, egoistic dominance, gender segregation cycle, Prisoner’s dilemma task, the peer pressure, gender-consistent or gender-inconsistent language, the cultural influence
This month spotlights bullying behavior and what kids and parents can do to identify it and stop it. We thought this would be timely as the school year begins.
Today, bullying has become much more pervasive and has taken on new methods, tactics and impact that have led, in many cases, to serious physical and mental abuse and even suicide by traumatized victims. The latest bullying statistics should make every parent take notice and take appropriate action with their children and their schools
Please feel free to share with your colleagues, friends and family.
Regards,
Chris Carney
Psychosocial Development Case Study AssessmentKylee Grafton
For this psychosocial development case study I have chosen three characters from the film. “My big fat Greek weeding” to analyze based on the life stages they are in during the film. I have chosen the three characters based on the crises they are experiencing in their particular life stages as well and how they have reached their ending goal of having a more healthy relationship with one another. Using what I have learned about counseling and family counseling as my chosen specialization I chose three family members to use as an example of my analyses. The first and main character Toula Portokalos and she father Gus Portokalos, Maria Portokalos the wife and mother of Toula. These three characters relationship with one another is unstable due to the different crises leading up to the current life stages they are in.
Psychosocial Development Case Study AssessmentKylee Grafton
For this psychosocial development case study I have chosen three characters from the film. “My big fat Greek weeding” to analyze based on the life stages they are in during the film. I have chosen the three characters based on the crises they are experiencing in their particular life stages as well and how they have reached their ending goal of having a more healthy relationship with one another. Using what I have learned about counseling and family counseling as my chosen specialization I chose three family members to use as an example of my analyses. The first and main character Toula Portokalos and she father Gus Portokalos, Maria Portokalos the wife and mother of Toula. These three characters relationship with one another is unstable due to the different crises leading up to the current life stages they are in.
Case Study: Joan and Ann from A Tribe ApartNatalie Harvey
This paper analyzes the similarities and differences between Joan and Ann from the book A Tribe Apart: A Journey into the Heart of American Adolescence by Patricia Hersch.
Sexual behavior is a highly controversial topic. Different cultu.docxmanningchassidy
Sexual behavior is a highly controversial topic. Different cultural groups have varying beliefs regarding the appropriateness and morality of various sexual behaviors, when these behaviors should occur and with whom, the age at which sexual behavior should occur, and so forth. Sexual behavior is a common topic in religion, politics, and education. It is so grounded in cultural and religious belief systems that accepting differences in others’ sexual behavior is difficult, if not impossible, for some.
Not only are there differing religious and cultural views on sexuality, but there are also different views and perceptions of gender-related aspects of sexuality within cultural groups. For example, in some cultures, prepubescent, same-sex experimentation is expected and encouraged prior to adulthood, whereas this behavior is perceived as abnormal in most Western societies. In some cultures, women are perceived as having a much lower sex drive than men, and older adults may be perceived as having no sex drive at all. As with any perception, when society acts on an assumption, people are impacted. As a simple example, if you assume that older adults do not have sex and construct barriers for sexual activity in assisted living facilities, the psychological well being of the residents in that facility may be affected. Understanding the differences in sexuality in different cultural groups is an important aspect of understanding the whole person and the person's behavior.
For this Discussion, you analyze two case studies of individuals who have multiple identities related to sex, gender, and sexual orientation and consider how these identities would affect aspects of their lives if they lived in your culture.
To prepare
Review the two case studies in this week’s Learning Resources and consider the subjects’ specific identities related to sex, gender, and sexual orientation.
Think about how Alberto and Jeanette would experience life in your culture given their specific identities.
Consider the advantages and challenges that Alberto and Jeanette may face regarding friendships, romantic relationship, and sexuality within your culture.
By Day 4
Post
a brief description of your culture. Then explain the advantages and challenges that Alberto and Jeanette would encounter related to friendships, romantic relationships, and sexuality in your culture.
Two case studies: Case Study: Alberto Alberto is an 18-year-old genetically born male. He is the eldest of four siblings; he has two brothers (ages 17 and 14) and a sister (age 12). From the time Alberto was a young child, his parents noticed that he was quiet and shy compared to other boys his age. He learned to read at a very young age and was content to curl up with a book rather than play with other children. Several of Alberto’s early grade school teachers referred to him as “sensitive” and “gentle” for a boy. Alberto was very close to his siblings growing up, often acting as caregiver or babysi ...
One of the important attributes of theory is the ability to help exp.docxamit657720
One of the important attributes of theory is the ability to help explain and predict outcomes. Within development, this couldn’t be truer. Developmental theories have helped researchers and professionals alike be able to understand how influential factors impact development and lead to positive and negative outcomes later on in life.
For this assignment, you are to select one of the provided case studies and analyze it using Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory (revisit chapter 1). When analyzing the case study, you will address
each level
of the theory and indicate how factors from within the system impacted the development and outcome of the individual within the case study.
Microsystem
: examples include but are not limited to family members, teachers, friends, and neighbors; how do these factors interact with the individual and how does the individual impact these factors?
Mesosystem
: this level emphasizes relationships among members of the
microsystem
, such as the dynamic between parents and the child's teacher; are there dynamics that play a role in how the individual developed?
Exosystem
: here the environment can directly influence the individual, but the individual does not have a reciprocal role; an example would be a parent's place of employment; what factors within this system impacted the individual?
Macrosystem
: this level reflects the cultural influences of the individual, such as their socioeconomic status (SES) or race; again, the individual may not impact this level, but this can influence them; how and why did aspects of the macrosystem impact the individual's development?
Chronosystem
: here the historical context and change over the individual's lifespan can exact influence, including policy and social norms; for example, the legalization of same-sex marriage may influence an individual's willingness to be open about their sexual orientation and seek out a family. Utilizing the individual's age, what historical contexts may help explain the how and why of the individual's development?
These are just some sample questions you can ask as you evaluate the individual's development from each level of the ecological theory.
Now, the case studies are not fully complete and there are always additional factors that influence our choices and behaviors. You can speculate additional factors that are not listed, but be sure they are backed up with research and tie into ecological theory. While you can address the other family members that are listed within the vignette, the name in
bold
is the person of interest and whom you should center your analysis on.
Guidelines
Research will be crucial to help create your argument for why you think the case study person ended up the way that they did. You will need at least
three (3) scholarly sources
from peer-reviewed publications, such as academic journals, books, and textbooks. In-text citations and the reference page need to be presented in APA format.
Case Study #1
.
The research literature indicates an association between the development of suicidal behaviours of young people and parental suicide behaviours. However, we lack empirical data on what children and adolescents know about their parent's suicidal behaviours and how they cope with the stress of living in a family where a parent has attempted suicide and may be at risk of attempting. We present the results of a qualitative exploratory study to understand what young adolescents know about the suicidality of a suicidal parent, what they thought and felt about it and how they coped with the situation. We conducted semi-structured interviews with eight adolescents between 12 and 15 years old living in a family where a parent had attempted suicide in the past 3 years, in order to obtain information on the perception of the adolescents themselves. In most cases we did not know if they knew or what they knew about their parent being suicidal. A significant number of the adolescents knew or suspected that their parent was suicidal. They used coping strategies like talking to their best friend or listening to music, but were inclined not to confide in adults and not to bring up the subject in the family. All the parents had contacted a community crisis centre for help, the adolescents were generally not offered any support . Support was generally only provided to the suicidal parent who contacted the crisis centre and to other adults involved in the intervention. Support should also be systematically offered proactively to the children and adolescents when their parent has suicidal behaviours in order to help them find efficient strategies to cope with the stresses associated with living with a suicidal parent. Specific approaches to helping children learn to cope better will be presented and discussed.
1. Leah Giarritano
EPSY 430
Movie Case Study
5 Girls
The movie 5 Girls provides a candid glimpse into the adolescent development of five
young girls as they deal with the unique issues encountered in their daily lives
during this tumultuous stage of transition and growth. Adolescence is a crossroads
where major developmental milestones collide: puberty, brain maturation, cognitive
and emotional development, peer pressure, school transitions, changes in family
dynamics, sexuality and identity formation. Navigating those rough waters can
prove challenging for any young adult. In this film, we gain significant insight into
the pressures and expectations brought on during this developmental stage as we
follow five girls coping with the challenges of adolescence and struggling to find
their way in the world.
Seventeen-year old Corrie is a high school senior struggling with issues related to
her bisexuality, her father’s reaction to her sexual orientation, her parents’ divorce
and the role of religion in her life. Corrie isconfident in herself and enjoys politics,
but has a hard time connecting with her peers at school, which makes her feel
isolated and misunderstood. Research conducted by Savin-Williams (1995) informs
us that “the view that deviations from gender norms is pathological combined with
the view that if one does deviate, it should be in a prescribed way, may make many
2. young lesbians and female bisexuals feel alienated and confused” (Basow and Rubin,
pp. 34). Corrie embraces her sexual identity as a bisexual but struggles to cope with
the disapproval and threat of abandonment by her father, a staunch Christian who
refuses to accept her sexual orientation. We observe the awkwardness of the
relationship with her father as we see them struggling to communicate and connect
with one another. During adolescence, issues of sexual awareness and identity are at
the forefront of life. Feeling connected to and accepted by peers and family
members is critical to healthy development. Although Corrie never resolves her
issues with her dad, she joins a Pride Youth Program where gay kids can meet
together and cope with their emotions in a positive and safe environment. Two
years later, at college, Corrie feels like part of a community for the first time in her
life. She has grown to love and accept herself and recognizes that she can be happy
despite her father’s rejection.
Aisha is an honor student and an athlete. At sixteen years old, she lives with her
father, only seeing her mother on weekends, and struggleswith the pressure to
please both of her parents. Aisha isfrustrated trying to cope with the negative
emotions that have existed between her parents since their recent separation.
Though divorce can be detrimental to the immediate and long-term mental health of
adolescents, studies by Furstenberg, Morgan, & Allison (1987) and Menning (2002)
have shown that “financial support from fathers…is associated with less problem
behavior and higher academic achievement” (Steinberg, pp. 152). Aisha’s father is
very involved in her life, from attending all of her basketball games and restricting
3. her ability to date, to directing her clothing choices, his participation, though
overwhelming at times, likely empowers her and fuels her success and confidence.
While her father’s initial tendencies lean toward authoritarian parenting, he seems
to begin gravitating toward authoritative parenting as he gains respect for Aisha’s
choices and allows her more flexibility to make her own decisions. “Children who
are responsible, self-directed, curious, and self-assured elicit from their parents
warmth, flexible guidance, and verbal give-and-take” (Steinberg, pp. 142). Two
years later, Aisha feels like she is flourishing. Having been awarded scholarships at
two different colleges, she is proud of herself, knows she is a hard worker and that
she doesn’t need to depend on anyone else.
Toby, a thirteen-year old girl who considers herself “normal”, is becoming
increasingly aware of the social and peer pressures that surround her life. She
mentions that there are a lot of cliques at school and with which group of friends
you are associated really matters. “The cognitive changes of adolescence permit a
more sophisticatedunderstanding of social relationships, an understanding which
may allow the sort of abstract categorization that leads to groups individuals into
crowds” (Steinberg, pp. 175). Toby feels pressure to look like other people she
thinks are pretty and believes that her hair is too frizzy; however, she does establish
limits to what she feels is acceptable behavior when she dismisses the pressure to
have a boyfriend and to dance in a manner similar to some of her other peers
(grinding and lap-dancing). Her resilience to peer pressure early in adolescence is a
good sign and reflective, in part, ofsignificant parental involvement in her life.
4. Though they admit to imposing high expectations on Toby, her parent’s love,
support and acceptance of her have a powerful impact on her confidence,
personality and attitude. “Study after study finds that adolescents who feel that their
parents or guardians are there for them—caring, involved and accepting—are
healthier, happier, and more competent than their peers…” (Steinberg, pp. 163).
Toby is successful, happy and thriving.
Amber, a fifteen-year old junior has been on the honor roll since her freshman year
in high school and carries a 3.6 GPA. She lives with her mom, stepfather, sister and
brother in a small apartment in a rough neighborhood, riddled with crime and drugs
on the south side of Chicago. Amber has no memories of her father, a drug dealer
who was killed when she was just a young girl. As she navigates her way through
adolescence, troubles between Amber and her mother are escalating and ultimately
peak when Amber decides to leave home and move in with her elderly grandmother.
According to research by Larson & Richards (1994), “During the same time that the
number of dailyconflicts between parents and their early adolescent children
increases (compared with preadolescence), declines occur in the amount of time
they spend together and in their reports of emotional closeness” (Arnett, pp. 319).
Smetana (1989) explains, “Several researchers have studied changes in the
adolescents’ cognitive abilities and how these changes may reverberate throughout
the family. Changes in the ways adolescents view family rules and regulations may
contribute to increased conflict between them and their parents” (Steinberg, pp.
138). Despite significant discord with her mother, essentially living on her own and
5. dating a much older boy who is under house arrest for selling drugs, Aisha
maintains her commitment to education and ultimately, with support from a role-
model teacher, gets accepted at the University of Illinois. She is the first woman in
her family to go to college and according to her, “she’s a survivor.”
Haibinh, a Vietnamese native living in a gateway community in Chicago with her
family, is fifteen years old. She is ranked as one of the top ten students at her magnet
high school and believes that doing well in school is the only thing that will make
her happy. She puts a lot of pressure on herself to fit in with her peers and often
feels like she has a dual personality, with both Vietnamese and American influences
in her daily life. Haibihn explains that in the Vietnamese culture kids are suppressed
and not given freedom of choice by their parents. “Asian American parents are
stricter than their counterparts from other cultural groups” (Steinberg, pp. 143).
Her parents are very strict and her mom tells her that freedom does not mean doing
everything she wants to do. According to research by Yau & Smetana (1996),
“Nonwhiteparents frequently combine a very high degree of strictness (like white
authoritarian parents) with warmth (like white authoritative parents)” (Steinberg,
pp. 143). Haibihn has been remarkably successful, both emotionally and
academically, while coping with peer pressure, cultural identity issues and family
life transitions. This success seems, in large part, to be related to strong family
bonds, a hybrid cultural parenting style and her own dedication. Two years later,
Haibihn was accepted to Harvard, Brown and Stanford, and chose to attend
Stanford.
6. In the film, 5 Girls, we are introduced to five culturally and economically diverse
girls facing the challenges of adolescence. From issues related to sexuality, changes
in family dynamics, peer pressure, parental discord and cultural identity transitions,
these girls allow us to observe the challenges faced during this tumultuous stage in
life. Each girl’s story is heart-warming, engaging and enlightening, granting us the
privilege of walking beside her as she faces the rough terrain of adolescence.
Resources
Arnett, Jeffrey Jensen (May 1999). Adolescent Storm and Stress, Reconsidered,
American Psychologist (Vol. 54, No. 5, pp. 317-326).
Basow, Susan A. and Rubin, Lisa R. (1999). Gender Influences on Adolescent
Development. In N.G. Johnson, M. Roberts, & J. Worell (Eds.), Beyond Appearances: A
New Look at Adolescent Girls. (pp. 25-52). Washington, DC: APA.
Steinberg, L. (2005). Adolescence (7th ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill. (Ch. 4, pp. 131-
163),(Ch.5, pp. 173-197).