Case Background
Emma is a 13-year-old girl living in a multigenerational household with her parents, siblings, and her great-grandmother and a nearby grandfather. While she has a good relationship with her father, she frequently argues with her mother and grandfather and has ongoing conflicts with her younger sister. Her relationships with her sisters fluctuate between closeness and withdrawal.
Emma has become increasingly sensitive to others’ comments, often interpreting them as criticism, which has led to social withdrawal at home. She spends most of her time online with friends. She is highly focused on her appearance, spends excessive time preparing for school, and has tried several restrictive diets without long-term success. Peer attention appears inconsistent and influences her self-esteem.
Academically, Emma followed her friends’ advice when choosing classes rather than her parents’ recommendations. Although she has expressed interest in becoming a teacher, financial concerns about college have caused her to disengage from future planning. She currently avoids family interaction and relies heavily on social media for connection, while expressing negative views about herself and her acceptance outside her peer group.
Case Analysis
Children and adolescents tend to form their character under the influence of family, friends, and especially social media. Regardless of the developmental process, difficulties may impede physical and emotional progress. Emma Washington is a 13-year-old girl who suffers from miscommunication with her family members, prefers isolation, and complains about overeating. Hence, this paper will describe the chosen character’s psychological and brain development, as well as the ethical considerations involved in working with Emma.
Psychological Development
In this work, Erik Erikson’s theory of developmental stages will be utilized to provide insight into Emma’s life. Primarily, there are eight stages that each person goes through in their lifetime. At the moment, Emma Washington is going through an adolescent stage.
Before adolescence, kids acquired different roles – those of friends, students, siblings, and others. In this period, it is essential to recognize and combine these roles into one holistic personality (Gunderman, 2022). A teenager is seeking confidence and security, striving to be like other teenagers in their age group (Santrock, 2019). They develop stereotypical behavior and ideals and often join various groups or clans.
Emma recognizes her roles as a sister, a child, a student, and a friend. However, she has difficulty making friends with her sisters – the last time they fought. Erickson suggests that identity diffusion occurs when one fails to recognize one’s identity or when a severe conflict arises between two vital roles with drastically different value systems (Gunderman, 2022). This happens to Emma, causing her to behave oddly towards her family and herself.
Apart from identity confusion, Emma is delusional about her personality. She claims that no one likes her except her friends. This phenomenon is called a personal fable, in which adolescents make subjective assertions about their behavior, appearance, and other aspects (Gunderman, 2022). Hence, her self-esteem is low as she considers herself fat and prone to being overweight. In addition, her decision-making skills lack determination, as she prefers to rely on her friends’ opinions when choosing teachers. Her parents are not the authority on choosing a college degree.
Brain Development
During adolescence, the brain undergoes several different processes. Primarily, children are affected by emotions, which often lead them to inner conflicts. Additionally, they form new neuron connections that are responsible for acquiring new experiences. These experiences further define choices in adulthood and impact decisions (Santrock, 2019). Ultimately, the brain is not susceptible to drastic changes, and it takes time for a teen to adjust to abrupt emotional, physical, or social changes, such as entering a new school or moving to a different city.
Ethical Considerations
It is pivotal to ensure privacy and confidentiality when working with teenagers, as they are sensitive about sharing problems with adults. This point is essential when consulting Emma since she only communicates with her peers. Moreover, providing support and avoiding criticism is vital, as young people tend to feel vulnerable when neglected.
Emma needs encouragement related to the bond restoration with her family, as it is the primary institution where a child socializes. Lastly, a social worker must respect and accept a teen’s issues. Opposing Emma’s views on relationships with family and friends, food, education, and other aspects may hurt her feelings and undermine the intended help.
References
Gunderman, R.B. (2022). Psychology and ethics: Erik Erikson. Pediatric Radiology, 52, 1420–1422.
Santrock, J. (2019). Life-span development. Mc-Graw Hill.