Reference no: EM133417463

Case study one

The Landis family members are: Father - John (age 52), Mother - Maggie (age 50), Trisha (age 18), Ted (age 15), and Maternal Grandmother - Penny (age 77). Tim, Maggie's father and Penny's husband, is deceased. Ted Landis is 15 and in the 10th grade at Catonsville High School. Up until this past year, he performed well in school and engaged in extracurricular activities especially sports. Last year, his first year in high school, Ted joined the freshman football team in the fall and ran track in the spring. This year, Ted tried out for junior varsity football but was told he was not physically large enough to play on the team (he is only 5'5" and 98lbs).

Ted has not experienced a major growth spurt and his voice has not deepened like his peers. He is noticeably shorter and thinner than boys his age. Next to his peers, he looks more like a middle schooler than a high schooler. He states he is "curious about girls" but becomes very quiet when asked about his interest in dating or sexuality. He denies sexual activity.

In middle school and into freshman year, Ted performed well in school receiving all A's or B's. The teachers described him as a pleasant boy who got along well with others. This year, he has been experiencing a drop in his grades. The teachers note that he appears inattentive in class and that his homework is not adequately completed. Ted's gym teacher has reported that he has affiliated with a group of peers who are known to be "trouble makers" in the school and has "cut" gym class with the same four boys failing to attend at least once a week.

In the past, Ted had a group of friends that he played football with in the community leagues. Ted enjoyed being on the team and they often socialized after practice. Many of these boys were also academically successful. Since Ted did not make the football team in high school, he felt uncomfortable with his friends and never knew when they were getting together. They are often engaged in activities associated with the football team and Ted did not feel like he belonged. When asked by his gym teacher about the new friends, he says he likes he belongs and that they understand him. He says he has fun with them.

At home, he refuses to socialize with the family and spends a great deal of his time playing video games or watching TV in his room. He will attend church with his family and appears to enjoy going to the church youth group, a group he has belonged to since elementary school. The church group often does outdoor activities such as hiking or camping. He also goes with the group to volunteer activities such as serving meals at the homeless shelter. Lately, however, he has started to skip these events to spend more time with his new school friends.

Ted was also caught smoking on school grounds by a teacher. One of the boys caught with him also had an open container of vodka. Ted admits to smoking cigarettes with his new friends but not drinking. He begs the teacher not to call his parents. He states he knows he was wrong to break the rules and doesn't want his parents to find out about his behavior as "I'll be grounded for life and they'll take away my phone".

Trisha Landis is a full-time student at UMBC. She graduated high school a year early after her parents encouraged her to take summer and advanced standing classes. She lives at home and is financially dependent on her parents for both tuition and spending money. Her parents do not want her to work and to concentrate on her studies. Her mother wants her to purse a career in medicine,

Trisha has not mentioned dating to her parents. In high school, Trisha reports she had many close friends of both sexes. Trisha states she feels her parents have a very "old fashioned" way of thinking about relationships and that she often feels more attracted to women and comfortable in her female relationships. She states she wishes her parents were more open minded about attractions but that she doesn't wish to argue with them since she loves them and is also very financially dependent on them. She instead avoids dating all together and focuses on school.

Maggie and John are both worried about the possibility that Trisha will start dating and become sexually active. They are fearful that bringing it up may make Trisha think that they don't trust her and that talking about sex will make Trisha think they approve of pre-marital sexual relations. Maggie and John feel sex is not something people should discuss openly.

Maggie and John are also worried as Trisha has stopped attending Catholic services with the family. Trisha stated she did not feel comfortable with the priest's conservative stance on certain topics especially sexuality and women in the church. A big argument took place between Maggie and Trisha and now neither will talk about faith with the other.

Consider the case that you have been provided and respond to the following questions in essay form.

1. Draw a systems diagram for Ted and a separate systems diagram for Trisha. Use Bronfenbrenner's ecological map.

2. Discuss Ted's status with regard to the biological changes that are typical for adolescence. Include a discussion of both primary and secondary sex characteristics.

3. Maggie and John are concerned about Trisha being sexually active. Using your knowledge about sexuality and sex education, what parenting approaches might you encourage them to take?

4. Using Erickson, discuss both Trisha and Ted. What stage is each at in the Erickson process? Given that they are both adolescents, are they in the same stage or indifferent stages?