child case study essay

Early Childhood Education: How to do a Child Case Study-Best Practice

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Description of Assignment

During your time at Manor, you will need to conduct a child case study. To do well, you will need to plan ahead and keep a schedule for observing the child. A case study at Manor typically includes the following components: 

• Three observations of the child: one qualitative, one quantitative, and one of your choice. 
• Three artifact collections and review: one qualitative, one quantitative, and one of your choice. 
• A Narrative

Within this tab, we will discuss how to complete all portions of the case study.  A copy of the rubric for the assignment is attached. 

• Case Study Rubric (Online)
• Case Study Rubric (Hybrid/F2F)

Qualitative and Quantitative Observation Tips

Remember your observation notes should provide the following detailed information about the child:

• child’s age,
• physical appearance,
• the setting, and
• any other important background information.

You should observe the child a minimum of 5 hours. Make sure you DO NOT use the child's real name in your observations. Always use a pseudo name for course assignments. 

You will use your observations to help write your narrative. When submitting your observations for the course please make sure they are typed so that they are legible for your instructor. This will help them provide feedback to you. 

Qualitative Observations

A qualitative observation is one in which you simply write down what you see using the anecdotal note format listed below. 

Quantitative Observations

A quantitative observation is one in which you will use some type of checklist to assess a child's skills. This can be a checklist that you create and/or one that you find on the web. A great choice of a checklist would be an Ounce Assessment and/or work sampling assessment depending on the age of the child. Below you will find some resources on finding checklists for this portion of the case study. If you are interested in using Ounce or Work Sampling, please see your program director for a copy. 

Remaining Objective 

For both qualitative and quantitative observations, you will only write down what your see and hear. Do not interpret your observation notes. Remain objective versus being subjective.

An example of an objective statement would be the following: "Johnny stacked three blocks vertically on top of a classroom table." or "When prompted by his teacher Johnny wrote his name but omitted the two N's in his name." 

An example of a subjective statement would be the following: "Johnny is happy because he was able to play with the block." or "Johnny omitted the two N's in his name on purpose." 

• Anecdotal Notes Form Form to use to record your observations.
• Guidelines for Writing Your Observations
• Tips for Writing Objective Observations
• Objective vs. Subjective

Qualitative and Quantitative Artifact Collection and Review Tips

For this section, you will collect artifacts from and/or on the child during the time you observe the child. Here is a list of the different types of artifacts you might collect: 

Potential Qualitative Artifacts 

• Photos of a child completing a task, during free play, and/or outdoors. 
• Samples of Artwork 
• Samples of writing 
• Products of child-led activities 

Potential Quantitative Artifacts 

• Checklist 
• Rating Scales
• Product Teacher-led activities 

Examples of Components of the Case Study

Here you will find a number of examples of components of the Case Study. Please use them as a guide as best practice for completing your Case Study assignment. 

• Qualitatitive Example 1
• Qualitatitive Example 2
• Quantitative Photo 1
• Qualitatitive Photo 1
• Quantitative Observation Example 1
• Artifact Photo 1
• Artifact Photo 2
• Artifact Photo 3
• Artifact Photo 4
• Artifact Sample Write-Up
• Case Study Narrative Example Although we do not expect you to have this many pages for your case study, pay close attention to how this case study is organized and written. The is an example of best practice.

Narrative Tips

The Narrative portion of your case study assignment should be written in APA style, double-spaced, and follow the format below:

• Introduction : Background information about the child (if any is known), setting, age, physical appearance, and other relevant details. There should be an overall feel for what this child and his/her family is like. Remember that the child’s neighborhood, school, community, etc all play a role in development, so make sure you accurately and fully describe this setting! --- 1 page
• Observations of Development :   The main body of your observations coupled with course material supporting whether or not the observed behavior was typical of the child’s age or not. Report behaviors and statements from both the child observation and from the parent/guardian interview— 1.5  pages
• Comment on Development: This is the portion of the paper where your professional analysis of your observations are shared. Based on your evidence, what can you generally state regarding the cognitive, social and emotional, and physical development of this child? Include both information from your observations and from your interview— 1.5 pages
• Conclusion: What are the relative strengths and weaknesses of the family, the child? What could this child benefit from? Make any final remarks regarding the child’s overall development in this section.— 1page
• Your Case Study Narrative should be a minimum of 5 pages.

Make sure to NOT to use the child’s real name in the Narrative Report. You should make reference to course material, information from your textbook, and class supplemental materials throughout the paper . 

Same rules apply in terms of writing in objective language and only using subjective minimally. REMEMBER to CHECK your grammar, spelling, and APA formatting before submitting to your instructor. It is imperative that you review the rubric of this assignment as well before completing it. 

Biggest Mistakes Students Make on this Assignment

Here is a list of the biggest mistakes that students make on this assignment: 

• Failing to start early . The case study assignment is one that you will submit in parts throughout the semester. It is important that you begin your observations on the case study before the first assignment is due. Waiting to the last minute will lead to a poor grade on this assignment, which historically has been the case for students who have completed this assignment. 
• Failing to utilize the rubrics. The rubrics provide students with guidelines on what components are necessary for the assignment. Often students will lose points because they simply read the descriptions of the assignment but did not pay attention to rubric portions of the assignment. 
• Failing to use APA formatting and proper grammar and spelling. It is imperative that you use spell check and/or other grammar checking software to ensure that your narrative is written well. Remember it must be in APA formatting so make sure that you review the tutorials available for you on our Lib Guide that will assess you in this area. 
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Child abuse: A classic case report with literature review

Arthur m kemoli, mildred mavindu.

• Author information
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Correspondence: Dr. Arthur M Kemoli, Department of Paediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 34848 00100, Nairobi, Kenya. E-mail: [email protected]

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Child abuse and neglect are serious global problems and can be in the form of physical, sexual, emotional or just neglect in providing for the child's needs. These factors can leave the child with serious, long-lasting psychological damage. In the present case report, a 12-year-old orphaned boy was physically abused by a close relative who caused actual bodily and emotional trauma to the boy. After satisfactorily managing the trauma and emotional effects to the patient, in addition to the counseling services provided to the caregiver, the patient made a steady recovery. He was also referred to a child support group for social support, and prepare him together with his siblings for placement in a children's home in view of the hostile environment in which they were living.

Keywords: Etiology, child abuse, child neglect, management

Introduction

For a long time, child protection in general has been perceived as a matter for the professionals specializing in social service, health, mental health, and justice systems. However, this problem remains a duty to all, and more so a concern for other social scientists such as anthropologists, economists, historians, planners, political scientists, sociologists, and humanists (e.g., ethicists, legal scholars, political theorists, and theologians) who contribute to the understanding of the concepts of and strategies in child protection and the responsibility for adults and institutions with roles in ensuring the safety and the humane care of children under their care. Child abuse, therefore, is when harm or threat of harm is made to a child by someone acting in the role of caretaker.[ 1 , 2 ] It is a worldwide problem with no social, ethnic, and racial bounds.[ 3 ] Child abuse can be in the form of physical abuse, when the child suffers bodily harm as a result of a deliberate attempt to hurt the child, or severe discipline or physical punishment inappropriate to the child's age. It can be sexual abuse arising from subjecting the child to inappropriate exposure to sexual acts or materials or passive use of the child as sexual stimuli and/or actual sexual contacts. Child abuse can also be in the form of emotional abuse involving coercive, constant belittling, shaming, humiliating a child, making negative comparisons to others, frequent yelling, threatening, or bullying of the child, rejecting and ignoring the child as punishment, having limited physical contact with the child (e.g., no hugs, kisses, or other signs of affection), exposing the child to violence or abuse of others or any other demeaning acts. All these factors can lead to interference with the child's normal social or psychological development leaving the child with lifelong psychological scars. Lastly, child abuse can be in the form of child neglect, when an able caregiver fails to provide basic needs, adequate food, clothing, hygiene, supervision shelter, supervision, medical care, or support to the child.[ 4 ]

It is usually difficult to detect child abuse, unless one creates an atmosphere that would encourage disclosure by the child being abused.[ 5 ] Nonetheless, a good medical and social history may help to unravel the problem. Signs and symptoms of child abuse commonly include subnormal growth of the child, unexplained head and dental injuries, soft-tissue injuries like bruises and bite marks, burns and bony injuries like broken ribs, in the absence of a history pointing to the cause or causes of the trauma. The present case report describes a child who was abuse by a very close relative, and who caused physical and psychological trauma to the young lad.

Case Report

Peter, a 12-year-old boy, accompanied by his maternal aunt, presented at the local university Dental Hospital (Pediatric Dental Clinic) in Kenya in October 2012, with a complaint of a large, painful left facial swelling related to the left upper incisors. He had been referred from a local rural hospital where he had been taken by the same aunt, for treatment of the swelling. The swelling had occurred only 2 days prior to visiting the local hospital, and 4 days before presenting himself at the University Dental Hospital. Enquiry about the causes of the swelling provided unclear answers. Family history indicated that the young boy was a first-born among three siblings (9-year-old girl, 5-year-old boy), and that their single parent (mother) had been deceased for 6 years due to HIV-related complications. The three children had moved to live with their maternal grandparents and their seven sons. The patient had no adverse past medical history and had never consulted a dentist previous to the present problem. The boy was in grade seven in a local primary school and had the aspiration of becoming a medical doctor in future. It was not possible to establish from the aunt or the boy the situation of the patient's other siblings.

An extra-oral examination showed a young boy with a normal gait, sickly, unkempt, rather withdrawn, and small for his age. He had asymmetrical face due to the swelling involving his left submandibular region and spreading upwards to the inferior orbital margin, febrile (39.1°C), a marked submandibular lymphadenopathy on the left side, the skin overlying the swelling was warm, shiny and fluctuant, and the lips were dry and incompetent (2 cm) and as shown in [Figures 1a – c ]. However, the temporomandibular joint movements were normal. The patient was also found to have a big, healing scar on the dorsal surface of the left foot, the cause of which was also unclear [ Figure 1 ].

(a) Frontal and (b) lateral (c) profiles of the patient showing the facial asymmetry with the left submandibular to infra-orbital and the healing scar on the foot

Intra-oral examination revealed a young boy in the permanent dentition with un-erupted third permanent molars, poor oral hygiene with heavy plaque deposits on the tongue and a generalized but moderate inflammation of the gingiva. There was a grade three mobility in relation to 11, 12, 21, 22 and a grade two mobility in relation to 23, 24, 25 (Miller mobility index). There was intramucosal swelling in relation to 21-24 extending labially/buccally (measuring 4 cm × 3 cm) and palatally (measuring 3 cm × 2 cm). On elevation of the upper lip, active discharge of pus mixed with blood and some black granules could be seen emanating from the abscess. There were no alveolar/bone fractures elicited, but carious lesions were present on 46 (occlusal), 47 and 37 (buccal). Orthodontic evaluation showed Angles class I molar relation on the left and edge to edge tending to class II on the right side. The canines were in class I relationship bilaterally. There was an anterior over-jet of 3 mm (11/21), an overbite of 20%, coincidental dental/facial midline and crowding on the upper right arch with 15 palatally displaced as can be seen in Figure 2a – c .

(a) Intra-oral photographs of the patient showing the labial and (b) palatial swelling in relation to displaced 21 and 22 (c), generalized marginal gingival inflammation, palatally displaced 15, moderate dental plaque deposits and a moderate anterior dental crowding in the lower dental arch

For investigations, orthopantogram, intra-oral periapical 11, 12, upper and lower standard occlusal and bite wing radiographs were taken and examined. In addition, clinical photographs, study models, and vitality tests for the traumatized teeth were undertaken. A diet and nutrition assessment, full blood count, stool microscopic analysis for ova and cyst and bacterial culture and sensitivity were also undertaken.

The results of the radiographs showed un-erupted with potential impaction of 48 and 38, an upper midline radioluscence, widened periodontal space in relation to 11, 21 (with a mesial tilt), 22, occlusal caries on 46 and buccal caries on 47 and 37. There was the presence of root fractures involving the apical one-third of 21, 22. Vitality tests conducted on the traumatized incisors showed false positive (may be due to the presence of infection). The blood analysis showed the presence of neutrophilia (suggestive of bacterial infection), mild iron deficiency, but he was sero-negative. From the diet chart, the boy was generally on a noncariogenic diet that lacked the intake of fruits and animal proteins. Nutritional assessment revealed a boy with a height of 144 cm, a weight of 28 kg, and a body mass index (BMI) of 13.5 Kg/m 2 (below 5 th percentile (given the ideal BMI should be 17.8 Kg/m 2 in the 50 th percentile).

From the history adduced and the results of the investigations, a diagnosis of child abuse and neglect was reached, with the boy having suffered traumatic injuries resulting in facial cellulitis, Ellis class VI fracture involving 21, 22 associated dentoalveolar abscess and subluxation of 11, 12. In addition, there were dental carious lesions on 46 (occlusally), 47 and 37 (buccally) and a relatively severe malnutrition. The patient had also moderate plaque induced gingivitis, mild anemia (microcytic and iron deficiency), mild dental fluorosis, potentially impacted 48 and 38 and crowding in the upper right and lower anterior arches.

The objective of treating the boy was to eliminate the pain, infection, improve the general and oral health, restore carious teeth, improve esthetic and report the child abuse and neglect to the relevant authorities. In the initial phase of treatment, the patient was admitted for 4 days and placed on dexamethasone 8 mg stat, cefuroxime 750 mg 3 times a day, metronidazole 500 mg 3 times a day, diclofenac 50 mg tablets alternating 4 hourly with oral paracetamol 1000 mg 3 times a day, to run for 5 days. Patient was also placed on chlorhexidine mouthwash 10 ml twice daily for 7 days and ranferon (hematinics) 10 ml to be used twice a day for 1 month. The second phase of treatment included incision and drainage of the abscess, followed by the splinting of the mobile teeth in the upper dental arch using semi-rigid splint of 0.6 mm stainless steel round wire for 4 weeks while. Root canal treatment of 11, 21, 12, and 22 followed thereafter.[ 6 ] A referral of the patient was made the child support center in the main referral hospital, plus the patient was placed on future recalls to determine whether the patient would have overcome the problem and the oral health was maintained in good condition.

The third phase of treatment involved interceptive orthodontics with the extraction of 15 to relieve the crowding in the area. Oral hygiene instructions were availed to the patient and the guardian, placement of fissure sealants was done for the premolars and molars to help reduce plaque retention on these teeth, preventive resin restorations were placed on 37, 46, and 47. The root fractures involving the apical one-third of 21 and 22 meant that the two teeth were to be initially dressed using non setting calcium hydroxide, and after healing, root canals are filled in the usual manner [ Figure 3 ].

Postobturation intraoral periapial radiograph showing the restoration on 12, 11, 21, and 22

Nutrition evaluation had initially been done and when the patient was re-evaluated after 1 month, he had gained bodyweight up to 1 kg. The child support center continued to carry out psychotherapy, and during one of the sessions, the patient confessed to having undergone physical abuse and threatened not to divulge any information by one of the uncles. The center considered placing the boy into a children's home, probably together with his siblings. Radiographic examinations evaluation after 3 months indicated some external apical root resorption taking place on 21 and 22. Further follows-ups were to continue.[ 7 ] After 10 months, the oral health and general heath of the patient had remarkably improved as shown in Figure 4 .

Posttreatment photographs taken after 10 months showing improved oral health of the patient and the glimmer of confidence in the patient as shown in a-d respectively

All types of child abuse and neglect leave the affected child with long-lasting scars that may be physical or psychological, but they are the emotional scars that leave the child with life-long effects, damage to the child's sense of self, the ability to build healthy relationships and function at home, work or school. This situation can in turn result in the child turning to alcohol or drugs to numb the painful feelings. On the other hand, the exposure by the child to violence during childhood can increase vulnerability of that child to mental and physical health problems like anxiety disorder, depression, etc.,[ 8 , 9 ] and make victims more likely to become perpetrators of violence later in life.[ 10 ] The oral cavity can be a central focus for physical abuse due to its significance in communication and nutrition.[ 3 , 11 ]

A neglected and abused child like the one described here, can become helpless and passive, displaying less affect to anything whether positive or negative in his or her encounters.[ 12 ] The patient described was vulnerable to abuse as he already lacked the parental protection in his early life, and was living in a poor, but large family where competition for available resources must have been stiff. The abuser, therefore, his own uncle, probably did not like their presence gave him the assumption that the children would grow up to take away what he probably thought would be his dues from the family.

In Kenya and even in many other countries, data on the prevalence of child abuse is still scarce. A Kenyan study undertaken in 2013 showed that violence against children was very high, with 31.9% and 17.5% female and male, respectively reporting having been exposed to sexual violence, 65.8% and 72.9% female and male respectively to physical violence. In the same study, 18.2% and 24.5% female and male, respectively had been abused prior to attaining 18 years of age, and only 23.8% female and 20.6% male reported not having experienced any form of violence during childhood.[ 13 ] Child abuse in Kenya, therefore, appears to be a rampant problem within the society. In all cases of abuse reported in the literature, the perpetrators were most often well-known to the children. The motive of child abuse has not always clear, just as it was the case with the patient described here. The patient under study here hailed from a family with low socio-economic background where providing for extra needs in the family could have been a problem. Even during treatment of the patient the family found the cost of treatment to be very high and unaffordable to them, and a waiver of the cost had to be sought and obtained from the University Dental Hospital. Further, the child having been orphaned with the death of their single parent (mother) left these children unprotected and vulnerable to such abuse from uncles who may have been competing for same needs in an already crowded family. It is possible that factors as poverty, social isolation, and familial disruption could have contributed to the abuse meted by this boy.[ 1 ] The fact that the problem was established at this stage, it probably provided the patient and his siblings with the opportunity to get early support and avert serious health problems for them. The referral to the local child protection authority was done to attain this goal and also to have the children monitored consistently for their safety from further child abuse. The child protection agency was indeed considering placing them in the custody of a children's home, though sadly, according to a report by the Kenyan Government, the utilization of these support services had not been very high,[ 13 ] for reasons unknown.

The treatment of the patient was carried out in a humane manner, and assistance provided whenever possible to have the full treatment completed. The problem of nutrition was still a difficult one for this large family with a poor background. Nonetheless, the guardian was still briefed on the issue, and informed about the importance of a balanced diet for optimal growth and immunity boosting for such young child, and suggestions for alternative cost-effective foods for the child. It was hoped that the support services of giving the patient and probably his siblings a new home would help the young child to grow and develop normally without fear of abuse.

The management of child abuse can be complicated, and often require a multidisciplinary approach, encompass professionals who will identifying the cause of the abuse or neglect, treatment of the immediate problems and referral of the child to the relevant child protection authority for action. Counseling services for the child and the caregivers should form part of the management regime. In the present case, the objectives were met and the patient got full benefits of this approach.

Source of Support: Nil

Conflict of Interest: None declared.

• 1. Duhaime AC, Alario AJ, Lewander WJ, Schut L, Sutton LN, Seidl TS, et al. Head injury in very young children: Mechanisms, injury types, and ophthalmologic findings in 100 hospitalized patients younger than 2 years of age. Pediatrics. 1992;90:179–85. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
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Child Development Major Issues From Birth to 12 Years Essay

Introduction, erickson’s theory of psychosocial development, description of the subject, industry vs. inferiority, reference list.

The psychology of child development is of major importance to psychologists, and as a result numerous theoretical concepts have been developed. One of the most important concepts concerned with child development is the psychosocial theory developed by a renowned German social psychologist, Erick Erickson. Erickson’s psychosocial theory is one of the most popular modern theories of human development.

It highlights eight progressive stages through which an individual develops. Erickson proposes that an individual ought to successfully go through all the stages while mastering critical skills at each stage. While these skills enable one to acquire essential virtues, mastery of these virtues is inhibited by inherent challenges at each developmental stage.

As such, Erickson’s theory has become very popular due to the fact that not only does it highlight progressive stages through which personality develops but also highlights key challenges that inhibit such development.

Erickson’s theory goes further and proposes alternative counteractive measures through which individuals navigate crisis inherent in each of the developmental stages. It is imperative to note that the dominant crisis within the entire theory seems to be trust vs. mistrust, which forms the basis of discussion herein.

This paper aims at evaluating major issues pertinent to child development in one of the developmental phases from birth up to 12 years. During this period, an individual develops key skills that not only shape outcomes in later life but almost irreversibly shapes ones personality.

Of the eight stages identified by Erickson, four of them account for personality development for the first 12 years of existence, highlighting the significance of the psychology of child development. The eight stages are categorized as follows: Basic Trust vs. Mistrust (0 – 2 years), Autonomy vs. Shame & Doubt (2 – 4 years), Initiative vs. Guilt (4 – 5 years) and lastly Industry vs. Inferiority (5 – 12 years).

Each of these stages is crucial towards the development of a healthy personality. Erickson has identified certain skills acquired at each. Since this paper aims at evaluating one of the critical stages from birth to 12 years, Erickson’s fourth stage, Industry vs. Inferiority, is the focus for this assignment.

Major assumptions are tested against the life experiences of a 7 year old boy, whose real identity cannot be revealed for security and confidentiality.

While Erickson provides eight stages of human development, half of them encompass human development during childhood.

Erickson’s first four stages are identified as Basic Trust vs. Mistrust (0 – 2 years), where a child develops a sense of hope and trusts; Autonomy vs. Shame & Doubt (2 – 4 years), where a child develops a sense of rebellion; Initiative vs. Guilt (4 – 5 years), where a child learns to set goals, and lastly Industry vs. Inferiority (5 – 12 years) where competency in basic skills is gained.

While there are traces of overlap in child development within these stages, it is imperative to note that each of them is distinct and significantly influences outcomes in later life (Erickson, 1950). In Erickson’s theory of psychosocial development, it is stipulated that the ability to navigate all the eight stages seals the development of a healthy personality.

Additionally, Erickson’s eight stages “characterizes an individual advancement through the eight life stages as a function of negotiating either his or her biological and socio-cultural forces” (Crain, 2011 p. 34). Biological forces are characterized by normal biological changes while socio-cultural forces are indicative of the prevailing social setup.

John is seven year old boy, and the only child of his mother, a divorcee. John’s mother divorced his father when John was two years old. She remarried an abusive man prompting John’s custody to be given back to his biological father. Due to his step father’s abusiveness, contact between John and his mother has been severely curtailed.

This seems to have confused John, further severing the relationship between mother and son. From afar, john appears to be a normal boy, but upon interaction with him, a different picture of him emerges. John is rebellious, rude, finds problem paying attention and portrays lack of interest in life; this significantly affects John’s performance in class.

His anxiety level is also high, and seems to dread meeting his mother. He also has a tendency to portray anger outbursts, most of which is directed towards his parents; he thinks that his parents are the cause of his misery since they do not love him as they ought to. Such a negative sense of self has negatively affected John’s interaction with others, especially his peers.

He is usually aloof and alone, and as such has no close friends. It is ironical however, that John seems comfortable in the company of adult strangers; he is usually seen talking to strangers on his way to and from school. Nevertheless John attempts to improve relationship with his parents and peers; he is overly kind to his school mates and does anything to impress them.

He also gets presents for his mother and step sister. All this nevertheless, appear to be efforts in futility. His attention span is also very low due to his tendencies to daydream. As a result of this, John has problems not only finishing his school work, but also with household tasks.

He also finds it difficult to concentrate for long hours on any task assigned, be it schoolwork or housework. As a result, John has discipline issues both at home and in school.

According to Pillay (2009) the age between 5 and 12 years marks a period in which a child essentially enters into life. Pillay’s (2009) assertions can be attributed to assertions made by Erickson (1950) that a child develops key competencies during this stage. As such whether a child “can make it in the world of people and things” becomes they key existential question for children aged between 5 and 12 years.

During this age, a child becomes extremely industrious due to increased awareness about the self. 5 to 12 year olds focus on unique skills and abilities. Marotz (2003) further adds that 5 to 12 year olds achieve significant milestones in cognitive development, the result of which is the enhanced understanding of key concepts such as time, space and logic.

Other concepts crucial to a child development and which are learned during this stage include the concept of cause and effect, morality, culture and motivation. Additionally, acquisition of other complex skills such as competency in reading and writing as well as accuracy in telling time are the major preoccupation for 5 to 12 year olds.

According to Chapman (2009), industriousness is precipitated by the confidence gained in the use of ‘method’. By method, Chapman (2009) refers to purposeful and meaningful ways through which children at this age utilize their skills and abilities, to achieve a certain goals.

Assertions made by Chapman (2009) with regard to attainment of goals concur with those made by Erickson (1950) to the extent that goal setting is a major developmental milestone for children aged between 5 and 12 years.

Shaffer (2008) adds that goal setting is associated with increased awareness of the concept of hard work, cause / effects relationship as well as the need to do things right. In addition to this, children at this stage are likely to portray rebelliousness. However, this should not be misconstrued as indiscipline and instead be treated as an expression of expressing independence.

Additionally, rebellion at this stage can be associated with low self esteem as well as lack of motivation. Erickson (1950) adds to this by stating that the school and the playing field are common environments through which major transactions are made for children aged 5 to 12 years.

This implies that, as Kail and Cavanaugh (2004) suggest, 5 to 12 year olds form the most significant relationships not only with parents and their siblings but also with class mates, teachers and neighborhood friends. Schoolwork, child play and competitive sports form the major activities for 5 to 12 year olds.

Erickson theory of psychosocial development is based on trust; trust is the main ingredient in which relationships are built on. Trust determines not only the nature but also the extent of human relationship as well as an individual’s interaction with the external environment. If trust is severed, human relationships as well as the relationship with the external environment are irreparably severed.

Erickson (1950) asserts that lack of trust during this stage can be disastrous in later life, and may create psychosocial problems such as homosexuality and neurosis. Additionally, Chapman (2009) states that lack of trust leads to feelings of failure, be it in the social setup or in school work, and is likely to develop into low self concept.

This leads to the development of inferiority complex. According to Rathus (2012) while inferiority complex is associated with racism and any other form of discrimination and biases, feelings of rejection are likely to aggravate the condition, leading to maladjustment.

As Pillay (2009) asserts, “a negative evaluation of self as inferior compared to others is extremely disruptive at this stage and since this stage is a rehearsal for being productive and being valued at work in later life”, the development of inferiority complex is almost irreversibly catastrophic (p. 33).

The major question for John seems to be whether he can make it in life, amid the lack of trust for his parents, relatives, peers and teachers. Lack of trust is mostly demonstrated by his tendency to go out of his way to buy gifts for his parents, his lack of close friends at school as well as being excessively nice to his peers.

While this seems to be John’s way of compensating for lack of love and trust, it is also indicative of John’s maladaptive tendencies. Maladaptive tendencies refer to forced behavior characterized by impulsiveness (Breger, 2009).

A maladjusted child shamelessly engages in activities “without proper consideration of his or her abilities to accomplish those activities” and are mostly aimed a helping the child fit in social situations (Pillay, 2009 p. 30).

Lack of trust can be associated with a number of things, but as Rhodes (2000) asserts, the “development of mistrust is often seen in people who had their parental attachment stretched or broken by adoption, abuse or neglect in infancy” (p. 9).

Rhodes (2000) assertions should be taken Vis a Vis claims by Erickson (1950) that mistrust develops during infancy and generally intensifies as the child grows, to the extent that it not only shapes human relationships but also general life outcomes during adulthood.

Additionally, it is commonly assumed that children easily overcome divorce and broken family relationships. However, bearing this in mind, it is evident that divorce, abuse and broken family relationships severely affect a child psychosocial development.

The effects can also be evident long after divorce, as is in John’s case. Divorce, abuse and broken family relationships also seem to affect children aged between 5 and 12 more than it does to parents.

In addition to this, broken family relationships, preferably those caused by divorce and abuse by parents not only lead to delayed psychosocial development but also development of mistrust. Mistrust can be extended from parents to peers and other grown ups and in John’s case to the entire environment.

While mistrust seems to primarily affect the relationship between child and his parents and peers, Watts, Duncan and Cockcroft (2009) assert that mistrust can also have significant effects on the child; it affects the way the child perceives himself.

Rhodes (2000) alludes to assertions made by Erickson (1950) that mistrusting others can also lead to lack trust in the self to the extent that the child becomes shameful and doubtful of himself, as evidenced in John’ case.

In this case shame and doubt, while emanating from lack of motherly love, manifests itself as the tendency to be generally uninterested in life; a child who is generally uninterested in life is most likely doubtful of his abilities. Aloofness is the child’s way of avoiding shaming himself.

Crain (2011) adds that the development of inferiority complex is preceded by shame and doubt about the self. A child experiencing a sense of inferiority among peers demonstrates low perceptions about self. This is evidenced in John whose low self concept emanates from lack of parental love. According to Rhodes (2000) this leads to loss of attachment to parents.

Correspondingly, this can be evidenced in John’s case; he appears aloof and spends much of his time alone. Rhodes (2000) notes that there are certain behaviors characteristic of children with low self esteem, which include inability to control ones emotions. John inability to control anger can be perceived as an emotional problem, and is an indication of low self esteem.

According to Erickson (1950) children aged between 5 and 12 years are characteristically industrious, and are driven by the need to gain competence in certain skills. However, Newman and Newman (2009) assert that loss of trust, referred to as development of mistrust by Erickson (1950), curtails a child’s industriousness. In effect, it impinges on the acquisition of competencies in psychomotor skills.

As such, a child’s performance in sports and school work significantly deteriorates. Disinterest in sports, child play and low academic grades are the resultant effects. John’s lack of industry can be attributed to low self esteem.

Additionally, based on assertions made by Erickson (1950) as well as Newman and Newman (2009), his poor school grades can be attributed to development of mistrust, doubt and shame about the self. This implies the development of mistrust takes back a child’s personality development to the Initiative vs. Guilt stage.

According to Rhodes (2000) children experiencing Industry vs. Inferiority crisis develop resilience as a way of dealing with the crisis. While resilience seems to be a form of defense mechanism, it does not result to development of a healthy personality.

Instead, it leads false perceptions about the child’s growth. Correspondingly, John seems to have developed a sense of resilience amid the Industry vs. Inferiority crisis occurring in his life. This is evidenced by his overt kindness towards his peers and his assumedly unloving parents.

John’s parents as well as teachers seem to be unaware of the existing crisis, and instead falsely accuse him of indiscipline. As a result, John is usually punished. Regardless of this, resilience enables John to continuously love his peers and parents despite lack of reciprocal love.

Amid the Industry vs. Inferiority crisis, the development of resilience can also be attributed to what Erickson (1950) refers to as increased awareness of the relationship between cause and effects and the need not only to be good but also to do what is right.

This alludes to the enhanced development of a child’s moral faculties, which enables 5 to 12 year olds to gain a deeper understanding of the concept of vice vs. virtue, and the ability to choose virtue over vice. In view of this, and despite the increasingly hostile social environment, John seems to have chosen virtue over vice, the result of which is overt and extreme kindness towards his family and peers.

However, this ought not to be misconstrued as an enhanced sense of goal setting, which is characteristic of children between 5 and 12 years. On the contrary, John seems to have retrogressively developed as far as goals setting abilities are concerned. This is due to the fact that his life revolves around trying to please those close to him, rather than doing things that are of value to his personal life.

The major question for 5 to 12 year olds is whether they ‘can make it in life’, amid the increased sense of self importance. This occurs amid the prevailing Industry vs. Inferiority crisis. John’s current life is characterized by Industry vs. Inferiority crisis, the effects of which are apparently dire.

The prevailing social cultural forces in John’s life, characterized by abuse, loss of trusts, separation and severed family relationships, seem to have precipitated the development of inferiority complex. Such conditions effectively obscure opportunities through which industriousness is attained.

This occurs amid John’s maladaptive tendencies, which in this case refers to force behaviors developed to enable him survive an assumedly hostile environment.

John’s case approves Erickson’s theory of psychosocial development, especially in the development of a healthy personality for children aged 5 and 12 years, and indicates that the development of trust is a significant determinant of whether a child attains industriousness or inferiority.

Breger, L. (2009). From instinct to identity: the development of personality . New Brunswick, New Jersey: Transaction Publishers.

Chapman, A. (2009). Erikson’s psychosocial development theory . Web.

Crain, W. (2011). Theories of development: concepts and applications . Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.

Erickson, E. (1950). Childhood and society . Belmont: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.

Kail, V. and Cavanaugh, C. (2004). Human development: A life-span view . Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth.

Marotz, L. (2003). Developmental profiles pre-birth through twelve . Albany, NY: Thomson Delmar Learning.

Newman, B. and Newman, P. (2009). Development through life: a psychosocial approach . Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

Pillay, K. (2009). Mahatma Gandhi: a psychobiographical study . Web.

Rathus, S. (2012). Psychology: concepts & connections, brief version . Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning

Rhodes, L. (2000). The Impact of divorce across the developmental Stages. The Paradigm. Web.

Shaffer, D. (2008). Social and personality development . Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

Watts, J., Duncan, N. and Cockcroft, K. (2009). Developmental psychology . Vancouver: Juta and Company Ltd.

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