P.E.P.S.I.

Screening 1

P.E.P.S.I. Screening

Bella Sanabria-Roman

College of Southern Nevada

P.E.P.S.I. Screening 2

P.E.P.S.I. Screening

BIography

Background information

Lailaisanelevenyearoldgirlcurrentlyenrolledinthefifthgrade.Shesaysthather

favoritepartofschoolistheendofthedayandshereallyenjoysrecessbecauseshecanplay

withherfriends.Sheisinvolvedintheschoolchoirandsaysthatsheenjoysbakingandcreating

art.HermotherinformedmethatsheenjoyswatchingDuffGoldmanbakeonNetflix.Shesays

thatsheenjoysschoolandplayingwithherfriends.Onethingthatsheenjoysplayingissoccer.

Shecurrentlyliveswithhermotherandherstepfather.Sheistheoldestandhasthreeyounger

siblings.Shespendstimewithhermotherduringtheweekandspendstimewithherfather

duringtheweekends.WhenobservingherInoticedthatshewasveryhelpfulandresponsible

whenitcametohelpingherfamily.Shewouldlookoutforheryoungersiblingandalsohelp

clean.OverallLailaseemsveryenergeticandfriendly.Shewasverypoliteduringthetimethat

wespokeandinthetimeIveknownher.Shecurrentlyresidesinahouseinthesuburbs.Her

parentsseemtobeofmiddleclass.Shereportsthathergradesinschoolarerelativelygood.She

hasbeendiagnosedwithHashimotos.UnfortunatelyIwasunabletoobtaininformationonifthis

affectshercurrentlyorifsheistakinganymedication.Ididlearnthatshepreviouslydidtake

medicationforthis.Hermotherspregnancyhadsomecomplicationsbecauseshehad

gallbladderissuesandlost36pounds.LailawasontimeandwasdeliveredviaCsection.
P.E.P.S.I. Screening 3

Physical Development

Analysis

Laila is four feet and eleven and a half inches tall. Her current weight is 122 pounds.

When I inputted these numbers into the CDCs BMI calculator it came back that she had a

healthy weight. (BMI) Although a number of children at this stage of development may try

illegal substances (Ellsworth) Laila stated that she was not involved with any drugs or Alcohol

and that most of the kids at her school are good. Children at this age may also begin to

experiment with sex. (Ellsworth) However, during the interview she said that she was not boy

crazy and seemed to make a disgusted face. From this information I can conclude that she is not

involved in any sexual activity. At this age children may be more prone to accident and injury

due to them involving themselves in prohibited activity in a way to seem more adult. (Ellsworth)

Laila however did not appear to be anxious to try anything particularly dangerous. Overall

during our visits there were no observable injuries and no mention of recent injuries. Her mother

had stated that she had become less active than when she was younger so she doesnt seem to be

exposed to activities that would lead to injuries as much. She does fit the profile of being taller

and thin as most girls her age are. (Ellsworth) She seems to be growing at a steady pace and there

were no mentions of complications with growth when I spoke to her mother. She is not dealing

with any ache problems or blemishes and Menstruation has not occurred yet. These are bodily

changes that affect girls her age. (Ellsworth) She mentioned that she does not spend much time

on the computer and that she enjoys playing tag with her friends during recess. From this I think

that her physical activity seems to be good. She also stated that she plays soccer. Late maturing
P.E.P.S.I. Screening 4

girls at this age tend to more closely resemble feminine stereotypes. (Snowman) Early maturing

girls tend to be taller and heavier. (Snowman) I think that Laila fits more into the late maturing

girl section because she is tall and slender.

P.E.P.S.I. Screening 5

Emotional Development

Analysis

Atthisstagechildrenexperienceindustryvsinferiority.(Snowman)Iobservedfrommy

interviewsthatLailaseemstobedevelopingasenseofindustry.Shereportedthatshedoeswell

inschoolwhichmeanssheislearningtherolesthatsheneedstofunctioninasociety.She

reportedthatsheenjoysschool.FromthisIthinkthatIcansaythatbecauseshefeelsthatsheis

doingwellinschoolandschoolteachesustherolesnecessarytofunctioninasocietyshefeela

senseofindustryandnotinferiority.Wegainasenseofindustrywhenwemastertheskills

necessaryforoursociety.(Erik)Shestatedthatsheworkshardinschoolandviewsgradesas

important.Ialsothinkthatsheisdevelopingsocialskillsandmakingfriends.Atthisagemany

girlsbecomeboycrazy(Ellsworth)howeverduringourconversationsheexpresseddisgustin

boysandsaidthatshewasnotinterestedinthem.Iamunsureifthiswasduetothefactthather

parentswerealsointheroom.Shedidhowevermentionthatherfriendsareinterestedinboys.It

issaidthatchildrenatthisagearemoody(Ellsworth)howeverthroughouttheseveraltimesI

haveinteractedwithLailashewasrelativelycalm.Duringtheinterviewwhenaskingquestions

suchaswhatshewouldliketodointhefutureandhowsheexpressesherselfitwasmetwitha

slightbitofambivalence.Perhapsthiscanbeattributedtochangeinschoolscomingup.Sheis

preparingtomakethetransitionfromelementaryschooltomiddleschool.Thiscanleadtoa

reevaluationintheirsenseofindustryastheroletheyplayinsocietychanges.
P.E.P.S.I. Screening 6

Philosophical Development

Analysis

Childrenatthisageareofteninvolvedinblackandwhitereasoning(Ellsworth)soI

attemptedtodiscusswithhersomeissuessothatIcouldunderstandhermoralreasoning.During

ourconversationswediscussedifshewasbeingbulliedorifanyoneinherclasswas.Shestated

thatthestudentswererelativelygoodandthattheydidnthaveanybadkidsandthatthere

werenogangsordrugs..DuringthisconversationIthinkIcouldseethatshestillengagingin

blackandwhitereasoninglabelingsomekidsasbad.Whenwediscussedherfeelingson

bullyingshesaidthatitmadeherfeelsadbecausethechildwhowasbulliedwasnotstrong

enoughtofightback.Shesaiditmadeherfeelbadthattheywerehurt.Although,fromthis

statementitdoesappearthatsheisbeginningtotransitionintoKholbergsthirdstageof

morality,whichisgoodboy,nicegirl.(Ellsworth)Inthisstagemoralityisbehaviorthathelpsor

pleasesothers.(Snowman)Sheexhibitsanunderstandingofwantingtodowhatishelpfuland

obtainingtheapprovalofothers.AlthoughIamnotsureifitisthecasebecausetheinterview

wasnotconductedoneononeandalsoIamfamilymembershedoesappeartowanttobegood

whilewithherfamily.Childrenatthisagewanttoappeargoodwiththeirfamiliesbutalso

attempttobeacceptedbytheirpeers.(Ellsworth)Duringourtalkshealsodiscussedhowsome

ofherfriendswereboycrazyandseemedtobenervoussayingthatoneofthemhadaboyfriend

especiallywithherparentsbeingwithus.Thisdemonstratesthatthereisapressureforherto

wanttobeperceivedasgoodandapressuretonotbeperceivedasgoody(Ellsworth)byher

peers.
P.E.P.S.I. Screening 7

Social Development

Analysis

Sheseemstobetterfitthe10yearoldguidesforsocialdevelopmentinthesensethatshe

seemstoexpresstotalconfidenceinadults.Thatisherteachermomandotherparentalfigures.

Duringtheinterviewsheseemedtobepleasanthappyanddocile(Ellsworth)Shealsoseemedto

fitthegenerallyfriendlyandexpectotherstoexhibitkindnessthatisprevalentamongchildren

atthisage.(Ellsworth)Atthisagechildrendevelopinterpersonalreasoning.(Snowman)Atthis

agechildrenareabletotakeathirdpartyviewinsocialsituations.Whenwewerediscussinga

movieLailawasabletoelaborateonthemotivesofthecharactersinamoviesherecently

watched.Wediscussedthatthemainmotivesofthecharacterweretopursueherdreamsand

makeherfamilyhappy.Shedidstillseemtoexpresssomeofstage2inregardstointerpersonal

reasoning.Shestilllabeledsomekidsasbadandpartofreasoninginstage3isrecognizing

thatovertactionsdontnecessarilyreflectinnerfeelings.(Snowman)Ithinkperhaps

understandingmotivesbehindbadkidsactionswassomethingIdidntseesothatiswhyI

perceivethingsthisway.Childrenatthisagearealsostillreliantontheirfamilyasopposedto

theirpeergroup.AtthisagestudentsarealsoatEriksonsstageofindustryvs.inferiority.

(Beckett)Childrenatthisagewilldevelopasenseofcompetenceandbelieveintheirabilityto

thinkanddothings.(Beckett)Ifstudentsfeelasenseofinferioritytheywillhavefeelingsof
P.E.P.S.I. Screening 8

inadequacy.(Beckett)Ithinkthatsheisdevelopingasenseofindustryasshedoesreceive

encouragementanddemonstratedthatshefeelsconfidentinherabilitiestothinkanddothings.

Intellectual Development

Analysis

At this stage in their life children are usually in the concrete operational stage. This stage

typically lasts from Elementary to Early middle school. Children in this age bracket range

between seven to twelve years old. (Beckett) When I was speaking to Laila was able to learn that

she does indeed have a grasp of conservation. When discussing if there would be more liquid if

you poured something into a taller glass she said that she had learned about it in school and

understood it was the same amount. When we drew together she was also able to classify the

different types of materials such as markers, colored pencils, and acrylics. Classification is

another concrete operational structure. (Beckett) It is also noted that grades and success can

become very important to students at this age. (Ellsworth) Laila when discussing this said that

she enjoyed having good grades but was satisfied with what she got. She did not express the

process of getting good grades to be competitive. At this age students also state that they know

things when they may not be certain. (Ellsworth) I think an example of this might be when we

talked about good and bad and she stated that there were no bad kids in her school. Although I

cant be sure because maybe she did feel that she was certain in her facts. She demonstrated a

high level of self-efficacy. Levels of self-efficacy are demonstrated by how a student believes in

their capability in dealing with one type of task or another. (Snowman) Laila said that she

believed she was good at school and that she was able to solve problems.
P.E.P.S.I. Screening 9

Results

Graph

.
P.E.P.S.I. Screening 10

Recommendations

Conclusion

Based on what I observed my recommendations for Laila are as follows. First, I would

say that her physical health seemed to be just on average for where a child her age should be. I

think that perhaps if she really wanted to she could participate in more sports but only if she felt

this to be a relevant interest. As for her Emotional development I would encourage her parents to

keep allowing her to explore her interests. She seems to be transitioning into the next stage,

which is identity vs. role confusion. I would say that overall she seems to be right where she

needs to be at emotionally for her age. There are some things that didnt line up exactly such a

boy craziness however, I wouldnt say that this is enough to say she is not meeting the average.

Philosophically she seems to be right on average. She still engages is some black and white

thinking and she expresses the second level of Kohlbergs conventional morality. I would

recommend that if her parents would like to head in the above average direction that they might

engage her in conversations after she reads. She had mentioned that she enjoys reading so

looking at character motivation and analyzing the text would help her to further develop her

critical thinking skills. Especially as she begins to head towards early adolescence and begins to

attempt to develop a personal belief system I feel that it could be beneficial. In regards to her

social development Laila seems to be slightly below average. I would recommend perhaps more
P.E.P.S.I. Screening 11

involvement in-group activities. It may also be that she is just progressing at a slower rate and

will begin to hit this mark later. Often children at her age become disobedient and highly value

their peers. Overall I would encourage her parents to be supportive and encouraging and make

sure that socializes enough. My final recommendation is on Lailas intellectual development. It

appeared to me to be average. She says that she does well and in school and comprehends the

material. I think that if her parents would like to see above average then my only

recommendation would be to keep encouraging her in school and if she struggles with any

subjects to enroll her in tutoring.

P.E.P.S.I. Screening 12

References

Beckett, C., & Taylor, H. (2016). Human growth and development. London: SAGE.

BMI Percentile Calculator for Child and Teen English Version. (n.d.). Retrieved December 3,

2016, from https://nccd.cdc.gov/dnpabmi/Calculator.aspx

Ellsworth, J. (1999). 11th Year. Retrieved November 5, 2016, from

http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~jde7/ese504/class/pepsi/PEPSIObserv/year11.html

Erik H. Erikson: A lifes work [Video file]. (1991). Retrieved December 8, 2016, from

http://fod.infobase.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?wID=97822&xtid=44901

Snowman, J., & McCown, R. R. (2015). Psychology applied to teaching. Australia: Cengage

Learning.