The purpose of this multi-step assignment is to learn first-hand about adolescent development by interviewing an adolescent and their parent/caregiver and analyzing how what you learn in the interview relates to the material

The purpose of this multi-step assignment is to learn first-hand about adolescent development by interviewing an adolescent and their parent/caregiver and analyzing how what you learn in the interview relates to the material we have covered in class. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to choose a content focus area (e.g., adolescents and schools, peer relationships, biological transitions) to focus on throughout your paper. This will give you the chance to explore an area you are passionate about in more depth.

Writing Your Paper

Using the information obtained in the interviews, you will write a 3-4 page paper in which you apply concepts and theories of psychosocial development to the family (caregiver and adolescent) you interviewed. Additionally, you will analyze the responses to the interview questions and make connections to a topic we covered in class.

Topics covered are:

1. Cognitive Transitions
2. Social and Biological Transitions
3. Families and Peer Groups
4. Schools, Work, Leisure, and Media
5. Identity and Autonomy
6. Intimacy and Sexuality
7. Achievement and Psychological Problems in Adolescence.

****Those topics were covered from Chapters 1-13 from the book (needed for in-text citations):

Steinberg, L. (2025). Adolescence. New York: McGraw-Hill Education.

You will write two to three paragraphs that summarize the family’s unique experiences based on the information obtained in the interviews. Next, you will write two to three paragraphs connecting the information you obtained in the interviews with what you have learned in class. Use examples and connect at least two key course concepts.

Paper Requirements

Your final paper must include the following components:

1.     Cover Page: With your name, the title of the assignment, and the due date.

2.     Interpretation Piece: This paper should be approximately 3-4 pages in length (12-point Times New Roman font, double-spaced, 1-inch margins)

3.     Ethical GenAI integration: You will use a GenAI tool of your choice (i.e. ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini) to support the construction of your final paper. As outlined in the “conclusion” section of the instructions, you will conclude your paper by including a summary of your prompt and the AI output.

4.     Consent and Assent forms: Don’t forget to also upload your signed consent and assent forms. Head back to M2 to download the forms and upload them there 

5.     APA format: Please adhere to the APA formatting throughout your paper, including your in-text citations and your reference list.

Note: This means you’ll be uploading 3 things at the end of the semester: a) final paper here in M7 b) parent consent form c) adolescent assent form, both in M2

See the Q & A sheet

Links to an external site.

 for more details, and be sure to adhere your paper to the following outline:

 

 

Introductory Paragraph

Your paper should begin with a brief description of the family you interviewed including relevant descriptive information about the family (e.g., ages, family background, school status), who you interviewed within the family, and the location and times of your interview. Additionally, name your focus area of choice. Examples of focus area areas include: 

○      Peer relationships, education, extracurricular activities, biological or cognitive transitions, work, leisure, or any other topic we have covered in class (Hint: look back to the names of our 7 modules for topic ideas)

Body Paragraphs I

One or two paragraphs that summarize the family’s unique experiences based on the information obtained through the interviews. For example, you may use the following question to guide you: What has it been like for the family as the teen has been going through adolescence? Be sure to include details related to your content focus area.

Body Paragraphs II

1. Body Paragraphs II: Two to four paragraphs connecting the information you have obtained from your interviews with what you have learned in class (i.e. concepts/ information from the textbook and lectures). You may also integrate other scholarly sources. Use examples from your interviews and make connections to at least two key course concepts. This is your chance to make connections between the interviews, course content, and the topic area of your choice. For example, if you chose peer groups as your focus area, you may want to talk about crowds if they came up during your interview.

○      They must come from the textbook and/or lectures

○      You have the option to include additional references from articles or any outside sources

○      Make sure your references come directly after the sentence that states the topic, point, or fact.

1.     Example: Jane described that her son frequently talks about aches and pains after soccer practice, and this is not surprising because puberty can be a time of rapid physically growth (Textbook pg. 18).

○      Note: Use these in-text citations directly following the relevant statement or fact

1.     (Textbook pg. #)

2.     (Module # Lecture)

3.     If you use an optional third source:  (Author, year) + paste the link on the last page of your paper.

○      At least: 2 references are required (they can be from the same source, i.e., two connections to the textbook, two connections to lectures)

Conclusion Paragraph

1. Summarize your paper in a few sentences, making sure to reiterate the connections you have made to course content as well as key points about your focus area.

2. Make suggestions for the parents on how to support their adolescents as they continue to develop.

3. Please summarize, in a few sentences, how you used AI to support your work on the final paper. To do so, you can include the prompt you typed into the GenAI tool of your choice and the output the tool gave you. In other words, your final sentences should include the words “I used [insert GenAI tool] to _____. My prompt was “______”, and the output was “_____”.  You can either literally paste your prompt and output, or if they are very lengthy, you can paraphrase and summarize. The purpose of this task is to practice using AI to support and enhance the quality of your work, within the bounds of our class and greater MSU AI guidelines.

Rubric

Case Study Assignment Rubric

Criteria	Ratings	Pts
Cover Page Includes student name, title, and due date.	4 to >0.0 ptsSatisfactory 0 ptsUnsatisfactory	4 pts
Formatting: 3-4 pages in length APA style (12-point Times New Roman font, double-spaced, 1-inch margins, page #s), no abstract required	10 to >0.0 ptsSatisfactory 0 ptsUnsatisfactory	10 pts
Introduction Paragraph Includes background information about the family and a statement about the content focus area	20 to >0.0 ptsSatisfactory 0 ptsUnsatisfactory	20 pts
Interviews 2-3 paragraphs summarizing what you learned during the interviews, including details pertaining to the content focus area	20 to >0.0 ptsSatisfactory 0 ptsUnsatisfactory	20 pts
Course Content Integration 2-4 paragraphs connecting information from the interviews to course content, including 2 clear connections to the textbook and or lectures	20 to >0.0 ptsSatisfactory 0 ptsUnsatisfactory	20 pts
Conclusion paragraph including key points made throughout paper, suggestions to the parents, and ethical AI integration prompt and output	20 to >0.0 ptsSatisfactory 0 ptsUnsatisfactory	20 pts

Total Points: 100