Psychology Case Study – Development During the Preschool Years

Psychology Case Study – Development During the Preschool Years

Case Study
“Randy” is a child attending a preschool program in a low income area. Randy started
preschool in a classroom with 17 other children. From the start, Randy was described
by his teachers as “aggressive” and “out of control”. Randy refused to do what was
asked of him in the classroom and was aggressive towards his peers. When he wanted
something that another child was playing with, he would scream and grab the toy from
them. He would walk up to other children and push them down unprovoked.
Despite Randy’s aggressive behavior, he clearly had some developmental skills. He
was very independent in his daily living skills expected of a preschooler, such as
throwing trash away, using the restroom independently, and washing and drying his
hands. He also had well developed language skills, including some choice words that
were not encouraged. When teachers worked with Randy one on one, he was able to
maintain attention and showed strong problem solving skills.
To answer this question well, we may need to know more about Randy’s home
environment. Randy currently lives with his mother and her boyfriend. His father lives in
another state. His mother and her boyfriend currently live in a low socioeconomic
situation. He also has an older brother, who is in 1st grade. The school often has
difficulty getting in touch with Randy’s mother, because her phone number frequently
changes. When the school is able to speak with her regarding Randy’s behavior, she
becomes upset and yells at the school administrator. Randy’s mother reports that she is
thinking about sending Randy to Nevada to live with his father, because she “can’t
handle him anymore”. She reports that following school in the morning, Randy goes to
daycare until 6pm every day. She indicated that he and his older brother are constantly
fighting with each other at home.
You are brought in as an expert consultant to help the teachers understand Randy’s
behavior and how to help him be successful.

a. What could be some environmental factors contributing to Randy’s behavior
challenges at school?
b. What type of social services would you recommend for Randy in the home
environment?
c. What type of educational services would you recommend for Randy in the school
environment to help him be more successful?
d. What advice would you give the teachers on how to deal with Randy’s behavior?