Questions and Topics We Can Help You To Answer:
Paper Instructions:

Section A
Kerry is a 10-year-old girl living within a supportive family in a suburban mid-size town. Her family consists of a mother and father and an 8-year old bother named Mike. Kerry’s father works regular-hour weeks and her mother did not work until Mike was a year old at which time she returned to her job as a nurse. When their mother went back to work Kerry entered preschool. Both Kerry and Mike have a strong relationship with both of their parents who have taken an active role in their upbringing. However, since Kerry was a child, she has been quite anxious. She had been a shy, reserved young girl at pre-school, but she integrated well in grade school and began making friends and succeeding academically. She often complains of severe abdominal pain that is worst in the morning and never present at night. In her current grade 4 year, she has missed about 20 days of school because of the pain. She also avoids school excursions, fearing the bus will crash. She has difficulty falling asleep and frequently asks her parents for their reassurance. Mike is currently in grade 2 and has not displayed any anxious characteristics. He is an average student doing well in all academic, social, and physical facets of school and home-life.
Kerry’s mother had indicated to her paediatrician that Kerry’s father Dave had struggled with anxiety throughout his life. Dave often has difficulty enjoying social situations but has met this challenge by relying on support from Kerry’s mother. Although he still often feels anxious, Dave has learned to cope well with anxiety-provoking situations. In a further exploration, it was found that Dave’s family has a history of anxiety related challenges.

The first broad topic of CHYS 1F90 was “Foundations of Development”. In these two lectures, we talked about various different theories and approaches to understanding how children develop. The purpose of this paper is to explore Kerry and Mike’s development from various perspectives that we have learned so far in the course. Please keep in mind that although this case mentions anxiety, this paper is not about anxiety per se. Rather it is about the interaction between biology and environment. In your paper you should answer the following questions:
1. There is some research indicating that anxiety may be genetically based. From a genetics perspective explain why Kerry may be experiencing anxiety whereas Mike is not.
2. Based on our lecture on social neuroscience and the idea that stress can influence development, explain how Kerry’s early anxiety, if left untreated, may be a risk factor for her future emotional and physical development.
3. From the beginning of the course, we have talked about the interaction between Nature and Nurture. In other words, we talked about how children develop with biological and environmental influences affecting their development. In your essay explain how Kerry’s potential genetic propensity towards anxiety may have been influenced by her environment. For the purpose of this essay, use Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model to consider the ways in which Kerry’s multiple levels of environment may interact with her biology to influence her development. Pay particular attention to Kerry’s relationship with her father who also experienced anxiety but who has learned to cope with anxiety by using effective strategies. Likewise, how could Kerry’s mother influence how Kerry learns to cope with her own anxiety? In addition to this micro-level environment, explain how outer levels of Bronfenbrenner’s model could be used to support Kerry.

4. Finally, in your essay explain how according to Piaget, it would be important to change Kerry’s existing schema about the experiences that make her anxious. Using cognitive theory proposed by Piaget explain how Kerry’s parents might change her schema about situations that previously made her anxious.

The additional sources you choose can be used in any of the above questions but both of your sources should not be used for the same question. Both additional academic sources can be journal articles, textbook chapters, or other academic papers (government reports, etc.). These sources should not be newspaper articles, websites, or other media-based articles.
Your paper should be a maximum of 4 pages in length, double-spaced, using 12pt font and APA style. Your paper should be written in essay format and your answers to the questions above should be integrated into the essay. You may use sub-sections within the paper to distinguish between the questions, however this is optional.

Section B Questions:
Answer 3 of following 4 questions. Each of your answers should be no longer than 1 page, double spaced, 12pt font. Each answer should be on a separate page. Each of your answers should be in essay format.

1. Tay Saks disease as we talked about lecture is a genetic based disease that is fatal for infants. Explain how a child could have Tay Saks disease yet both his parents do not. When this parental genetic situation exists what are the chances of the baby having Tay Saks disease? Is screening for heritable genetics disorders possible? If so, explain the screening process.
2. In our lecture on Intelligence we presented data illustrating the stability of IQ as well as how IQ of young children is predictive of many later outcomes in children’s lives. However, the concern about this theory is that it presumes humans have a static capacity around learning. Use the concepts of cognition and metacognition to explain how children may extend beyond what might be considered their “capacity”.
3. Nathan Kotylak was a 17-year old student when he participated in the Vancouver riots following the Vancouver Canucks loss in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Nathan was charged after setting a police car on fire. This was not typical behaviour from Nathan. His teachers and parents all indicated that Nathan was an upstanding young person. Using your knowledge on brain development and adolescence explain why Nathan may have engaged in this type of behaviour. As a separate issue from Nathan’s specific case. Briefly address the pros and cons of using neuroscience to address public policy about teenagers.
4. In lecture we learned that the critical period for synatogenesis is between the ages of 3 and 6. The Ontario government implemented a full-day early learning program whereby children at the age of four-years-old will enter school for two years of full day early learning. As a province we no longer have half-day junior and senior kindergarten. This policy was implemented to support children who are particularly vulnerable due to issues around lower socio-economic status. Using your knowledge of synatogenesis explain why full-day kindergarten should decrease any achievement gap between vulnerable and privileged children.