ABHS A Life Course Perspective of Young and Late Adulthood Essay

Life Course Perspective Paper

This paper is the major writing assignment for this course. Each student will arrange to interview, observe and interact with two subjects (separately). The subjects cannot be a relative of the student, and RELATIVE IS DEFINED AS ANY PERSON RELATED BY BLOOD, MARRIAGE, OR CO-HABITATION can be someone they already know or someone they are meeting for the first time to do this assignment. You need to make up a fictional name for the person in your paper and state that you must use their correct name. Ideally, one subject should be a young adult between 25 and 34. The other subject should be a late adult between 65 and 85 (or older). After interviewing each subject, you will write a narrative essay describing what each subject told you about their life. You must use the material discussed in class and other materials to help you explain each subject’s life story. For instance, were these subjects similar to the material or case studies we studied, and were there things about the subjects that appeared to be different from the material we learned? It would help if you approached writing the paper from a life course perspective, looking at developmental issues and transitions that commonly occur during young adulthood or late adulthood, respectively.

At the beginning of each section, give the person’s age and a description of the environment in which you did the interview and interactions (were you in the person’s home? at school? eating in a restaurant? etc.).
What would theorists we have studied, such as Erikson and Piaget, say about this person’s development?

You should divide the paper into two sections, one for each subject. Papers must be typed and double-spaced and must use the APA format. In addition to the textbook, you will need to use a minimum of five outside sources, all of which must be peer-reviewed. Your paper should be at least ten pages long (not counting the cover page, references, or other additional material).

Life Course Perspective Paper Format

I. Cover page

II. Introduce your first subject (i.e., young adult)

a. Include the subject’s demographics and a description of the environment in which you did the interview and interactions, and use a false name for your subject.

b. Describe your subject’s current life from biopsychosocial and spiritual perspectives.

c. Describe your subject’s current life context (i.e., environments).

III. Subject’s story told from a life course perspective*

a. Explanation of developmental issues and transitions that typically occur during this stage of adulthood and how this person compares to that typical development.

b. Explanation of Erik Erikson’s theory and how it would be applied in this subject’s situation.

c. Explanation of Jean Piaget’s theory and how it would be applied in this subject’s situation.

d. Explanation of at least one other major theory we studied and how it would be applied in this subject’s situation.

IV. Conclusions (First subject)

a. For instance, was this subject similar to the material or case studies we studied, and were there things about the subject that appeared to be different from the material we learned?

V. Implications for Social Work Practice.

VI. Introduce your second subject (i.e., late adult)

a. Include the subject’s demographics and a description of the environment in which you did the interview and interaction,s and use a false name for your topic.

b. Describe your subject’s current life from biopsychosocial and spiritual perspectives.

c. Describe your subject’s current life context (i.e., environments).

VII. Subject’s story told from a life course perspective

a. Explanation of developmental issues and transitions that typically occur during this stage of adulthood and how this person compares to that typical development.

b. Explanation of Erik Erikson’s theory and how it would be applied in this subject’s situation.

c. Explanation of Jean Piaget’s theory and how it would be applied in this subject’s situation.

d. Explanation of at least one other major theory we studied and how it would be applied in this subject’s situation.

VIII. Conclusions (Second subject)

a. For instance, was this subject similar to the material or case studies we studied, and were there things about the subject that appeared to be different from the material we learned?

IX. Implications for Social Work Practice.

X. References

XI. Appendices (Optional)

EXAMPLES: