Child Development Analysis

One way of exploring issues related to child development is by analyzing media aimed at children. In the themes and conflicts of a children’s movie, you should be able to identify issues related to relationships, negotiating diversity, coping with crisis, and other developmental tasks relevant to your professional practice.

By successfully completing this assignment, you demonstrate your proficiency in the following EPAs and practice behaviors:

• C4.GP.B. Apply critical thinking to engage in analysis of quantitative and qualitative research methods and research findings.
• C6.GP.A, C7.GP.B, C8.GP.B, C9.GP.B. (Engage) (Assess) (Intervene) (Evaluate). Apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment, person-in-environment, and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks with clients and constituencies.

Choose and view a children’s movie of your choice, with a rating of G or PG only. Then analyze the movie using the provided prompts. Remember to review the prompts carefully before you begin watching the movie.

Assignment Instructions

For this assignment, analyze the movie using the following prompts:

• Provide a brief summary of the movie including the following:
  • The name of the movie.
  • The year of its release.
  • The movie’s rating, remembering that you should select a movie with a G or PG rating.
  • The themes or messages of the film.
  • The developmental age group that this film targets.
• Consider the developmental age group you have identified as the target for this movie and complete the following:
  • Discuss the developmental task or crisis that is connected to this age group. One example may be autonomy versus shame and doubt.
  • Discuss the developmental tasks identified through theory, including chronological, physical, behavioral, and mental tasks.
  • How the film facilitates or inhibits the developmental tasks of the stage.
• Discuss how the chosen movie demonstrates the developmental tasks you have identified.
  • Provide an example of how this is displayed. How does the movie depict the resolution of this psychosocial crisis? For example, if looking at autonomy versus shame and doubt, how does the character move from shame and doubt to the task of autonomy.
• Discuss the diversity issues the movie addresses. Include gender, race, class, ethnicity, sexuality, culture, spirituality, physical disabilities, and other relevant points of diversity as demonstrated in the movie.
  • Provide examples of the messages the movie provides about at least two diversity concepts that were relevant in the film.
• Discuss the key concepts of relationships between adults and children in relation to developmental theories of the age group you have identified.
  • Provide an example of how the movie addressed relationships between adults and children.
• Provide a summary of how this assignment impacts your social work practice.
  • Did you develop a new understanding of childhood development, theory, relationships, or culture?
  • What are some examples of how you will integrate your understanding of child development into your practice?