Problem
Read the following case study. Aim to answer the question: "How did the lifestyle factors interact to produce these results?" Include an explanation for as many elements of a case study as possible. Make point form notes in your journal, considering the following prompts:
I. What social science theory is the most appropriate perspective for this case study? Explain.
II. What developmental theory best explains this scenario?
III. What historical and ethnocultural factors are evident in this scenario?
IV. What decisions were made that affected the outcomes? What factors influenced those decisions?
Ennis is a 16 year old boy who has just started attending a new school. He had been hospitalized for three weeks after a suicide attempt. Before this episode, Ennis was a quiet boy with a few good friends. He was pleasant and well liked by his teachers and peers. However, Ennis was not doing very well in his academic classes. Ennis and his girlfriend had just broken up. His parents separated a few years earlier, and just recently finalized their divorce. Ennis had been living with his dad, who was being relocated and would need to be on the road with his job. Ennis's father immigrated to Canada from Eastern Europe and, although he didn't express his emotions very often, wanted Ennis to have a good future.
Ennis moved in with his mother, who had gotten pregnant with him as a teenager and hadn't finished high school. She had a difficult time finding work. She suffered from anxiety and depression issues, and was taking medication. Ennis's mother worried about him, and wanted Ennis to get a good education, but was easily overwhelmed by stress. Much of the daily responsibilities for cooking and cleaning fell to Ennis, and he was embarrassed to have his friends over to his apartment. Tragically, Ennis's mother overdosed on a lethal combination of medication and alcohol. Ennis's dad came home for the funeral, but wasn't able to stay to take care of him. With his dad on the road, and no other close family nearby, Ennis was going to need to move to another town to live with an aunt who he didn't know very well. Ennis stopped attending school altogether and recently found out that he hadn't earned any credits in the past semester. He would not be able to graduate with his friends. While he was packing up their apartment, Ennis found his mother's prescriptions. He swallowed the pills, but then called his ex-girlfriend. After being discharged from the hospital, Ennis moved to live with his dad. Concerned for his son, Ennis's father took a lower-paying job so he could be home with Ennis. He and Ennis are trying to make a fresh start.