The purpose of this project is for you to reflect on some of the core dimensions of adolescence
and young adulthood. Your paper should be written at the college level, with an 11 or 12-point font, and
utilize the meaningful application of concepts you choose from the text. Citations and references to the text
should be made in APA (American Psychological Association) format. Late work will not be accepted.
Option 1: Write a five (5) page paper consisting of an interview you do with an adolescent or young
adult (between the ages of 13 and 19). You must gain consent by asking permission from the
adolescents parents or legal guardians as to whether you can conduct the interview. If you do not have
consent, do not proceed. You will need to find a different adolescent to interview (or else choose Option
2). Once you have an adolescent to interview and have attained consent, it is alright to proceed and ask
the adolescent if you can interview him or her. Note that this is not a clinical or a research project. It is
not assessment or treatment such as counseling or psychotherapy. Instead, it is an academic exercise for
you that is intended to help you apply concepts you have studied to an adolescents real life
experiences. No interviews should be done without parental consent and the participants (i.e. the
adolescents) consent. All interviews should be conducted with sensitivity and courtesy for the adolescent
and her or his family.
With this in mind, the interview will consist of your asking about and then reflecting upon the following
questions:
What was growing into adolescence like for this individual?
Who is this adolescent as a person?
What has been good about growing into adolescence for this individual? Describe the strengths,
protective factors, and resilience of this person.
What has been challenging for this individual? What obstacles has this person had to face?
Weave five concepts into your paper from the Santrock text to describe the adolescent you are
interviewing; indicate why you are choosing these four concepts, define the concepts, and then
apply the concepts to the adolescent you have interviewed. Address and apply these concepts
with depth, breadth, and scholarship. (Note: The Neuroconstructivist view and the personenvironmental fit are both examples of concepts that you will read about in the textbook).