CHFD307 B001 Spring 2026 Week 8 Assignment: Reflect on Personal Growth from Age 6 to 16 and into Adulthood Using Developmental Domains and Theories

Students in the CHFD307 B001 Spring 2026 course examine their personal growth across childhood and adolescence by comparing their six-year-old and sixteen-year-old selves to their current selves through physical, cognitive, and social emotional lenses in this week eight assignment.

This assignment is due at the end of Week 8. Be certain that you have done all the readings before attempting to do this assignment. Taking time to review the course materials ensures your reflections draw accurately from the concepts covered so far.

This course has been about the changes that take place as we move from childhood to adolescence. Now it is time to bring some of that information together, so that you can consider human growth and development in context. Recent studies continue to show how these early shifts shape later life outcomes in meaningful ways.

Think about the 6-year-old you and the 16-year-old you. Consider the domain categories of physical, social/emotional, and cognitive changes. What things are very different? What things are very much the same?

Now consider the 16-year-old you and the current you. Consider domain categories of physical, social/emotional, and cognitive changes. What things are very different? What things are very much the same? Many students find that pausing to recall specific memories from those ages brings the assignment to life.

What theories help to explain these similarities and differences? Be specific with the aspects of the theories you feel best apply to these. Clearly connect specific aspects of theories to the examples that you provide.

IMPORTANT

Please use the attached Word table for your answers. Expand the table as needed.

• Give multiple examples (2-3) of development in each of the 3 domain categories for your 6-year-old self and for your 16-year-old self.
• Identify and explain the similarities and differences between the 6- and 16-year-old you.
• Identify and explain the differences between the 16-year-old you and the current you.
• Using at least 75-100 words, describe which theory or theories explain these changes and how. Clearly connect specific aspects of theories to the examples that you provide.

Important Note: Please reach out to your instructor to discuss any concerns that you may have regarding the personal nature of this assignment.

IMPORTANT NOTE: All writing for this assignment must be original. Content generated by Artificial Intelligence is not permitted and will be addressed via the Student Code of Conduct.

Please review the Grading Rubric for additional information on how your work will be evaluated.

Provide and Describe Your Examples in the Table Below Using Complete Sentences

Expand each space as needed.

Similarities between 6 & 16 yr. old me

[Your response here]

Differences between 6 & 16 yr. old me

[Your response here]

Differences between 16 yr. old and current me

[Your response here]

What theories help to explain these changes? Why? Clearly connect specific aspects of the theories to the examples you provided.

Example Student Response to Guide Your Original Work

In my reflection, at age six my cognitive development involved simple logical thinking about concrete objects such as understanding basic math concepts in school while by age sixteen I could think abstractly about future careers and ethical dilemmas. Physically the six-year-old me had steady growth and enjoyed playground activities whereas the sixteen-year-old experienced puberty changes like increased height and coordination in sports. Socially similarities included enjoying time with friends yet differences arose in forming deeper romantic interests at sixteen. Between sixteen and now physical activity levels decreased slightly due to college demands yet emotional resilience grew through life experiences. Theories like Erikson’s psychosocial stages explain the identity versus role confusion at sixteen connecting directly to my search for self during high school. Research from the article on the importance of social and emotional skills during adolescence shows that young people draw on specific competencies to build positive identity and navigate peer relationships effectively (Main, 2025, https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15020258).

Applying these theories reveals patterns in human development that align with broader research findings from recent studies on relational contexts and identity formation. For instance Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model as discussed in contemporary reviews underscores how environmental contexts influence individual trajectories across domains and helps explain why some changes feel continuous while others mark clear turning points. Such connections not only enrich personal understanding but also prepare students for careers in family support and education fields where evidence-based insights drive effective interventions with children and adolescents.

References

• Likhar, A. (2022). Early childhood development and social determinants. Cureus, 14(9), Article e29500. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.29500
• Main, K. (2025). The importance of social and emotional skills during adolescence to promote a positive social identity: A systematic literature review and reflection using Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological theory. Education Sciences, 15(2), 258. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15020258
• Leung, J. T. Y., & Shek, D. T. L. (2020). Theories of adolescent development: Overview. In S. Hupp & J. D. Jewell (Eds.), The encyclopedia of child and adolescent development (pp. 1–12). Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119171492.wecad305
• Osher, D., Cantor, P., Berg, J., Steinhardt, L., & Rose, T. (2020). Drivers of human development: How relationships and context shape learning and development. Applied Developmental Science, 24(1), 6–36. https://doi.org/10.1080/10888691.2017.1398650

1. CHFD307 Week 8 Assignment Personal Development Reflection 6 Year Old to 16 Year Old to Current Self Examples
2. CHFD307 Week 8 Human Growth Theories Personal Change Table
3. Reflecting on Physical Cognitive and Social Emotional Growth from Childhood to Now
4. Connecting Your Own Life Changes to Piaget Erikson and Other Developmental Theories

•  Students compose an original table for the CHFD307 Week 8 assignment that lists 2-3 examples of physical cognitive and social emotional development for their 6-year-old and 16-year-old selves then identify similarities differences and supporting theories in 75-100 words.

Prepare a 1-page expandable table response for CHFD307 Week 8 that compares developmental domains from age 6 to 16 and to the present day while connecting specific theory aspects to personal examples.

Submit an original table and 75-100 word theory explanation for CHFD307 Week 8 that details personal changes across physical social emotional and cognitive domains from childhood through adolescence to adulthood.

 ~~~~~

Assignment: Week 9 Discussion Post – CHFD307 B001 Spring 2026

Examine the role of family systems and cultural influences on emerging adulthood development. Provide specific examples from your life observations or case studies and connect them to relevant theories such as family systems or ecological models. Post your initial response of 300-400 words by the due date and reply thoughtfully to at least two classmates to deepen the discussion on how these factors shape long-term outcomes.