INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES PROFILE

Individual Differences Profile Essay

Hailey Hurd
Instructor: Dr. Egbert
Education 205: Developmental Differences

INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES PROFILE

Individual Differences Profile

Every child is unique in their own way. They will all have differences in the way they
develop physically, cognitively, and socio-emotionally. Some of these differences can be a result
of their environment or culture. It can also be a result of having some type of disability. This
profile shows how a student with a disability has developed thus far in his life.
General Information
Cole is an eight year old Caucasian boy. He has been diagnosed with the Attention
Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) disability. ADHD is a disability that can affect a
persons ability to focus and control behavior. Cole lives with his father, step-mother, and older
sister during the school year. His sister is ten years old. Every other weekend he goes to visit his
mother, step-father and two younger sisters. His two younger sisters are four and three years old.
He also lives with them during the summer.
Cole has a routine that is typically the same every week. On the weekdays, he goes to
school from about eight in the morning until three in the afternoon. After school, he walks or
rides the bus home with his sister and cousin. They do homework until his father or step-mother
gets home. Then they do chores, eat dinner, watch a movie together, and go to bed. Every other
weekend, he visits his mother. While at his mothers house, they do fun activities together. On
the weekends that he stays home, they do chores and occasionally a fun activity.
Physical Development
Cole has green eyes, blonde hair, and fair colored skin. The only distinguishing

INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES PROFILE

characteristic that Cole has is a small scar near his right eyebrow. As far as his physical
maturation goes, he is equivalent to his same-age peers. He is of average height, weight, and
build. Cole is slightly near-sighted so he has to wear glasses during his daily activities, such as
school. He can see well enough to play without them. He seems to not be able to hear very well,
but this may be more due to inattention, or lack of focus as a result of his ADHD, rather than an
actual hearing problem.
Cole gets plenty of exercise during his play at school and at home. He is very active and
also participates in Physical Education at school. He eats well-balanced meals and snacks. He
has very good large muscle development. He can play soccer, ride a bike, swim, jump on a pogo
stick, as well as many other activities. His small muscle development is also very good. He
writes very well and can cut out shapes on paper using his right hand. He can play the piano and
video games as well.
Cognitive Development
Cole is in the third grade and is right where he should be in a regular classroom. Any
extra help that he gets is still in the regular classroom and is considered full inclusion, with all
students regardless of disability. He has very good grades which are mostly As with an
occasional B or two. He is good at every subject but because of his ADHD, he sometimes forgets
to take his homework home, which results in him not getting it done on time and affects his
grade. He is always quick to make it up.

INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES PROFILE

Cole has a short attention span, which can get him in trouble with his teachers sometimes.
He loves to participate in all of the classroom activities and has excellent motivation and
initiative. He goes out of his way to help his teachers with anything that they need done.
According to Piaget, Cole is at the Concrete Operational Stage of cognitive
development. This stage is characterized by childrens ability to think logically, but only about
concrete problems and objects (Parsons, 2001, p. 45). Cole is able to use mathematical thinking
to determine how long certain activities will take to complete and estimate how much of a certain
thing, such as Legos, are needed to build or make something.
Socio-emotional Development
Cole interacts with his peers very well. He is very good at sharing and taking turns. He is
always thoughtful of others and makes sure everybody gets the opportunity to participate, which
makes him someone that peers want to continue playing with. His only drawback with peers is
that he uses his sense of touch quite a bit. Some children are raised not liking to be touched
much, so this can cause a problem sometimes. Cole is not shy and interacts with adults very well
also. He is a very caring and loving individual. He loves to hug the people he cares about and
enjoys being near them.
Cole has an excellent self-esteem and a very good self-concept. He speaks positively of
himself and his situation. He knows that he is loved for who he is despite any differences he has.
Cole is definitely in the Industry vs. Inferiority stage of psychosocial development. According
to Erikson, this is a stage where they will want to not only try but succeed and gain recognition

INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES PROFILE

for producing things (Parsons, 2001, 90). Cole is always making things, such as artwork, that he
attempts to get approval for, so he fits into this stage very well.
Summary, Conclusion, and Implications
Cole has a disability that could potentially keep him from doing well in school and with
his peers. His ADHD would be considered a postnatal handicap. If his ADHD had a major
impact on his academic life, he would be considered in Section 504 of the Vocational
Rehabilitation Act. Fortunately, his disability does not have very negative effects, so instead he
is added in to the other health impairments section of the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA). Cole has been able to rise above his disability and succeed in everything
he has accomplished thus far.
Cole is at the typical level of general development other than the fact that he has ADHD
and has parents that are divorced, although the latter is a situation that is becoming more and
more typical of todays youth. So, perhaps, he fits in with at least half of his peers in that sense
as well. Cole is also average in every aspect of physical development, if not above average in
some things like large and small muscle development.
Coles cognitive development is perhaps not at the typical level because of his disability,
but it does not affect him as much as others so he is very close to being typical in this aspect of
development as well. Cole is at the typical level of socio-emotional development. He has an
amazing sense of self. He is well-liked because of his wonderful personality and fits in well to
the theorists descriptions of this stage.

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Coles strength is in being able to overcome his lack of focus and uncontrolled behavior
due to his disability, even without the aid of medication. His only need is the encouragement to
keep him working hard and remembering that he needs to focus on paying attention to the right
thing at the right time. One way of accomplishing this would be to participate in some exercises
that aid in learning how to focus and control behavior. With this help, he will be able to
overcome his disability completely.
The strategy I would use would be to encourage him by using positive reinforcers. I
would help teach him the difference between the things he should and should not give his
attention to at certain times. I would teach him that during school, the teachers should get all of
his attention, rather than his toys or peers. I would teach him that toys and peers are acceptable to
give all his attention to during recess and after school at playtime.
Even if Cole was able to completely overcome his disability, he will still have some
differences. Having these individual differences is what makes every child unique and interesting
in their very own way.

INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES PROFILE

REFERENCES
Parsons, Hinson, & Sardo-Brown. (2001). Educational Psychology: College of Southern Idaho.
Australia: Cengage Learning.
Boles, Patrick F., Danner, Natalie, Briggs, Abbey, & Johnson, Jill. Pearson Custom Education:
Teaching Students with Special Needs in Inclusive Classrooms, Custom Edition for
College of Southern Idaho. New York: Pearson Learning Solutions.